What is a void bet? Invalid bets in online betting

In online betting, there are many cases where players have their bets cancelled and received their original amount back. This makes many people feel confused with the bookmaker’s handling. However, in reality, this is not the fault of the bookmaker. Depending on the circumstances, the match you choose to bet on may not have happened. These are called “Cancelled Bets” or “Invalid Bets”. In a nutshell, but for a better understanding, please refer to the content below. The Wintips.com expert will explain in detail “What is a void bet?” and the reasons why void bets occur.

What is a void bet? 

The majority of online bets you make will usually proceed smoothly through the standard process. Nevertheless, occasional anomalies might arise, leaving you perplexed about the settlement of your bet or the rationale behind its specific calculation. Prompting an examination of potential causes and the resultant impact on your wagers. Particularly those encompassing accumulators or multiples.

Before delving into the specifics, let’s establish a clear understanding of what constitutes a void bet. In such cases, there exists a technical possibility of forfeiting the free bet if it becomes void. Yet, it’s worth noting that engaging with the bookmaker can potentially result in the reinstatement of your bonus or free bet. Likewise, it’s important to recognize that void bets won’t qualify as valid bets for the purpose of acquiring a free bet, nor will they contribute to the wagering requirements associated with bonuses carrying such terms.

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Pros/Cons of void bets 

Pros:

• Loss Mitigation: Void bets can serve as a safeguard, minimizing potential losses.
• Refunds for Misjudgment: Regardless of backing the incorrect player or outcome, your wager will still be reimbursed.
• Loss to Void Conversion: Unforeseen circumstances can transform a losing bet into a voided one, averting outright losses.

Cons:

• Bookmaker Discretion: There’s a risk that bookmakers could exploit void bets to conceal errors or errors in their favor.
• Win to Void Conversion: Even successful bets might be reclassified as void, leading to missed winnings.

Meaning of void bets

Before delving into the reasons behind a bookmaker’s decision to void a bet, let’s take a brief moment to understand the concept of voided bets. When a bet is voided, the bookmaker effectively nullifies it. This entails erasing the wager as if it had never been placed in the first instance. Consequently, the stake you placed on the bet will be fully refunded to your account, resulting in neither a winning nor losing outcome for the bet you made.

While it might seem disappointing to the bettor, from the perspective of the bookmaker, it’s a solution that strikes a balance. Paying out a bet as a winner in these circumstances wouldn’t be fair, yet outright confiscation of the stake wouldn’t be just either. Hence, returning the stake to you without any repercussions is the most ethical course of action. Although infrequent, these occurrences can arise for a multitude of reasons.

Reasons for void bet status

1. Match/Event Postponed

Betting on various sports events, such as football matches, horse races, or tennis tournaments, comes with the risk of voided bets if the event is postponed or canceled. Factors like bad weather frequently lead to these situations. Most bookmakers implement a rule that stipulates if the event isn’t rescheduled within a specified timeframe. Similarly, if an event starts but doesn’t conclude, due to reasons like crowd disturbances or technical issues like malfunctioning floodlights, the bets may be affected.

2. Event Abandoned

Similar to a postponed event, an abandoned contest involves the event starting but not reaching its intended conclusion. Again, adverse weather conditions or factors like crowd disruptions can lead to an event being abandoned. Teams with numerous players injured or dismissed might also contribute to an abandoned event.

3. Non-runner/Injured

In various sports betting scenarios, such as horse racing, football, golf, and tennis, encountering a non-runner among your selected participants can trigger specific outcomes that vary based on the type of bet and the nature of the event. In the realm of horse racing, for instance, non-runners are quite common. A non-runner refers to a horse that was initially scheduled to compete in a race but is subsequently withdrawn due to various factors. These factors can encompass injury, illness, unsuitable ground conditions, or any other circumstance that renders the horse unable to participate.

When you’ve placed a bet on a non-runner in horse racing, the common practice is for the bet to be voided. In other words, your wager is annulled, and your stake is returned to your account. This voiding process is particularly pertinent to markets that are not in the ante-post category. Ante-post bets are those placed well in advance of an event, and they carry different rules because they involve predicting outcomes in the distant future. However, for bets made on non-ante-post markets, a non-runner effectively renders your bet null and void, eliminating any potential gain or loss.

4. Rules

Bookmakers might void bets due to rule changes that significantly alter the terms of the original bet. For example, a cricket match might be shortened to fewer overs, or a tennis match could change from one type of court to another. Bookmakers outline these potential changes in their terms and conditions. Although such decisions might seem unfair, they are usually based on clear and rational reasons. Bookmakers strive for fairness when considering whether to void bets.

5. Error

Bookmaker errors can lead to voided bets. Mistakes might involve market conditions, such as not transitioning to In-Play betting as expected or offering clearly incorrect odds. When bookmakers make palpable errors, which are obvious mistakes in odds or markets, they often void the affected bets and refund the stake. 

What happens when a bet is void in a parlay?

If one of your selections in an accumulator or multiple bet is voided, the void selection is simply excluded from the bet. For example, if you had a fourfold accumulator with one void leg, it would become a treble. Similarly, a treble would turn into a double, and a double would stand as a single bet. However, when it comes to accumulators placed on special enhanced odds markets or coupons like “trebles and up,” the situation can be more complex. 

Bets placed on Lucky 15s, Lucky 31s, and Lucky 63s follow the same principle as accumulators. If a leg within one of these bets is voided, the voided leg is disregarded. Bet is recalculated as if the void selection never existed.

Circumstances in which invalid bets cannot occur

Bookmakers adhere to specific bet outcomes even in situations that might appear unconventional. For example: In Last Goalscorer bets, if a substitute player briefly enters the game. Settled bets in the context of canceled or postponed events. Such as a First Goalscorer bet in football or a prediction about the initial point winner in tennis, remain valid and unaffected.  These risks become apparent when a selected participant, such as a horse in a race, ends up not participating, resulting in a failed bet. Staying vigilant about major events and the evolving offers of bookmakers is essential. At times, bookmakers might provide the option to void bets for events like the Grand National shortly before the race begins.

Ante-post bets have wider application beyond horse racing, encompassing events like the World Cup’s Top Goalscorer in soccer. These bets persist even if the chosen player doesn’t end up participating due to injuries or other reasons. This rule extends to sports such as golf and tennis, covering prestigious events like the Masters and Wimbledon. It’s important to remember that while ante-post bets offer unique opportunities, they also entail a higher level of uncertainty due to the extended time between placing the bet and the event’s occurrence.

What do void bets accumulate?

A void bet can have a notable impact, particularly when you’ve placed an accumulator alongside an offer like acca insurance. Acca insurance provides a refund of your stake, often in the form of a free bet or bonus funds, if just one of your accumulator bets loses.

Typically, these insurance promotions require a minimum number of legs to qualify, such as a requirement for an accumulator with five or more legs. In this scenario, a voided bet decreases the total number of legs in your accumulator. For instance, if you had a five-fold accumulator with one void leg, it becomes a four-fold, rendering it ineligible for the insurance promotion. One approach is to exclude such a leg from the accumulator entirely. Alternatively, you could include an additional leg that you’re reasonably confident will win. 

Conclude

The above is all information regarding void bets. If you see results contrary to your predictions, you will be glad that you did not lose money. Of course, for online bettors, it is not often desirable to cancel bets. So do you, and so do online bookmakers. For safe and smooth betting, take part in the bookmaker in betting shared by Wintips. We promise that you will feel satisfied with what you have spent, wish you fun and good luck.

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