You might ask yourself, “If a game is postponed, what happens to my bet?” If you bet on a single game and it gets postponed, you’ll most likely get a full refund of your bet. However, it is completely different for accumulator bets as the outcome depends mostly on the bookmaker.
This can be quite confusing, leaving bettors wondering what to do next. Here, I’ll explain what can happen to your multi bet in case of a postponed or cancelled match.
When is a postponed bet voided and what does it mean?
In football betting, a voided bet refers to a bet that is cancelled by the bookmaker and considered null and void due to specific but credible reasons. For example, it could be because a match was postponed due to terrible weather conditions.
A postponed bet can be voided due to several reasons including:
- If a match was postponed indefinitely without any clear time frame given for the match to be held again
- If the match is cancelled by the match officials outright. This often happens if there is a riot in the stadium or if a fan dies.
Let’s say you place a multi bet with 5 games. Out of your five games, if one of the matches is a game between Boca Juniors and River Plate and the match got cancelled because of a fan altercation, you can get a full refund of your stake.
When does a postponed bet stand and what does it mean?
If a postponed bet stands, it means that the bookmaker will keep the bet active until the match has been rescheduled.
Postponed bets often occur if the match is expected to be played within a short period. For example, if a match is postponed for three days due to bad weather conditions, your multi bet might still stand until the match is eventually played and the result is known.
When do matches get postponed?
Matches can be postponed due to several reasons. Here are some of the reasons:
- If fans engage in disorderly conduct, a match can be postponed by hours or even days. For example, the Copa America 2024 final between Argentina and Colombia was postponed by some hours because of unruly fan behavior.
- Matches can also get postponed due to security concerns if the players or match officials are attacked.
- Weather conditions can also make a match get rescheduled.
If a match is postponed before the game begins, a lot of bookmakers can void it since it didn’t start as scheduled. However, if a match is postponed in the middle of the game, some bookmakers might keep the bet active especially if the match has been fixed to happen in a specific time frame.
What happens to my bet if a game is cancelled or abandoned?
A cancelled match is a match that is called off before its scheduled start time. An abandoned match on the other hand is a match that is called off after it began. If your bet is a single bet, your stake will be fully refunded if your selected match is cancelled or abandoned.
However, for multi bets, the cancelled or abandoned match is often removed from the remaining bet slip and your potential winnings will be recalculated based on the new odds.
How do different bookmakers deal with bets on a postponed game?
Different Nigerian bookmakers deal with postponed matches differently. Let’s take a closer look at how some of them handle it:
- Bet9ja: If an event is postponed and not rescheduled promptly, the bet is considered void. The odds of the voided event will be set to 1.00 and the remaining games on your bet slip will still be active.
- Betway: If a game is postponed and not played within 24 hours, the voided game will be removed from your bet slip (if it’s a multi bet), and your potential winnings will be recalculated based on the new odds.
- 1xbet: If a match is postponed for more than 48 hours, the bet will be voided. The odds of the voided game will be removed from your multi bet.
Alternatives to multi bets in football betting
There are so many alternatives to multi bets if you're interested in trying something different. Here are my personal favourites:
- Single bets: In this type of betting, you predict the outcome of a single event. It is very simple and direct. If your prediction is right, you win.
- Goalscorer bets: This type of betting has different interesting markets. For example, you can bet on the first player to score in a match, anytime goalscorer, and even the total number of goals a player will score in the game. Friendly tip: Check out Betano's extensive goalscorer options once you sign up using the promo code for Betano.
- BTTS: Both Teams To Score is another interesting alternative. Here, you predict whether both teams will score in a game or not.
Final words from our expert
If a game on your multi bet slip was postponed, you shouldn't be too worried because most bookmakers tend to simply deduct the odds of the postponed or voided game from your bet slip and recalculate the odds and your potential winnings.
Betting can be quite confusing, especially if you’re a newbie. However, we have several tips to help you place more informed bets and significantly increase your chances of winning your bets. Here are some of them:
