Putting any amount of money down on a money line bet is taking a risk as a sports gambler. Most people want to know exactly what happens with certain potential outcomes. While winning and losing seem straightforward, knowing what happens with a tie isn’t clear right away.
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Does a Tie Lose a Money Line Bet?
If a person bets on the money line in a sporting event and there is a tie, the bet is considered a push. This means there are no winners or losers, as everyone just gets their original wager back. This is because when there is a tie, neither team covers the spread and the bet is nulled. Most sportsbooks have the policy of giving gamblers the full amount of the money line bet back if there is a tie to avoid any sort of controversy or backlash.
A tie in gambling can happen in any major sport where a point spread exists. There are also sports like soccer and football that have the potential to end in a tie on the field. Anyone not sure what the policy is with a sportsbook should remember to check the rules of every specific bet before placing a wager. Some sportsbooks may not pay out on money line bets if there is a tie due to their old set of rules.
What Sports Regularly Have Ties?
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The toughest sport to deal with a tie in major sports betting is soccer. Since regular-season soccer matches can end in a draw, it’s frustrating for people to place wagers on a winner and loser. The good news is that in most cases, there is a way to also wager on a draw as a result. If that wager is offered, the bet pays out that way.
The NFL usually does not offer any type of odds to predict a tie. There are only one or two ties in a standard regular season, so it seems pointless to offer it. It does cause a lot of controversies when ties occur, but sportsbooks are pretty quick to act accordingly. They even have policies in place for when a tie occurs.
All the other major team sports will play it out until there is a winner if possible. It might take additional time to wrap everything up, but it’s worth it to have a winner declared. Overtimes and extra innings count towards the final money line.
Do Ties Mess Up Money Line Parlay Bets?
Ties are one of the worst problems for gamblers putting together a solid parlay betting opportunity. If there is a tie, the entire parlay bet is off. The good news is that a lot of sportsbooks will simply cancel the bet, and a person gets their wager back. However, keep in mind that for a sport like soccer, a draw is a pickable option. Therefore, sportsbooks aren’t going to refund if a person wins every leg of a parlay except a draw in soccer.
Navigating Ties in Sports Betting
Handling ties in any sports betting can be challenging, especially when it looks like an outright winner. It could be much worse, since most ties are not a loss. Always read the fine print to make sure the sportsbook doesn’t pull a fast one on those unlucky ones dealing with an untimely tie.