# Starting price (SP)

> The starting price is the odds on a horse when the race starts. How an SP bet differs from a fixed-odds bet, with a worked euro example and links to BOG and Rule 4.

Source: https://beforeyouinstall.com/guides/starting-price-meaning/
Updated: 2026-11-07

The starting price (SP) is the odds on a horse at the moment the race starts. If you take SP, the bet is settled at that price, not at the odds shown when you placed it. You do not know the return when you bet. The operator's rules define how SP is set.

## What SP means

- **SP:** the final odds on a runner when the race begins, as determined under the operator's rules.
- **Price taken:** odds fixed at the moment you confirm the bet. The return is known up front.
- **SP bet:** you accept whatever the SP turns out to be. The return is known only after the race.

Which bet types accept SP, and which organiser figures an operator uses, are set in its own rules. Not checked for this page.

**In short:** price taken fixes your odds now; SP fixes them at the off.

## Worked example in euro

**Hypothetical example: €10 win bet on one horse that wins. The prices are invented for the sums. Source: derived by our editorial team · checked 7 November 2026**

| Bet | Odds used | Winnings | Total return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price taken: 5/1 (6.00) at the time of the bet | 5/1 | €50 | €60 |
| SP bet, SP ends at 4/1 (5.00) | 4/1 | €40 | €50 |
| SP bet, SP ends at 6/1 (7.00) | 6/1 | €60 | €70 |

The sums: winnings are stake times the fractional price. €10 × 5 = €50, €10 × 4 = €40, €10 × 6 = €60. Add the €10 stake for the total return. Convert odds formats with [our odds guide](https://beforeyouinstall.com/guides/odds-formats-explained/).

**In short:** an SP shorter than your price costs you, and a longer one pays more.

## How to see an SP choice in the app

On the bet slip, the odds line shows either a price or an SP label. Read it before you confirm. How each app words and places this is Not checked.

- Open the slip and find the odds field.
- Check whether it shows a fraction, a decimal or "SP".
- After the race, compare the settled odds with the slip.

See [reading a bet slip](https://beforeyouinstall.com/guides/read-your-bet-slip-in-a-betting-app/).

**In short:** if the slip says SP, the return is not yet fixed.

## SP, BOG and Rule 4

- **Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG)** is an operator promotion. As our research notes describe it, it pays at the bigger of the price taken and the SP. Each operator's conditions say which races and bets qualify. Not checked. See [Best Odds Guaranteed](https://beforeyouinstall.com/guides/best-odds-guaranteed-meaning/).
- **Rule 4** is a deduction after a non-runner. Whether it applies to a given bet type is in the operator's rules. See [void bet and Rule 4](https://beforeyouinstall.com/guides/void-bet-and-rule-4-meaning/).

This page does not say whether SP is good value.

**In short:** SP is the base; BOG and Rule 4 are separate rules on top.

## How we checked

We wrote the definition in plain language and recalculated the example by hand. We have not matched it to the rules of two operators, so that step is Not checked.

**What changed:** 7 November 2026, first version.

**In short:** Not checked: operator wording of SP.

## Related questions

- [What do void bet and Rule 4 mean?](https://beforeyouinstall.com/guides/void-bet-and-rule-4-meaning/)
- [What does each-way mean?](https://beforeyouinstall.com/guides/each-way-meaning/)
- [Features in the app](https://beforeyouinstall.com/guides/features/)

## 18+ and help

18+ only. Gambling can be addictive – play responsibly. Set limits, take breaks and never bet more than you can afford to lose. Free 24/7 support: Gambling Awareness Trust helpline 1800 936 725 · gamblingcare.ie.