Meaning
Void bet and Rule 4
A void bet is one the operator cancels and settles by returning your stake. Rule 4 is a deduction taken from the winnings on a horse-racing bet when another runner is withdrawn before the race. Which one applies, and by how much, is set by the operator's rules. This page uses a hypothetical example with euro figures.
Editorial team · checked
Two terms, two outcomes
- Void bet: the bet is cancelled. Your stake goes back to you, and no winnings are paid on it.
- Non-runner: a horse that was entered and does not take part in the race.
- Rule 4: a deduction from the winnings of a bet that stays live after a non-runner is declared. The stake is not reduced.
An operator's rules say which bets go void, which get a deduction and how the deduction is worked out.
In short: void returns the stake; Rule 4 trims the winnings.
Worked example in euro
| Case | Stake | Winnings before deduction | Deduction | Total return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. Horse wins, no non-runner | €10 | €50 | €0 | €60 |
| B. Horse wins, Rule 4 of 20c in the €1 applies | €10 | €50 | €10 | €50 |
| C. Your horse is the non-runner, bet void | €10 | €0 | €0 | €10 |
The sums: winnings are stake times the fractional price, so €10 × 5 = €50. In case B the deduction is €50 × 0.20 = €10, leaving winnings of €40 plus the €10 stake.
This is an example. The rate for a real bet comes from the operator's rules, and we have not read them for this page.
In short: the same win pays €60, €50 or only your €10 back, depending on the case.
Where it shows in the app
Look at the settled bet in your history. A void bet is marked as void, and the return equals your stake.
For a deduction, the operator's screen may show a Rule 4 line or a reduced return. How each app words this is Not checked.
- Read the bet slip before you confirm (bet slip fields).
- Read the settled bet afterwards (your betting history).
In short: compare the return on the slip with the return in history.
What this page does not do
- It does not say that Rule 4 is good or bad value.
- It does not give a deduction table. The table lives in the operator's rules or in the document the operator points to.
- It does not cover dead heat, each-way terms or Best Odds Guaranteed. See each-way and Best Odds Guaranteed.
In short: meaning and arithmetic only, with no verdict on value.
How we checked
The definitions are plain-language ones. We have not yet matched them to the rules of two operators or to an organiser's document, so that match is Not checked. The sums were recalculated by hand.
What changed: 7 November 2026, first version.
In short: Not checked: wording in operator rules.
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