Pushes, Ties, and Voids: The Bets That End Weird (and What Happens to the Money)

Every new bettor eventually hits a result that isn't a win or a loss and assumes something broke. Nothing broke — you just met the push.

The push: landing exactly on the number

Bet a spread at −3 and watch the favorite win by exactly 3? That's a push. Bet Over 40 and the game lands 23–17? Push again. The book returns your stake — no win, no loss, like the bet never happened. This is why half-point lines (−3.5, 40.5) exist: the half point makes a push impossible, which is exactly why books charge more to buy onto or off of whole numbers.

Ties: yes, they happen (especially in August)

NFL preseason games can end tied — there's no overtime hero ball when the roster spots are already decided. Preseason Week 1 of 2025 alone had two: Raiders–Seahawks at 23–23 and Dolphins–Bears at 24–24. A tie pushes moneyline bets at most books, grades the spread normally (a +3.5 side still covers in a 23–23 game), and counts the total as usual (23–23 is 46 points — an over at 44.5).

Voids: the bet that never was

A void (or no-action) bet is cancelled entirely and the stake returned — a postponed game, a scratched player on a prop, or a parlay leg that can't be graded. In a parlay, most books simply drop the voided leg and recalculate the payout from the remaining legs: your 3-leg parlay quietly becomes a 2-legger.

What your league should do with weird endings

Decide before the season how pushes and voids are handled — most crews roll the week's wager forward like the bet never happened, which is also how LeagueLocks records a week where no money moved. The worst outcome isn't a push; it's a group chat argument about one.

Play responsibly. If gambling stops being fun, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.