Overtime Rules for Sports Betting

If the game goes to overtime, what happens to your bet? When a game is tied and time is running out, that’s a question on the minds of many bettors.

Online sportsbooks will have their own house rules that explain what you need to know for playing on the site, but many aspects will be uniform from book to book. Here are some of the main things to be aware of about sports betting and overtime.

Sports and overtime

The rules for various sports have evolved over the years. Outside of soccer, all of the major North American team sports continue play until a game has a winner, but it wasn’t always that way.

Ties were once common in the NHL. The league adopted a five-minute overtime period in the 1983-84 season, but the possibility of a tie was still there. Ties continued to happen, even with the extra time, but the introduction of the shootout in the 2005-06 season took care of that.

There are also some differences between regular season and postseason overtime rules. In the NFL, a game that’s tied after the extra frame during the season goes in the books as a tie, but playoff games continue until there’s a winner.

Overtime rules will also vary from professional to college sports. When learning how to bet on college football, it’s important to note that the overtime rules are different from those in the NFL. Both teams in college will switch possession and attempt to score, like an inning in baseball.

In short, overtime periods help ensure that fans get to see what they want: a clear result with a victor.

Do sports bets include overtime?

Unless the bet terms express otherwise, overtime is part of the wager. This is standard practice at a sports betting site, and they’ll spell out the terms specifically in their rules and elsewhere on their apps.

The blanket statement covers all of the main bets — moneylines, spreads, and totals — and applies to all sports. If a bet doesn’t specifically say regulation only, then the results of any overtime periods will be part of determining the wager.

How does overtime affect player props?

Standard player prop bets also depend on the game in its entirety, including overtime. The exception to this is props that are for a specific timeframe, or a live prop bet on the result of the current possession or that has a time limit.

Examples that fall into those categories include the top-scoring player in the first half or the number of points a specific player gets during the second quarter. For standard pregame props, what happens in overtime counts toward the result.

What about betting on quarters and halves?

This is an area that gets a little trickier. When it comes to first-half bets and other wagers on events prior to halftime, like the first or second quarter, there’s nothing to worry about. The bets will offer a payout based on what happens during those stretches of play.

For second-half bets and final quarters or periods, the general standard is that overtime counts as part of the bet unless the terms state otherwise. That said, this is an area where you’ll want to consult the house rules at each specific book for the exact details.

What’s regulation-only betting?

Regulation-only betting is most common in soccer and hockey. Sportsbooks may list it as a 90-minute line for the former or a 60-minute line for the latter. At soccer betting sites, it’s nothing out of the ordinary as the standard three-way moneyline includes the possibility of a draw.

In the NHL, the 60-minute line is an alternative at several top online sportsbooks. The bet includes a draw as one of the options, and your result will depend on the outcome at the end of regulation.

At some books, you’ll also find the double chance regulation bet for soccer and hockey. This means that you can pick a side plus a draw. You’re covered on two of the three possible regulation outcomes and only lose if the third option happens.

There’s also the option for “tie no bet,” which means that you’re choosing one of the teams to win in regulation. If regulation ends without a winner, then the bet will be a draw, and you’ll get a refund.

What’s a push in sports betting?

Bettors, fans, and viewers like a resolution when it comes to sporting events, so the appeal of overtime isn’t too tough to see. While OT helps to make sure there’s a final result, it doesn’t completely eliminate ties for sports betting purposes.

When you place a bet and there’s no winner or loser, that’s a push. In such cases, sportsbooks will issue refunds. A push can come up for various types of bets, including spreads, totals, and props. For tracking purposes, you can also count it as a tie.