How Sportsbooks Settle Postponed and Abandoned Games

Weather, travel problems and scheduling changes mean that a bet is sometimes placed on a game that does not happen as planned. Sportsbooks have detailed rules for these cases, and licensed Canadian operators must publish them in their terms. The outcome depends on whether the game is postponed, abandoned or moved.

Postponed games

Most operators keep a bet open if the game is played within a fixed window, commonly 24 or 48 hours of the original start time. If the game is pushed beyond that window the bet is voided and the stake returned. The window varies by sport and by operator, so the figure in the rules is the one that counts.

Abandoned games

When play starts but cannot be completed, markets that were already decided at the moment of abandonment are settled, for example a first-period total in hockey. Markets that depend on the full game are voided unless the league declares an official result, as happens in baseball after a minimum number of innings.

Change of venue

A game moved to a neutral site usually stands, but a game moved to the opponent’s home arena is typically voided, because home advantage was part of the original price. Parlays that include a voided leg are recalculated on the remaining selections.

Checking the settlement rules before placing a bet on a game with a doubtful schedule avoids surprises; operators cannot change those rules after a bet has been accepted.