Horse Racing Betting Rules
Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic premise – to identify which of two or more horses is the fastest over a set course or distance – has been unchanged since at least classical antiquity.
Horse races vary widely in format and many countries have developed their own particular traditions around the sport. Variations include restricting races to particular breeds, running over obstacles, running over different distances, running on different track surfaces , and running in different gaits.
While horses are sometimes raced purely for sport, a major part of horse racing’s interest and economic importance is in the gambling associated with it, an activity that in 2008 generated a worldwide market worth around US$115 billion
UK Racing
Bet Acceptance
All bets are placed in accordance with our betting rules and terms and conditions. All odds are subject to fluctuation and bets placed will be settled at the price at the time the bet was confirmed or at starting price (SP) if selected. Bets are accepted for horse race meetings held under the rules of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) and are settled on the official result. In the case of an emergency, the stewards may alter the original distance of the race or allow the result to stand when the runners have taken the wrong course. In each of these instances, bets will stand and be settled on the official result. Adjustments to settlement will not be made for amended results or adjudications made by governing bodies after the weigh-in when the official result is declared.
Enhanced Odds and Place Terms
If the odds for a specific horse or place terms for a specific race are enhanced as part of a promotional offer, bets placed at ante-post odds or outside of the promotional period will not qualify.
Ante-Post Prices
Are offered on selected races up to the final declaration stage, which is when the final list of entries for the race is confirmed.
- If the selected horse is balloted out of the race, bets placed on that horse at ante-post prices will be refunded.
- If the selected horse is withdrawn from the race for any other reason at any point in time, bets placed on that horse at ante-post prices will have lost
- If the selected horse is withdrawn from the race before coming under starter’s orders, bets placed on that horse will be void.
- If the selected horse is withdrawn from a race after coming under starter’s orders, bets placed on that horse will have lost as the horse will be deemed to have been a participant in the race.
- If any other horse is withdrawn from the race before coming under starter’s orders, bets placed prices may be subject to a Rule 4 deduction.
SP or Starting Price
The SP, or starting price, is the price declared on each horse once a race has come under starter’s orders. This is the price declared for each horse in the official race result.
Bets placed on the UK and Irish horse racing will be settled at SP unless a price is taken or unless the bet is placed at Tote Pool odds.
Withdrawn Horses Rule 4 Deductions
If a horse is withdrawn after the final declaration stage and before coming under starter’s orders or is officially deemed by the starter to have taken no part in the race, stakes will be returned on the withdrawn horse and winning bets will be subject to deductions in accordance with Tattersall’s Rule 4. In multiple bets, the deduction will only apply to parts of the bet specifically involving the withdrawn horse. The rate of deduction will be based on the following scale:
| Price of non-runner at time of withdrawal |
Deduction from winnings |
| 1/9 or longer odds on |
90p in the £ |
| 2/11 to 2/17 |
85p in the £ |
| 1/4 to 1/5 |
80p in the £ |
| 3/10 to 2/7 |
75p in the £ |
| 2/5 to 1/3 |
70p in the £ |
| 8/15 to 4/9 |
65p in the £ |
| 8/15 to 4/7 |
60p in the £ |
| 4/5 to 4/6 |
55p in the £ |
| 20/21 to 5/6 |
50p in the £ |
| Evens to 6/5 |
45p in the £ |
| 5/4 to 6/4 |
40p in the £ |
| 8/5 to 7/4 |
35p in the £ |
| 9/5 to 9/4 |
30p in the £ |
| 12/5 to 3/1 |
25p in the £ |
| 16/5 to 4/1 |
20p in the £ |
| 9/2 to 11/2 |
15p in the £ |
| 6/1 to 9/1 |
10p in the £ |
| 10/1 to 14/1 |
5p in the £ |
| Over14/4 |
No deductions |
If a horse is withdrawn and a new market is formed, all bets placed at show prices prior to the new market will be subject to the above deductions. If two or more horses are withdrawn before coming under starter’s orders, the total deductions shall not exceed 90p in the £.
If further horses are withdrawn after a new market has been formed, bets placed at show prices prior to a new market being formed will be subject to a further deduction based on the prices of all withdrawn horses. Bets placed in the new market will be subject to a deduction based on the current price. If the total deduction on the market is 5p in the £, the deduction will be waived.
Demoted Horses
If the result of a race is amended before the weigh-in, when the official result is declared, this is deemed the final result.
Change of Racing Surface
If the surface of an individual race or whole race meeting is changed from turf to track or vice versa, bets placed on that race or any race at that meeting will stand.
Double Engagements
If a horse is doubly engaged, meaning it is entered for two or more races on the same day, win and each-way bets placed on that horse that is timed for the race in which it actually runs will stand. Win and each-way bets placed on that horse that are timed for a race in which it does not run will be void.
Identical Names
If two horses, or greyhounds or virtual runners have identical names, bets placed in shops, by text or by telephone must differentiate between each by stating a race time and meeting. Bets accepted in shops, by text or by telephone that do not differentiate by stating a race time and meeting and where no qualifying price has been laid, will be settled in the following order of priority; UK horse race, then Irish horse race, then greyhound race, then overseas horse race, then virtual race.
Abandoned Races, Void Races, and Walk-Overs
If a race is abandoned, declared void, or has only one runner (also known as a walkover), bets placed on horses in that race will be void.
If an ante-post horse race is postponed to another day, Ante-post bets placed before the entries have closed will stand and will only be made void if
- The race is abandoned or made void.
- A horse is balloted out under the rules of racing.
- The venue is altered.
Dead Heat
A dead heat is when two or more horses cannot be separated by the Judge after consulting the photo finish. If a selected horse finishes the race in a dead heat for first place, the stake will be divided equally across the first and second place.
