Sports Book Wagering Rules
Minimum Length of Play
For wagering purposes, unless otherwise stipulated in individual sports wagering rules, games are official after:
1. BASEBALL (all) – Five innings of play. If the home team is leading, the game is official after 4 ½ innings (this will include softball). Thereafter, if a game is called or suspended for more than 36 hours, the winner is determined by the score after the last full inning, unless the home team scores to tie or take the lead in the bottom half of the inning, in which case the winner is determined by the score at the time the game is called.
2. FOOTBALL (pro and college) – 55 minutes of play. If a match is abandoned before 55 minutes of play has been completed, all bets on the match will be cancelled, except for those markets which have been unconditionally determined.
3. BASKETBALL (NBA) – 43 minutes of play; (NCAA, WNBA, NBA Summer League, European) – 35 minutes of play.
4. HOCKEY (US Pro) – 55 minutes of play. (Non-US) – 60 minutes of play.
5. GOLF – Results are official for wagering purposes provided that at least one round has been completed by all players in the field and a winner is declared by the tournament’s governing body.
6. MOTOR RACING – All bets will be settled on official podium placings published by the governing authority of the respective sport/league/event - usually right after the end of the event. If the official result is changed within 24 hours after the end of the event by the respective governing body, then the company reserves the right to correct settlement accordingly. Any changes to rankings made after 24 hours after the end of the event for whatever reasons, will not be taken into consideration when the outcome of the bet is decided.
7. SOCCER - Full 90 minutes of play plus injury time for 3-way, goal line, and totals.
8. BOXING and MIXED MARTIAL ARTS (all) – The bell (buzzer, etc.) is sounded signifying the start of the opening round and the bout is considered official for wagering purposes, regardless of the scheduled length. For a round to be considered complete, the fighters must answer the bell beginning the next round, except for the final scheduled round in which case the final bell signifies the completion of the round and fight.
9. TENNIS – At least one set of the match must be completed.
10. ALL OTHER SPORTS – The conclusion of the scheduled length of play or scheduled time limit.
Other Sports Rules
Wagers and proposition bets are offered to patrons and settled throughout the duration of games and events. Patrons are advised to check the individual sports rules sections for information on how wagers are settled as Minimum Length of Play rules do not relate to all wagers offered to Patrons.
For events where all participants are not listed and there is not a Field option, all bets are action. If a customer wishes to request Us to offer lines on a new participant, then they can do so by contacting Customer Care. Where possible We will do so within a reasonable timeframe.
Teasers (Online Only)
If a selection within the teaser results in a push, cancellation or void, the teaser has action and reduces to the next lowest number of selections. Payout will be recalculated with the push, cancelled or voided legs removed. A two-team teaser will be cancelled in the event one selection results in a push, cancellation, or void.
Same Game Parlay Rules
“Same Game Parlay” (SGP) is a parlay bet combining multiple selections from the same event. If a pick within a SGP is cancelled, then the wager odds at the time of bet placement will be re-calculated using the remaining legs, unless specified otherwise in the specific sport's betting rules. BetMGM reserves the right to cancel a SGP or SGP+ if it is unable to adjust the odds of the wager after a selection is cancelled.
“Same Game Parlay Plus” (SGP+) is a parlay that includes at least one SGP and additional straight selections or additional SGPs from other events. If a straight selection or SGP within the SGP+ wager is voided, then the SGP+ wager odds will be re-calculated using the remaining legs. Further details regarding the settlement rules for SGPs are set forth in the Sports Rules for the relevant sport.
Settlement Rules
We settle markets in accordance with the official rules, statistics and results as declared by the league’s governing body, unless specified otherwise in the specific sport’s betting rules.
Dead Heat Rule
A dead heat is when two or more selections tie for a given position. In racing events (Motor Racing or Athletics for example), it could be due to both competitors crossing the line at the exact same time and the judge is unable to separate them. In other events, such as Golf, a dead heat occurs when players have scored the exact same score and are therefore classified in a joint position such as joint second place.
In a dead heat for first place, the stake money on a winning selection is divided by the number of winners in a dead heat. The full odds are then paid to the divided stake with the remainder of the money being lost.
For example: Kurt Busch and Denny Hamlin have dead heated for first place in a NASCAR race. If you backed either of these drivers, you would be paid half of your stake (We pay out half the stake for both selections).
Therefore:
$100 on Kurt Busch at +100 = Half Stake $100 = $50 at +100 = $100 returns.
Or
$100 on Denny Hamlin at +800 = Half stake $100 = $50 at +800 = $450 returns.
Multi-selection Dead Heats
If there is a dead heat between multiple competitors, the following calculation applies:
The number of positions tied for, divided by the number of players tied in that position.
For example:
1 Brooks Koepka
T2 Tommy Fleetwood
T2 Tiger Woods
T4 Justin Rose
T4 Jordan Spieth
T4 Rickie Fowler
T4 Dustin Johnson
T4 Rory McIlroy
In this scenario there are two (2) players in a dead heat for second place, and five (5) players in a dead heat for fourth place. If you had picked a player to finish in the Top five, then those who finished tied for second place are both winners. Your full stake would then be paid out at full odds.
However, if you had picked any of the players who finished tied for fourth place then those wagers would be settled differently. There are five (5) players in a dead heat for two (2) positions (fourth and fifth) and therefore you would be paid at 2/5 (two-fifths) of the stake.
For example, if you had $100 on Dustin Johnson Top 5 Finish at +200, your bet would be settled as follows:
- $100 on Dustin Johnson = 5 players tied for 2 positions = 2/5 (two-fifths) stake
- 2/5 of $100 = $40 at +200 = $120 returns
Calculations for Wager Types
Calculations for wager types are as follows:
Money Line payoff: The money line is expressed as a 3- or 4-digit number. For example, -200 means a player must bet $200 for every $100 they wish to win, and multiples thereof. Or, +120 means a player will win $120 for every $100 bet.
Point spread payoff: The spread line is expressed as a 3-digit number. For example, -110 means a player must bet $110 for every $100 they wish to win, and multiples thereof. Or, +110 means a player will win $110 for every $100 bet.
Postponed Matches:
For postponed and cancelled matches, the following rules apply unless otherwise stipulated in the individual sports wagering rules. All bets placed prior to the scheduled start time of a match will be cancelled if the match is cancelled or postponed to a different day (local time) than initially scheduled. All bets stand on any match that is delayed prior to the scheduled start time and takes place on the same day (local time). However, if a match that takes place within a fixed date tournament framework (e.g. Olympic Games, Tennis Tournaments, European Championships Finals, World Cup Finals, etc.) is postponed all bets will stand (does not apply to non-tennis qualifying matches taking place outside of the fixed date tournament framework).