This article will guide you through what happens to cancelled bets if an event is called off or postponed for too long (spoiler: you will almost always get your stake refunded). Read on below to learn more!

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  • Fair T&Cs for football bets
  • Void single bets evaluated as won odds 1.00 in your account
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  • Fair postponed bets T&Cs for every sport
  • Quick refunds for longer postponement dates
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  • Football bets will be void if match does not take place in the same scheduled week
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  • Any abondoned/postponed match on Coral will be made void unless stated otherwise
  • T&Cs with regards to cancelled matches are very fair
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  • Fair terms and conditions for void bets
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  • If postponed football match is played after 48 hours of the initial start time, bets are made void
  • Very fair cancelled events T&Cs
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If an event has been postponed, it will be considered as a non-starter unless it is played within a time frame specified by the betting site.

bet365, for example, consider a postponed match to be a non-starter if it is not played within the same week (ending on Sunday). If a match which is scheduled for a weekend is played on the ensuing Monday, all bets will stand.

Unibet, on the other hand, cancel bets placed on postponed matches if a match isn’t played within 12 hours from the original starting time. When a postponed match is cancelled, your placed stake will be returned.

  • When one or more of your accumulator selections have been cancelled, your placed accumulator bet will stand, but with updated odds.

Essentially, if the event is cancelled or postponed too long, according to the bookies T&Cs, you will be paid out 1/1 for that selection. You will not lose the entire acca – however, the total odds for the win may be reduced.

When an accumulator bet is placed in conjunction with an accumulator offer, the cancellation of one or more selections may play against you.

For example, if the conditions of an accumulator offer dictate a minimum of five selections, the cancellation of one event on your placed accumulator bet will lead to the accumulator insurance being deemed void.

Similarly, if you are to receive a 50% winning boost upon placing an accumulator bet with six selections and a 40% boost, upon placing a bet with five selections, the cancellation of one event will lead to receiving a lower boost.

A cancelled bet is one which has been effectively declared void, for reasons that we will delve into further in the following section of this guide.

When a bet has been cancelled, you will be refunded your stake – the bookmaker in question may send you an email to inform you. If they haven't contacted you, check your Account History to see how your bet has been affected and whether your stake has been returned to your account balance.

A cancelled bet in its entirety is declared void, meaning you do not win or lose anything. The only exception to this rule may pertain to free bets (more on this later).

Your bet may have been cancelled because of any of the following reasons:

  • You placed a bet after an event has started, or after the result of the event has been determined
  • Your selection/selections had an obvious pricing error
  • Regulatory requirements
  • Error in translation
  • Your selections are incompatible as a part of a multiple bet
  • Technical issues
  • A breach of terms and conditions (specific to the betting site in question)
  • Non Runner No Bet (NRNB)
  • An event has been postponed
  • An event has been abandoned
  • Your winning selection is not available for betting
  • Data supplier issue
  • The result could not be determined
  • Events have been set up with incorrect markets or information

The most usual reason why a bet is cancelled is that the event on which you have bet has been cancelled or postponed by more than a specified time period.

When you place a wager using a free bet which then gets cancelled, the bookmaker may or may not refund you. If the terms and conditions of a betting site state that free bets which have been voided will not be returned to customers, the only option that you have is to contact customer support to see whether you are eligible for any compensation.

bwin, for example, deems free bets invalid in such cases. The same holds true at Unibet.

Most betting sites state that cancelled or voided bets will payout at a rate of 1/1, or be returned. With an acca, the selection will turn your bet from a treble to a double, a quadruple to a treble, and so on.

Below is a screenshot from William Hill’s T&Cs as an example:

(Source: William Hill)

William Hill Match Cancelled Policy 

  • If a match is cancelled, all the bets that have been placed on that match will be declared void.
  • Some matches are an exception to this rule, and if played within two days of the scheduled start, stand true (FIFA World Cup Qualification and Finals matches, Spanish La Liga matches, and others).
  • If a match has been abandoned, all the bets that have been placed on events which have already taken place will stand.
  • If a match has been cancelled, you will receive a full refund on single bets. For multiple bets, the cancelled selections will be treated as non-runners.

bet365 Match Cancellation Policy

  • If a match is cancelled, your placed stake will be refunded.
  • If a match is postponed, it will be considered as a non-runner, unless the match is played within the same week of its initial date (ending on Sunday). If a match was initially scheduled for a weekend and has been postponed to the following Monday night, all placed bets will stand.
  • If a match is abandoned before completion, all bets will be cancelled, except for the bets whose result has already been determined. For example, if both teams have already scored in due course of a football match, a placed “Both Teams To Score” bet will stand.
  • If you have placed an accumulator bet, and one or more of your selections has been cancelled, the bet will stand, and be settled on the remaining selections.

Unibet Abandoned Match Policy

  • If a match does not commence within 12 hours from the scheduled start, all bets that have been placed on the match will be cancelled. This includes matches that have been postponed due to bad weather conditions and crowd trouble, among other possibilities.
  • If a match is cancelled, your placed stake will be refunded.
  • All bets that have been placed on abandoned matches will stand, if and only if the events concerning these bets have already taken place.
  • An abandoned match must be completed within 36 hours of its abandonment or must yield an official result within this time frame for Unibet to settle Match, Draw No Bet and Double Chance bets.
  • If you have placed an accumulator bet, and one or more of your selections has been cancelled, the bet shall remain valid and will be settled on the remaining selections.

Paddy Power Bet Cancellation Policy

  • If a match has been cancelled you will receive a full refund for single bets. For multiple bets, the cancelled selections will be treated as non-runners.
  • Bets placed on abandoned or postponed matches will be cancelled, unless they are played within the same week (ending on Sunday). A change in venue leads to the cancellation of a bet.
  • If there is any evidence of rigging, Paddy Power reserves the right to cancel placed bets.

Ladbrokes Cancelled Match Policy

  • If a match is cancelled, you will receive your stake back in full for single bets. If you have placed a multiple bet, your bet will stand with the remaining selections.
  • An abandoned or postponed match will be deemed void, regardless of it being rescheduled for another date, unless specifically mentioned.
  • If an event has already taken place, however, in due course of an abandoned match, a placed bet on that particular event will stand firm.

In an effort to boil down the most essential points of this guide, we've listed three useful tips below to keep in mind regarding bets on cancelled or postponed events.

  1. Always read the terms and conditions: To avoid cancelled bet mishaps, you must carefully 
  2. Take advantage of accumulators: go through the bookmaker's the terms and conditions. This is because different betting sites have varying policies when it comes to free bet cancellations, abandoned matches and postponed matches. What may apply for one may not do so for another.
  3. Keep an eye on the weather: To be on the safe side, look to place bets on events that are not likely to be affected by sudden weather changes. This will reduce the chances of things being called off due to unplayable conditions.

A cancelled bet is one which has been effectively declared void, for one reason or another.

Yes. Bets placed using free bets may not be refunded, though.

If a game has been postponed, it will be considered a non-runner, unless it is played within a time frame specified by the betting site in question.

If a match is abandoned, your placed bet will stand if an event has already taken place in due accordance with the official result.

For a clear answer to this, you must read the betting site’s free bet terms and conditions carefully. Contact a customer support representative if you feel that you need more information or to check whether you are eligible for any sort of compensation.

This depends on how long it is postponed. If it is postponed longer than the limit for cancelling a bet, it will pay out at 1/1. If it is postponed for a shorter time, you will simply have to wait for the bet to settle.

Voided bets in accas pay out at 1/1. This can affect the total acca payout, but will not automatically make you lose your acca.

Cancelled fights or other voided bets will have your stake returned, or pay out at 1/1.

The best betting sites all have a similar policies regarding non starting, voided, or cancelled bets, though it is always best to read the T&Cs of the site in question beforehand.

When a bet is cancelled, however, most bookmakers will return your placed stake in full. In terms of postponed matches, though, operators may have different definitions of the time when the event at hand is considered to be officially cancelled. Meanwhile, free bets are a specific promo, and thus may be an exception to this rule.

WRITTEN BY Adam Abela
View all posts by Adam Abela

Adam is avid sports writer (5 years and counting) who has been betting for as long as he's been legally able to. As an Arsenal fan, he knows a thing or two about the importance of patience (and heartbreak).

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