Standard rules of sportsbooks - book rules in general

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WHAT MOST SPORTSBOOKS POST AS THEIR STANDARD RULES FOR SPECIFIC SPORTS

Football

NFL & NCAA – At least 55 minutes of play needed for bet to have action. Overtime counts for both side and total bets.

Basketball

NBA – At least 43 minutes of play needed for bet to have action. Overtime counts for both side and total bets.

NCAA – At least 35 minutes of play needed for bet to have action. Overtime counts for both side and total bets. In the event of a tie in NCAA conference futures bets, the team entering the conference tournament seeded higher shall be deemed the winner for betting purposes.

Hockey

NHL – At least 55 minutes of play needed for bet to have action. Overtime counts. Betting on hockey is done by laying or taking goals and money odds. The minus (-) indicates the favorite; the plus (+) indicates the underdog.

For example: (Thrashers + 1/2 Even) (Canucks –1/2 –1.40) The player must lay 1/2 goal and $140 to win $100 on the Canucks. The player must bet $100 and take 1/2 goal to win $100 on the Thrashers.

Baseball

MLB – Games are official and bets will have action after 5 innings of play or 4 1/2 innings if the home team is leading. If a game is subsequently called or suspended, the winner is determined by the score after the last full inning unless the home team ties the score or takes the lead in the bottom half of the inning in which case the winner will be determined by the score at the time the game is called. Extra innings count for both team and total bets.

When betting on total runs or run lines, the game must go the regulation 9 innings, or 8.5 innings if the home team is leading, for a bet to have action. Baseball props also require the regulation 9 (8.5) innings unless otherwise stated.

Baseball bets are accepted as listed. In the event of a pitching change prior to the listed pitchers throwing at least one pitch, all bets that specified listed pitchers are considered no action and will be refunded to the player’s account.

All baseball series bets must have all 3 games played by the end of a specified date for the bet to have action. If all 3 games are not played by that specified date, then all bets are no action, regardless if one team has 2 wins. All three games must be official as per rules on what constitutes an official result. Any baseball series price for a four-game series will be graded based on the initial three games only.

All baseball games that go at least the regulation 9 innings and still finish tied as a result of a suspension of play, shall be graded a push on all money line bets. All run line and total bets will have action. This is in accordance with current Las Vegas betting rules. In the event of a change in Las Vegas rules, these types of bets will be graded as set forth by then current Las Vegas rules.

First Five Innings bets are accepted with listed pitchers and the game must go at least a full 5 innings to have action. If the game is called or postponed after the fifth inning, this bet will still have action.

Team to Score First props are accepted with listed pitchers and will be graded immediately after the first team scores, but only after the home team has completed their turn at bat. If the home team scores first, the bet will be graded immediately. All bets are action regardless of game suspension or postponement.

BASEBALL SPREADS
-105	-105
-110	even
-115	+105
-120	+110
-125	+115
-130	+120
-135	+125
-140	+130
-145	+135
-150	+137
-155	+140
-160	+145
-165	+150
-170	+155
-175	+160
-180	+165
-190	+175
-200	+180
-205	+185
-210	+190
-215	+195
-225	+200
-230	+205
-235	+210
-240	+215
-250	+220
-260	+230
-270	+240
-280	+245
-290	+255
-300	+265

Will There be a Score in the First Inning props are accepted with listed pitchers and will be graded as soon as the first inning ends. All bets are action, regardless of game suspension or postponement, as long as the first inning is played to completion.

Total Runs+Hit+Errors props are accepted with listed pitchers. The game must go a full 8.5 innings for bets to have action.

Player and Pitcher props are accepted with listed pitchers. The game must go a full 8.5 innings for bets to have action. If there is a pitcher change, all player props for that game will be closed immediately. When the game starts and it is confirmed that a pitcher, other than the listed pitcher, threw out the first pitch, those props will be graded “no-action”.

Betting on baseball is done by laying or taking money odds. The minus (-) indicates the favorite; the plus (+) indicates the underdog. On money odds, whenever there is a minus (-), the player lays that amount to win a dollar; where there is a plus (+), the player gets that amount for every dollar bet.

For Example: (Cubs +120) (Mariners –140) player must lay $140 to win $100 or $14 to win $10 on the Mariners. Player must bet $100 to win $120 or $10 to win $12 on the Cubs

Auto Racing

When placing a bet on the outright winner of a race, the player’s driver must start the race for the bet to have action. Both drivers in a match-up bet must start the race for the bet to have action. In league championship betting, a driver must race in at least one race during the season for player’s bet to have action. The start of any motor race is defined as the signal to start the warm-up lap.

The official winner at the conclusion of the race shall be the winner for betting purposes.

The race must complete the scheduled number of laps and/or distance for specific proposition bets (pertaining to number of laps and/or distance) to have action; match-ups, finishing position props and future bets will have action regardless. Races must be run within one week of the scheduled date for the player’s bet to have action.

Boxing

When the bell sounds signifying the start of the opening round, the bout is considered official for betting purposes, regardless of the scheduled length or title. Fights must run within two months of the specified date for the player’s bet to have action.

If the fight’s scheduled number of rounds is changed, all rounds proposition bets are no action. For betting purposes, a round is considered a full round only when the bell sounds signifying the end of said round. The official stopping of a round before the sounding of the bell does not constitute a full round. If one or both fighters fail to answer the bell for a round, the fight is judged to have finished in the previous round. If the fight ends in a decision or draw, all “pick the round” proposition bets lose.

Golf

Should a tournament be shortened or otherwise affected by weather, the official result will be used when settling, regardless of the number or rounds played. However, should there be no further play after a bet is placed, that bet will be no action.

For match-up betting, all of the players listed in the match-up bet offer must tee-off for the player’s bet to have action. The player with the most completed holes wins. If the players compete the same number of holes, then the player with the lowest score wins. If the players are still tied, the bet will be no action and all monies will be refunded. If both golfers in a match-up are in a playoff, then (a) the winner of the playoff wins the match-up and (b) all other playoff participants tie each other.

Single-day match-ups are bets on that particular day’s 18 holes. Single-day match-ups do not include either holes played as part of the completion of a previous day’s round or playoff holes considered part of the overall tournament score. Should a day’s round be shortened or otherwise affected by weather and the round is continued the next day, the full 18 holes will be considered in determining the outcome of the bet, even if they are played over two days. If both members of the match-up do not complete the full 18 holes, all bets are no action.

Tennis

For tennis match betting, two full sets must be completed for wagers to stand. If fewer than two sets are completed, all wagers will be considered no action.

All bets will stand, regardless of any of the following taking place: (a) change of playing surface (b) change of venue (c) change from indoor court to outdoor court or vice versa (d) match is delayed until the following day due to inclement weather.

For tennis set betting, if the match does not start or is incomplete due to either players’ incapacity or disqualification, then all bets are no action.

Other Sports

All other events that involve a scheduled length of play or time limit must play to their conclusion or have five minutes or less of the scheduled playing time remaining when the contest concludes to be considered official for betting purposes.