Sky Bet Market Rules
1. Bet Acceptance Policy
1.1 We accept bets on all sporting events and special events where we specifically advertise acceptance (e.g. Football, Golf, Cricket, etc). Where you place a bet with us you will be bound by our General Terms and Conditions, available here, these Sky Bet Market Rules and the applicable rules for each specific sport, available here.
1.2 A bet is accepted on the basis that it is the investment of one customer only. These rules set out the maximum amounts that can be won (excluding stake) by one customer in one day's betting regardless of stake. These maximums will still apply, even if by taking prices the level of potential winnings exceeds these amounts.
1.3 All maximum payout limits apply to any one customer, or group of customers acting together, who have placed bets containing the same selections, including where placed in a series of bets, at a range of prices, over a number of days using different betting accounts and/or across different betting channels. Should we have reason to believe that a number of bets have been placed this way, the total payment of all those bets combined will be limited to one single maximum payout.
1.4 Horse Racing Bets are accepted for horse races held under the rules of the UK Jockey Club, Irish Turf Club or the equivalent international bodies. Bets on horse racing are settled on the official result at the time of the "weigh in".
1.5 Greyhound Racing Bets are accepted for selected races in Great Britain and Ireland, and are settled on the official result. Please see the applicable rules for each specific sport, available here.
2. Placing Bets
2.1 All odds displayed are for information purposes only and are subject to change. Only odds available at the actual time a bet is accepted shall be valid.
2.2 The minimum bet is 5p (or currency equivalent). However, the minimum deposit to your Account is £5 (or currency equivalent) as may be amended from time to time in accordance with our General Terms and Conditions. The maximum bet per selection is as determined by us from time to time The maximum amounts that can be won (excluding stake) by you in one calendar day's betting, which shall apply irrespective of total stakes invested, are stated below. These maximums will still apply, even if by taking prices the level of potential winnings exceeds these amounts. The maximum winnings apply in currency equivalent, if applicable, as set out in our General Terms and Conditions.
Horse Racing
- £250,000 where all the selections are for Horse Racing within the UK & ROW when an Industry SP is declared.
- £100,000 where all the selections are for Horse Racing within Australia & New Zealand.
Greyhound Racing
- £100,000 for all BAGS and BEGS meetings (races covered by SIS), and those covered live on Sky Sports. Also includes Ante-post betting.
Football
Other Sports
Above limits apply in all cases, unless otherwise advertised, irrespective of total stakes invested. The maximum winnings apply in currency equivalent if applicable.
2.3 Please note that multiple returns shown on the bet slip are maximum potential returns, i.e. the most you can win. When a single dividend is selected as part of the multiple, the pay-out isn't known at the time of bet placement and therefore the potential returns cannot be calculated and ''n/a'' is displayed in its place. Please see here for more information.
2.4 The Betting Calculator is for information purposes only and all bets will be calculated using the stake and the odds confirmed.
2.5 If your selection is a non-runner (i.e. a selection that is named but does not take part in an event) your bet will be void and your stake will be returned.
2.6 If a non-runner is included in a multiple bet, the bet will become the next accumulative bet down, e.g. a treble will become a double etc. If your bet is classed as an Ante-Post bet however, it will be classed as a losing bet (please see the Ante-Post betting rules, available here).
2.7 You can see summary of the different types of bet you can place here.
3. Related Contingencies
3.1 A related contingency is a multiple bet whereby the outcome of one selection can contribute to the outcome of another selection. A typical example of this is a bet on George Best to be top goalscorer and Manchester United to win the league.
3.2 Such combinations are not available to place through regular bet placement options however, in certain cases where a related contingency occurs, we may offer a special double bet
3.3 Where a bet containing a related contingency has been taken in error, the stakes will be equally split where they clash.
4. Time of Acceptance
4.1 The time prior to which bets may be placed on any particular event is normally the official start time. In some instances, such as early prices on horse racing, bets may be placed up to a time prior to the official start time which is at our discretion.
4.2 If, for any reason, a bet is inadvertently accepted after the event or match has started and the event in question is not covered by our Live Betting service, the selection(s) affected will be made void if, at any time the bet was placed, the race or event was resolved or at a stage where you could have had any indication of the outcome.
4.3 Any bet inadvertently accepted where the outcome of an event (or market) has already been determined, including Live Betting, shall be made void, win or lose.
4.4 We reserve the right to void a bet if the outcome to which the bet relates becomes public knowledge before the closing time for bets placed in the event.
4.5 Where the official start of an event is not announced, bets are accepted up to the advertised time of the event. Any bet that is accepted later than the advertised time of the event will be void, unless we are satisfied that the bet was accepted before the event commenced.
4.6 In the event of there being a dispute over the time at which a bet was placed, then the time at which it was confirmed on our Bet capture system will govern the settlement.
4.7 You should be aware that transmissions by some broadcasters, be they on TV, radio or live streaming via the internet, are subject to delays. This includes live streaming provided by us. The extent of any delay experienced may vary depending on the system used to receive pictures or data.
4.8 Any bet accepted in error for an event that has already taken place, or where betting has been suspended, will be void win or lose.
5. Suspending a market
5.1 We reserve the right to suspend or cease betting on any markets at any time without notice to you.
6. Mistakes and Errors
6.1 Gambling is a fast moving environment, odds move rapidly and bets are taken continuously and consequently mistakes do occasionally occur. We do all that we can to avoid this but we cannot accept responsibility for any obvious errors or omissions in respect of the announcing, publishing or marking of prices, the late closing of markets, place terms, handicaps, runners, live scores or results despite our every effort to ensure total accuracy. We reserve the right to correct obvious errors and either settle bets at the correct odds or void bets if prices are unavailable.
6.2 If a bet is accepted in error by us at a price or market condition, as indicated above, that is:
6.2.1 materially different from those available in the general market at the time the bet was made; or
6.2.2 so obviously incorrect given the relative probability of the event occurring at the time the bet was made; or
6.2.3 so obviously incorrect having regard to the nature of the betting business or the market in question (including if we erroneously accept a bet after the event in question has commenced (unless it is an in-running bet)), then, in each case, we will not pay winnings higher than those that would be paid under the price available in the general market and we will either settle the bet at the correct price or on terms available with us or, on condition that you can provide us with verification, at the best price or on the best terms available with any of the following companies at the time the bet was struck: Ladbrokes, Paddy Power, William Hill, Bet365 or Betfred. We reserve the right to void bets if prices are unavailable.
7. Rigged Events
7.1 Where there is evidence of price, race, match or event rigging, we reserve the right to make bets void or withhold payment of winnings pending the outcome of any subsequent investigation.
7.2 We reserve the right to void a bet where we have reason to believe that a bet is placed after the outcome of an event is known, or after the selected participant or team has gained a material advantage.
8. Terms of Settlement
8.1 We strive to settle bets as soon as the result is known., however please allow up to 30 minutes for winnings to reach your Account. On occasions this could take longer due to volume of bets.
8.2 Subject to the other provisions of these Sky Bet Market Rules and our General Terms and Conditions, bets are settled according to the displayed odds/prices at the time the bet receipt is issued, subject to best odds guaranteed promotions. If prices/odds are not offered or requested, bets are settled at starting price returns.
8.3 Bets will be settled to Win unless 'Each Way' is requested.
8.4 For Ante Post events on which Each Way bets are accepted, settlement will be based on the odds and place terms applicable when the bet is taken. Please see our Ante Post Rules, available here.
8.5 In the case of daily events, such as horse racing, the Each Way terms will be determined by the number of runners that have taken part. Please see our Each Way Rules, available here.
8.6 For Handicap Events please see our Handicap Rules, available here.
8.7 In the event of a Dead Heat the stake money on a selection is divided by the number of runners involved in the dead heat in accordance with our Dead Heat Rules. Please our Dead Heat Rules, available here.
8.8 Where a selection is made void or does not run, then in Single bets the stake will be returned. In accumulative bets the stake will run on to the remaining selection(s) with a Double becoming a Single, a Treble becoming a Double and so on.
8.9 If any bet is under-staked it will be settled in proportion to the stakes paid.
8.10 Where the conditions of an event have been significantly altered (e.g. change of venue) we reserve the right to void all bets.
9. Incorrect Settlement
9.1 If you think you've noticed an error in how your bet has been settled, we ask you to do two things before contacting us:
9.1.1 Double-check that the bet has been settled incorrectly by looking in your Account history and using the 'Betting Calculator' to confirm correct returns. At this point we ask you to consider factors which may affect the amount you receive, for example, the possibility of dead heats or the application of a Rule 4 (if a Horse Racing bet - please see more information on Rule 4, available here).
9.1.2 Check to see if we've manually credited the winnings to your Account via a 'manual adjustment'. In a small number of cases, markets are inadvertently settled incorrectly and we're unable to resettle at the correct terms. When this happens we manually adjust accounts for the missing winnings and this will be detailed in your Account History
9.2 If you still feel the bet has been settled incorrectly, please contact our Customer Care Team who will look into it for you.
RULES SCHEDULE
Ante Post Rules:
Ante Post is a phrase used for bets placed at least a day in advance of the event.
It's commonly used in horse racing when bets are placed before the overnight declaration stage (usually 10am on the day before the race).
Betting Ante Post can often ensure you get better odds than if you bet on the day of the event, but be aware that if you've made an Ante Post bet and your selection is a non-runner, this won't mean that your bet is void, it will count as a losing bet.
Common non-horse racing Ante Post bets could include ‘FA Cup Winner' and ‘The Ashes Winner'.
General Ante Post Rules:
1. Ante Post prices are those offered on:
a. Horse racing prior to the overnight declaration stage (usually 10.00 am on the day before the race).
b. Greyhound events up to and including the Semi-Final stage. Any bets placed after the Semi-Finals or on a single race event will be settled on an Early Price "non-runner no bet" basis.
2. Ante Post bets are accepted all in run or not. Stakes are lost on an Ante Post bet if a selection does not take part. Generally no Tattersalls' Rule 4 deductions are made from winning bets, except in certain circumstances. (Please see the rules for individual sports for further details of non-racing events).
3. All Each-Way Doubles, Trebles, etc., are settled win to win, place to place.
4. If a horse race is postponed to another day then Ante Post bets stand. However, in the event of the following occurrences happening bets on the market will be void.-
a. The race is abandoned.
b. The race is officially declared void.
c. The conditions of the race are altered after bets are made (as defined under Tattersalls' Rules).
d. A horse is balloted out under The Jockey Club Rules of Racing.
e. The venue is altered.
f. The running surface is altered (e.g. Turf to Dirt/All Weather or vice versa).
g. The entries of the race are reopened.
5. Ante Post bets are settled at the price and place terms applicable at the time of acceptance. Should a wrong price or place terms be taken in error we reserve the right to settle the bet at the correct price/place terms that were available at the time the bet was struck.
6. Place only bets, conditional bets and forecast betting are not accepted at Ante Post odds. If taken in error, place only and forecast bets will be void and the conditional part of any Ante Post bet will be disregarded.
7. Where the same selection is backed to win two or more Ante Post events in an accumulative bet a special combined price will apply irrespective of any individual odds quoted. Where no special combined price is available e.g. a horse to win a Derby trial and the Derby, settlement will be based on the first available odds after the 1st leg has been completed.
Dead Heat Rules:
What does it mean when a selection is dead heated?
When two or more selections are joint winners in an event, dead heat rules may be used to settle bets. This could include two horses crossing the finishing line at exactly the same time, or three strikers tying on 20 goals at the top of the ''Top Scorer'' tables.
In this situation, dead heat rules will be used, which are worked out by dividing the total stake by the number of participants in the dead heat, and then multiplying by the odds at which the bet was placed. This calculation will give the total return to be collected by the customer.
For instance:
Customer A backs Matt Le Tissier for £10 at 6/4 to be Top Premiership Scorer
Customer B backs Robbie Fowler for £20 at 20/1 to be Top Premiership Scorer
Customer C backs Alan Shearer for £5 at 5/1 to be Top Premiership Scorer
In a three way dead heat the following returns would be expected:
Customer A - (£10 / 3 = £3.33) 6/4 = £8.33 return
Customer B - (£20 / 3 = £6.67) 20/1 = £140 return
Customer C - (£5 / 3 = £1.67) * 5/1 = £10 return
Dead heat rules do not apply when the tie or draw is offered in the market.
Effectively when you have a dead heat, one part of your bet is treated as a winner, and one part as a loser. If a three way dead-heat, one part (33.33%) would be a winner, and two parts (66.66%) would be losers.
Dead Heats in Golf
Dead heats are a common occurrence in Golf tournaments as players can finish tied for places. Depending on the number of players tied and the number of places offered, this can affect settlement in a variety of ways.
An example of this could be as follows:
1 T Woods 6/1
2 L Westwood 8/1
T3 J Nicklaus 14/1
T3 N Faldo 16/1
T3 S Torrence 28/1
If a bet was struck on S Torrence to win the tournament Each Way (at a 1/4 the odds, 3 places) settlement would be determined as follows:
As 3 players were tied for the remaining place left in the market - 1st and 2nd finished clear of the field - the stake is divided by the following:
number of places remaining
------------------------------------------------------
number of participants involved in the dead heat
i.e. in the above example, S Torrence backers would receive 1/3rd of their stake - 1 place remaining and 3 involved in the dead heat. The price taken remains unaffected, it is only the stake that is subject to a reduction.
The principles would then be the same for if the bet had been struck and 4 places were offered, i.e. 2 places remaining, 3 participants in the dead heat = 2/3rds of stake.
If you are unsure as to how your bet has been settled, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to calculate the returns for you.
Each Way Betting Rules:
An Each Way bet is made up of 2 parts: the 'Win' and the 'Place'.
Each part is an equal stake, e.g. a £1 Each Way bet will have £1 on the 'Win' and £1 on the 'Place' (a total stake of £2).
The 'Win' part of your bet is on your selection to win the event, and the 'Place' part is on your selection to finish either first or in one of the pre-determined places.
If your selection wins, both the 'Win' and 'Place' parts of your bet will pay out. But if your selection only places, you will lose the 'Win' part of your bet (and lose that part of the stake) but get paid out on the 'Place'.
The odds for the 'Place' are given as a fraction of the odds for the 'Win' and will be displayed to you when you place your bet.
Each-Way betting is most common in horse and greyhound racing, and is also usually available in other sports e.g. Premiership outright winner.
For Horse and Greyhound Racing, the 'Place' part of Each Way bets will be given 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. This means that the place terms (1/4, 1/5 and number of places paid) will be determined by the number of horses coming 'under starter's orders' and not by the number of declared runners when the price was taken.
Handicap Betting Rules:
Handicap betting involves giving one selection a virtual deficit (a handicap) to overcome at the start of an event. Conversely, choosing another selection in the same market will usually involve that selection receiving a virtual start. If your chosen selection's score is greater than its opponents AFTER the handicap has been applied, your chosen selection is deemed the winner.
This type of market is predominantly offered to "even up" a market so in that a selection deemed "inferior" to its opponent(s) has a greater chance of winning the event. If the competitors are deemed to have equal chances, you may also come across the term 'scr' or 'scratch in replacement of a handicap being applied. This means no handicaps are applied to final scores and that the winner of the market will be the outright winner of the market (or the 'Draw')
However, be aware that on a small number of occasions the selection deemed inferior will receive the deficit to overcome - this will usually be signified by a higher price but please do not hesitate to contact us if you wish to clarify the selections.
Handicap betting can be offered in one of 4 ways:
Handicap Match Betting
In a match situation, handicap match betting gives one team or player a virtual deficit to overcome (a handicap) at the start of the event - the opponent receives a virtual start. You bet on who will win with the handicap taken into account.
Handicap match betting also offers the opportunity to back the 'Handicap Tie' selection. Choosing this selection is effectively betting on the match finishing in a victory for the team receiving the virtual deficit (-1, -2 etc.) by the EXACT WINNING MARGIN offered. This is best illustrated in an example, please read on:
Manchester United vs. Liverpool ends in a 3-1 victory to Liverpool. Prior to the match the Handicap Match Betting was offered as follows:
- Liverpool (-1) 2/1
- H'cap Tie (-1) 9/4
- Man Utd (+1) Evs
Backers of 'Liverpool (-1)' would be winners as Liverpool's score after the handicap has been applied is greater than their opponents, 3 minus 1 = 2; this is greater than Manchester United's final score of 1.
Backers of 'Man Utd (+1)' would lose as Man Utd's score after the handicap has been added on is not greater than their opponents, 1 plus 1 = 2; this is not greater than Liverpool's final score of 3.
Important: The handicap is only ever applied to your chosen selection, IT IS NOT applied to both sides to determine settlement.
Backers of 'H'cap Tie (-1)' would also lose as the finishing winning margin is not equal to the handicaps offered. In order for this market to win, the match would have had to have finished in a Liverpool victory by an exact 1 goal margin, e.g. Liverpool win 1-0, 2-1, 3-2 etc. If the handicaps offered would have been 'Liverpool (-2)', 'Man Utd (+2)' this selection would have been deemed the winner.
Important: People interested in betting on the 'Handicap Tie' market should consider the market as a whole. Remember that you are betting on the team receiving the deficit to win by the exact margin offered.
No Draw Handicap Match Betting
Similar to the handicap match betting offered above, this market effectively eliminates the possibility of a 'Handicap Tie'. A team is given a half handicap advantage e.g. +4.5 so after the handicap has been applied there is no possibility of a tie.
For example, in Rugby League a team may be given a handicap of +11.5 points. The 11.5 points would then be added to their total at full time and if this is greater than the other team's total, they will be deemed the winner. As the Handicap Match Betting market, the handicap is only ever applied to your chosen selection, IT IS NOT applied to both sides to determine settlement.
If a No Draw Handicap Match market is inadvertently offered for an event where a draw has occurred, all stakes will be returned as Void.
Handicap League Betting
Handicap league betting will span the whole season of a competition. The team judged to be the favourite to win the league starts with a handicap of 0 or Scratch (scr). Every other team in the league is given virtual head starts over them with an equivalent handicap points score (+4, +7, +10, +14 etc.) The "weaker" the team is deemed, the greater handicap they go on to receive.
At the end of the season, all the teams' handicap scores are added to their actual points total - NOT just to the individual team selected. The team with the most points is then deemed the winner of the market. Each-way places are then determined by the teams finishing 2nd, 3rd etc. Dead heat rules will apply if more than one team ties for a place.
Asian Handicap
Predominantly offered in football match betting, this bet type is known as an 'Asian Handicap'. Due to its intricate nature, a separate article detailing how it works can be viewed here.