{"id":383725,"date":"2023-11-22T13:16:48","date_gmt":"2023-11-22T13:16:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/?post_type=definition&p=383725"},"modified":"2025-02-20T13:17:18","modified_gmt":"2025-02-20T13:17:18","slug":"dead-heat-betting","status":"publish","type":"definition","link":"https:\/\/www.techopedia.com\/definition\/dead-heat-betting","title":{"rendered":"Dead Heat Betting \u2013 What is a Dead Heat and How Does it Work?"},"content":{"rendered":"

A dead heat in sports is rare, but it\u2019s one of those rules you need to know. It\u2019s one of the most common rules people ignore or don\u2019t know exists. We’ll walk you through the full process of what dead heat betting is, how bets are paid when a dead heat occurs, and strategies you can implement to maximize returns if they occur.<\/p>\n

What Is Dead Heat Betting?<\/span><\/h2>\n

A dead heat is when two or more participants finish in a tie and can\u2019t be separated. This includes a photo finish in horse racing, a tied leaderboard in golf, and multiple top scorers in soccer, as three quick examples.<\/p>\n

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Most punters think gambling sites<\/a> will pay out regardless of the result, as long as it\u2019s a win. In reality, this isn’t the case. It’d mean the betting site needs to pay out multiple winners, which is unfair on their part.<\/p>\n

As a cover, sportsbooks use terms such as \u201cdead heat rules apply”, meaning a dead heat will be declared in the event of a tie within that market. It\u2019s worth noting that dead heats don\u2019t apply to markets where you can bet on a tie. For example, if you were betting on a soccer match moneyline bet<\/a> with a home win, away win, and tie (1×2) as possible bets, a dead heat won’t apply if the game ends in a tie and you\u2019ve backed a home or away win.<\/p>\n

To create an even playing field for the punter and the sportsbook, dead heat rules state the original stake will be divided by the number of entrants for the dead heat before paying out at the original odds.<\/p>\n

Dead Heat Betting Rules<\/span><\/h2>\n

The concept of a dead heat in sports is relatively straightforward, but the practicality of it all can be confusing. We review how it works in the simplest forms before looking at real-world examples across multiple sports.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s assume you\u2019ve bet on a race, and your selection has finished in a dead heat for first place, with one other selection. The original odds were +1000, and you\u2019ve staked $100.<\/p>\n

Given that two selections are tied for first, we now divide our stake by the number tied, which is two.<\/p>\n