Horse Racing Rules
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General
- All bets are governed by Tattersalls Rules of Betting. These rules will govern the settlement of bets if anything occurs that is not covered by our stated rules.
- Bets are settled in accordance with the official result at the time of the "weigh in". Any change to a result after this point will not count.
- Any bets other than Ante Post will be void if the race is abandoned or declared void. If the race is postponed to a future day and the final Declarations stand, all bets will stand providing the venue is not changed. If this is the case all bets will be void.
- In the event of a false start etc resulting in a race being re-run, the race is not considered to be 'under starters orders' and stakes will be refunded on selections not taking part in the re-run with any returns on the remaining subject to Tattersalls Rule 4(c). The number of runners taking part in the re-run governs the Place terms.
- Walkovers and void races count as races but any selection involved will be treated as a non-runner.
- First Past the Post is only applicable to horse racing in Ireland and the U.K., unless otherwise advertised. First Past the Post means if your horse is "First Past The Post" you get paid. Should your horse be awarded the race or promoted to a place, as a result of a Stewards Enquiry or Objection which is announced before the "weigh in" or "winner alright", Skybet will still pay you. First Past the Post does not apply to the following bets or circumstances:-
- All Ante post bets.
- Forecasts and Tricasts.
- Bets which rely on Tote Dividends i.e. Jackpots, Placepots etc which are settled Rules of Racing.
- Horse "Match betting", "Distance Specials" or "Betting Without" races which are settled as to the respective conditions detailed in these rules.
- Any Selection disqualified for taking the wrong course or for carrying an incorrect weight.
- Races which are declared void.
- Where there is an official correction to the result by the judge or SIS prior to the "weigh in" and any races which are declared void before the "weigh in" for which Rules of Racing will apply.
- All bets on horse racing outside of Ireland and the U.K. are settled on a rules of racing basis only.
For Horse and Greyhound Racing, the place part of Each-Way bets will be settled at the following Place terms:
Non-Handicap Races
- 2 4 Runners Win Only
- 5 7 Runners 1/4 the Odds 1, 2
- 8 or more Runners 1/5 the Odds 1, 2, 3
Handicap Races
- 2 4 Runners Win Only
- 5 7 Runners 1/4 the Odds 1, 2
- 8 - 11 Runners 1/5 the Odds 1, 2, 3
- 12 15 Runners 1/4 the Odds 1, 2, 3
- 16 or more Runners 1/4 the Odds 1, 2, 3, 4
EACH-WAY BETS are governed by our S.P. place betting terms and determined by the number of horses coming 'under starter"s orders¹ and not by the number of declared runners when the price was taken.
- Ante Post betting will cease at the Final Declaration stage, and all bets after this stage will be "Non-runner no bet" and Tattersalls Rule 4(c) will apply.
- If a horse is withdrawn not coming under starters orders, or is officially deemed by the starter not to have taken part in the race, stakes on that horse will be refunded and winning bets will be subject to deductions in accordance with Tattersalls Rule 4 (c).
Rate of deductions | Odds | Deduction (in £s) |
|---|
| 3/10 or shorter | 75p |
| Over 3/10 up to and including 2/5 | 70p |
| Over 2/5 up to and including 8/15 | 65p |
| Over 8/15 up to and including 8/13 | 60p |
| Over 8/13 up to and including 4/5 | 55p |
| Over 4/5 up to and including 20/21 | 50p |
| Over 20/21 up to and including 6/5 | 45p |
| Over 6/5 up to and including 6/4 | 40p |
| Over 6/4 up to and including 7/4 | 35p |
| Over 7/4 up to and including 9/4 | 30p |
| Over 9/4 up to and including 3/1 | 25p |
| Over 3/1 up to and including 4/1 | 20p |
| Over 4/1 up to and including 11/2 | 15p |
| Over 11/2 up to and including 9/1 | 10p |
| Over 9/1 | None |
| |
In the event of 2 or more horses being withdrawn before coming under starters orders, the total deduction will not exceed 75p in £s.
As of 22/04/08 we will no longer be deducting 5p Rule 4's from bets.
Horserace Favourites
- The first favourite is the horse given in the S.P. returns at the shortest price; if there are two or more horses returned at the shortest price they are classed as joint first and second favourites.
- Where a horse is withdrawn not under orders but is still returned favourite then bets on that favourite are treated as a non-runner.
Each Way (EW)
An Each Way bet consists of two parts, the Win part and the Place part. Each part is an equal stake, i.e. £1 EW will cost a total of £2. When you are placing this type of bet you are betting on your selection to either Win or be Placed within the payout terms.
If your selection wins the whole of your stake is used to calculate your winnings, but if your selection is placed i.e. comes 2nd, then the place part only of your stake is used to calculate your winnings at the place terms i.e. 1/5 1st 3 places and the Win part of your stake is lost.
Place Only Betting
If a horse is withdrawn not coming under starter's orders, all stakes for that selection will be refunded and winning bets will be subject to deductions in accordance with Tattersalls Rule 4 (c). Any deduction will be based on the current Win price at the time of the withdrawal and will apply to the Place Only market.For example:Horse is 9/1 in the Win Market, a 10p Rule 4 will apply to the Place Only Market
The number of places paid will be determined by the declarations on the day of the race. If the number of places is reduced because of a reduction in the number of runners, for the purposes of place only betting the number of places paid will remain the same. The only exception to this is in races where the number of runners is equal to or less than the places on offer, in this instance bets will be made void and stakes refunded.An 8 horse race with each way terms of 3 places is reduced to a race of 7 or less runners we will still pay 3 places on the Place Only Market.
Starting Price (SP)
Starting Price is the price that the horse or dog returns at and will only be confirmed after the official weigh in.
Forecasts
- Forecasts are accepted in races of 3 or more runners: any taken in error on races with less runners will be settled as a win single on the selection nominated to come first.
- Bets are settled in accordance with the computer SP straight forecast returns. If for any reason an SP return is not given, bets will be made void
- Bets involving a non runner will be made void.
Tricasts
- Tricast are accepted in races where an official computer tricast dividend is declared; any that are taken on a race where no dividend is declared will stand as a computer straight forecast on the selections chosen to finish first and second with the third being discounted.
- Selections should be named; unnamed favourites are not accepted and where taken in error will be made void.
- Bets involving a non runner will stand as a computer straight forecast on the remaining two selections in the order stated. Bets involving two non runners will be made void.
Double Engagements
Where a selection is doubly engaged and the time is stipulated in the bet, it will stand as a bet for the timed race; If the selection runs in the other race it would be treated as a non runner.
- Where the selection is un-timed the bet will stand for the first race that the selection actually runs in after the bet is placed.
- Where a doubly engaged horse is included in a multiple bet and runs in the same race as another selection in the multiple bet, the horse will automatically be timed for the race in which the entries do not clash.
Prices
- We accept bets in races of TWO or more runners for named selections and trap numbers at current "Show Prices" as transmitted to our service by the official information service (SIS), and not from any other broadcast source.
- In the event of a WRONG PRICE being transmitted then the bet will be settled at the correct price at the time the bet was struck or at S.P. whichever is the greater.
- Should a horse be WITHDRAWN whereby Tattersalls Rule 4(c) would apply, then no "Show Price" can be taken after the time of withdrawal, unless the "Market" has been re-formed.
Early Prices
- Same day early prices are available on some horse races and will be displayed on the Sky Bet service. Bets are accepted on a "non-runner-no bet" basis, therefore should a horse be withdrawn not under orders, stakes on that selection will be returned with bets on other horses in the race subject to Tattersalls Rule 4(c) deduction where applicable.
- Should a horse be withdrawn and a new market formed, then any bets taken at "show prices" prior to the new show will be subject to a Rule 4(c) deduction.
Specials
Double Chance
If one of the selections is a non runner, the bet will be settled on the remaining selection as a single at the starting price.
Daily Top Treble
If one of the selections is a non runner, the bet will be settled as a double on the remaining selections at the starting price.
If two of the selections are non runners, the bet will be settled as a single on the remaining selection at the starting price.
Total Distances at a Horse Race Meeting
When prices are quoted for the total aggregate of winning distances they will be settled in the following manner.
- The official distance between the winner and second will govern all bets irrespective of any subsequent disqualification, enquiry or amendment unless the official distance is amended by the judge on the day of the race.
- The maximum winning distance for flat races will be 12 lengths and for National Hunt Racing 30 lengths. In the case of a horse finishing alone, the maximums will apply.
- If for any reason a meeting or any race(s) scheduled at that meeting does not take place then all bets are void.
- Walkovers are allocated 5 lengths for flat races and 12 lengths for National Hunt Races.
Where the winning distance is less than 1 length the following values will apply:
- Deadheat 0
- Short Head 0.1 length
- Head 0.2 length
- Neck 0.3 length
- ½ length 0.5 length
- ¾ length 0.75 length
Favourites Betting at a Horse Race Meeting
Is a market on the performance of the SP favourites for a day's racing at a particular meeting and points will be allocated as follows:
- The horse which is the SP favourite is awarded 25 points for winning, 10 points for finishing 2nd, 5 points for finishing 3rd, no points for any other position.
- If there are joint or co-favourites, the horse with the lowest race card number will be deemed to be favourite for the purpose of this bet.
- If the SP favourite is withdrawn not "under starter's orders" and a new market has not been formed, 10 points will be awarded for that race.
- If no SP is returned on a race, 10 points will be awarded for that race.
Racing Abroad
You can choose to take a Sky Bet Early Price or industry board price or industry Starting Price when betting on selections in these races if available. The Starting Price will be the last available industry price unless there is an industry returned SP.
For some international horse races we offer Pari-Mutual betting (PMU). Two PMU markets will be available - to win or to place. It is not possible to place an each way bet on the PMU.
The maximum returns for any bet featuring selections settled at PMU returns will be £100,000.