Pushes, Ties and Bet Grading Rules

By 4Football Staff · October 24, 2026 · 10 min read

What happens to a wager when a game lands exactly on the number, ends tied, is postponed or leaves a player on the bench, and why the sportsbook's house rules decide what the final score cannot.

The game ends 24-21. You have a bet on the favorite at −3. The final margin is exactly three points. You did not win, and you did not lose. Your account shows the stake back and no profit, and the ticket says "push."

That small event is one of the most common sources of confusion in sports betting, along with its relatives: a tie in a game that the rules say can end tied, a player who is declared out an hour before kickoff, a game suspended by lightning. In each case the question is the same: what does the sportsbook do with the bet? The answer lives in a document most people never read, the house rules. This guide explains the standard outcomes and the places where rules differ, so that the next surprise is a small one.

This article describes common practices, not any particular sportsbook's rules, which can differ. Sports betting is legal only in some places and only for adults of legal age. If gambling is a concern, the National Problem Gambling Helpline is 1-800-GAMBLER.

The three outcomes of a bet

Every ticket ends in one of three ways:

1. Win. You are paid the profit and your stake is returned.
2. Loss. You lose the stake.
3. No action. The stake is returned. This is called a push when it comes from landing exactly on the line, and a void or cancellation when the bet is canceled for another reason.

A push is not a win and not a loss. It is as if the bet never happened, except for the time your money was tied up.

Pushes on spreads and totals

A push occurs when the result equals the number exactly.

• Spread. A bet on Team A −3 pushes if A wins by exactly 3. A bet on Team B +3 pushes in the same game.
• Total. A bet on over 47 or under 47 pushes if the combined score is exactly 47.

Half-point lines such as −3.5 or 47.5 can never push, because football scores are whole numbers and no final margin or total can equal a half. That is the reason sportsbooks post so many half points, and why a bettor will sometimes hear people refer to a "hook," meaning the half point that eliminates the push.

A worked example

Take a game that Team A wins 24-21. The total score is 45 and the margin is 3. Here is how several bets would be graded.

Notice how the same game produces five different outcomes for bets on essentially the same side. That is why the exact number matters so much, and why the alternate lines and buying points article spends so much time on what a half point is worth.

Ties in football

Pushes on a number are one thing. A tie is a different thing, where the two teams finish with the same score. Whether it can happen depends on the level.

• NFL regular season. Overtime is limited in length, and a game can still end tied if neither side wins by the time it runs out. That is rare but possible, and the league's standings record it as a tie. Check the current NFL rulebook for the overtime format.
• NFL playoffs. Overtime continues until there is a winner, so ties do not happen.
• College football. Overtime continues until one team wins, so ties do not happen in regulated college games.
• High school. Rules vary by state. Because licensed sportsbooks do not take bets on high school games, this matters for fans and standings, not wagering.

How a tie affects each bet

Suppose a game finishes 20-20 after overtime. Here is what typically happens, though a sportsbook's rules control.

• Moneyline. A standard two-way moneyline market has no outcome for a tie, so most U.S. sportsbooks treat it as a push and refund both sides. Some books offer a separate three-way market in which a tie is its own result.
• Spread. A tie is a margin of zero, so the spread settles normally. A −3 favorite did not cover and loses, a +3 underdog covers and wins, and a pick'em game pushes.
• Total. A tie does not matter. The bet is graded on the sum of the two scores.

The reason sportsbooks spell this out is that a tie in a game with a moneyline bet involves real money on both sides, and the rules are what keep everyone consistent.

A second worked example: the tied game

To see how the pieces fit together, take a game that finishes 20-20 in a regular-season NFL matchup after overtime expires with the score level. Team A was a three-point favorite, and the total was 40.5. The usual grading looks like this.

The total in this example, 20 plus 20, is 40, which is below 40.5, so the over loses and the under wins no matter that the game was tied. The point of the table is that a tie is not a single event for bettors. It is a margin of zero for one market, a missing winner for another and a separate outcome for a third.

Does overtime count?

For most main markets, including the full-game spread, moneyline and total, overtime counts in the NFL and in college. A bet that would have been a loser at the end of regulation can become a winner after an extra period, and the reverse. The first-half or first-quarter markets, by contrast, end when that portion of the game ends, and overtime does not change them.

Some sportsbooks offer regulation-only versions of moneylines and spreads in which overtime is excluded, so that a tie after four quarters is a distinct outcome. Because these are different products, they carry different prices. The label on the ticket should say whether it is "regulation" or "including overtime." If you are not sure, find the description in the app before confirming.

What counts as the "final" score

The result of a bet is based on the official final score, as reported by the league or an authoritative data source named in the house rules. A few points follow from that.

• Scores in the final seconds count. A last-play touchdown is part of the result.
• Later corrections. A scoring change made hours after a game, such as a reclassification of a play, normally does not reopen a settled bet. Most books settle on the information available at the end of the game and follow their stated rules on when a result is final.
• Statistical props are treated slightly differently. Bets on yardage or receptions rely on official statistics, and the league sometimes makes corrections in the days after a game. Books describe in their rules which source and what time frame they use, and a few will wait for a stat check before paying large props.

Parlays, teasers and pushes

Combined bets are where a push becomes more interesting.

In a parlay, if one leg pushes, the standard treatment is to remove that leg and settle the remaining legs at their normal combined odds. A three-leg parlay with one push becomes a two-leg parlay at the lower payout. If every leg pushes, the stake is usually returned. The parlays article shows how the multiplication works.

Teasers are more variable. Some sportsbooks treat a pushed teaser leg as removed, and the teaser pays at the odds for the smaller number of legs. Others use different rules, such as treating certain pushes as losses. This is a place where house rules truly differ, so read them before wagering on a teaser.

For round robins and other multi-bet structures, the same principle applies: each leg is graded on its own, and the combination is recalculated according to the book's rules.

Reading a ticket

After you place a bet, the ticket or slip in your account carries everything the grading will depend on. Learn to read it, because it is your record of what you agreed to.

• The market and the side. For example, "Spread, Team A −3."
• The price. For example, −110, and the amount you risked.
• The potential payout. This shows profit, total return or both. Check which.
• The time stamp. The time the book accepted the wager matters if there is a dispute about a line change or an injury announcement.
• The ticket number. Keep it if you ever need to contact support.
• Any conditions. Some tickets display notes such as "action" requirements, a regulation-only label or a specific player.

Compare the ticket against the number you saw on the odds page or the sportsbook screen when you tapped. If they differ, the ticket is what counts, because it reflects the price at the moment the book accepted the bet. If a game is postponed, the revised kickoff time on our schedule is a convenient reference, but the sportsbook's own notice governs what happens to your bet.

Voids and cancellations

A bet may be voided even when the game itself ends normally. Common reasons include the following.

• A named player does not play. For a bet about a specific athlete, such as a receiving-yards prop, the typical rule is that the bet is voided if the player is not active or does not take the field. Some sportsbooks specify a minimum, such as at least one snap, and others use the official active list. The prop bets article describes how props work.
• A postponed or relocated game. Many sportsbooks keep bets alive if the game is played within a stated window, often a matter of days, and void them if it is not. A move to a different venue may change how home and away markets are handled.
• A suspended game. If a game is stopped by weather or another event and resumed, bets stand. If it is never completed, the rules differ: some books settle on the score once the league declares the game official, others void the bets, and others use a minimum amount of play. Check the language in the rules.
• A pricing error. Many operators reserve the right to cancel bets placed at an obviously mistaken line, such as a total off by many points. These so-called palpable error rules vary in strength, and regulators in some states limit how they may be used.
• A rule violation. Bets placed by a restricted person, or in violation of the operator's terms, can be voided.

Where the rules live and how to use them

Every licensed operator publishes house rules, often under a "Rules" link in a menu or footer. Reading them takes a few minutes, and a few sections matter most.

1. General rules for settlement. These describe the data source, the treatment of overtime and when a result is final.
2. Sport-specific football rules. These cover postponements, suspended games, ties and minimum play required.
3. Prop and special rules. These detail what happens when a player is inactive.
4. Parlay and teaser rules. These explain how pushes and voids are handled.
5. Dispute procedures. These tell you how to contest a result.

If you disagree with how a bet was graded, the usual path is to contact the operator's customer service, keeping the ticket number and a screenshot of the ticket. If the issue is not resolved, licensed operators in regulated states are subject to a state regulator, which accepts complaints. That route is one of the benefits of using a licensed operator, as described in the legal landscape article. An unlicensed site offers no such recourse.

Mistakes people make with grading

• Assuming a push is a loss. You get your stake back.
• Assuming overtime is excluded. On most full-game markets it is included. Look for a "regulation" label.
• Ignoring the half point. Whole numbers can push. Half points cannot.
• Forgetting that props may void. A named-player bet depends on the player being on the field.
• Misreading a parlay with a push. The pushed leg disappears and the payout shrinks.
• Not reading the rules for postponements. Weather in football is common enough that the rules matter.
• Believing a late score correction reopens a ticket. Settlement follows the book's stated source and timing.

Following results on 4Football

For a quick look at final scores, the scores page lists results for NFL and college games. Final margins and totals on that page are the raw material of every settlement described above. Remember that 4Football does not accept bets and that a sportsbook's own grading is governed by its own rules, not by our pages.

What to remember

• A push returns your stake. It happens when the result equals a whole-number line exactly.
• Half-point lines cannot push, which is why books post them.
• A tie is possible in the NFL regular season. Moneylines on a tie are usually refunded, spreads settle on a margin of zero and totals are unaffected.
• Overtime counts in most full-game markets, but regulation-only markets exist.
• In a parlay, a pushed leg is typically removed. In a teaser, the rule varies by book.
• Named-player props are generally voided if the player does not play.
• House rules decide the edge cases. Read them before you wager, and if wagering stops being fun, call 1-800-GAMBLER.