Horse, greyhound and harness racing sit in part V of the Housebets sportsbook rules. Bets settle on the official declaration by the racing authority on the day of the race. A later change of placings does not rewrite the bet. The day-of-race stewards' decision stands.
This page does not reprint the deduction table. The percentages depend on the odds band and the market, and they live in the sportsbook rules. Read them there before you treat a scratching as a full-price winner.
Win, place and top 2
Win pays the first past the post on the official result, subject to dead heat and any deduction. Place on a field of eight or more pays the first three. Top 2 pays first or second and needs at least five runners.
A bet can be reduced after it is placed. Deductions come off the face value of winnings, as a percentage. Several scratchings add their rates together. The table is in clause 3.3.5 of the racing section. This guide does not copy it.
A single accepted after the official start time is void and refunded. If that late leg sits inside a combo, the leg is void and the other legs stand. A wrong price posted for the race can void the bet.
Examples
Your horse is scratched before the race. Stake back.
You bet place in a 10-runner field. Two horses come out after you bet. Place still pays three positions, and a deduction applies to winning returns.
Dead heat for first between two horses on a win bet. You are paid face value divided by two.
The race is moved to another venue the next day. The single is void. The same race delayed and run at the same track inside 48 hours stands, unless scratchings are put back in, which voids bets.
Horse racing FAQ
A runner is scratched. What happens to a win bet?
The stake is refunded.
If the scratching comes after the final field is declared and after you bet, a deduction can come off the winnings of the remaining runners. The rate is in the official table.
What does place pay?
With 8 or more runners, place pays first, second and third. If the field later drops to 7 or fewer, first, second and third are still paid, with deductions.
When is top 2 valid?
On races with 5 or more runners. Fewer than 5 voids the bet. It pays if the runner finishes first or second.
The race moves to another track tomorrow. What happens?
Abandoned, transferred, or postponed to another date: singles are void and the leg is pulled from a combo.
If it is postponed and run at the same venue within 48 hours of the original time, bets stand. If scratchings are reinstated because of that postponement, bets are void.
Two horses dead-heat for first. How is win paid?
Dead-heat rules: the face value is split by the number of winners who dead-heated. The same idea applies to place and top 2.
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This page is an independent guide. It does not run the sportsbook, the cashier, or account checks. If this summary and the operator text disagree, the English rules on Housebets win.