A push bet in sports betting is when the bet lands on the exact number offered by the sportsbook, and your bet gets refunded.
Say you've bet on the Chiefs as 10-point favorites over the Chargers, and K.C. wins by exactly 10 points. Whatever amount you bet is returned to you in full.
A push can happen on spreads, totals, props and more, though many sportsbooks only offer "halves" on many markets to avoid pushes — in the NBA for example, every player will be listed at 14.5 points, or 20.5 points, or 28.5 points, instead of 14 or 20 or 28. The books don't want pushes.
What Is a Push in Sports Betting?
In sports betting, a push bet is the result of a tie between the bettor and the sportsbook.
The bettor is refunded their money, and doesn't lose any juice.
On a Point Spread
For a bet to push on a point spread, like in the intro example, the final-score margin must be the same as the spread taken by the bettor.
For example:
- The bet: Chiefs -10
- The outcome: Chiefs win, 31-21
- The bet: Villanova +3
- The outcome: Villanova loses, 73-70
Since actual games do not involve half points, only spreads that are whole numbers have a chance at resulting in a push bet.
On a Total or Over/Under
For a bet to push on a total, the number of points scored must match the over/under bet made by the bettor.
For example:
- The bet: Over 63
- The outcome: Alabama wins, 41-22
- The bet: Under 7
- The outcome:Cubs win, 4-3
The same as spreads, over/under bets also must come on whole numbers to have a chance at a push bet.
On a Moneyline
For a bet to push on a moneyline, two things must be true:
- The game ends in a tie.
- A tie or draw was not one of the bet options.
The second one comes into play mostly in soccer, where a typical moneyline bet offered by the sportsbook includes an option for each team, as well as the draw (called a three-way moneyline).
In such a case, the game resulting in a tie will count as a loss if you've backed one of the teams to win, since you had the option to bet on the draw.
In a two-way moneyline (where the only options are to bet on either team), a tie game will result in a push bet. But beware, the payouts for a two-way moneyline are significantly worse for this reason.
Also, the BetMGM Bonus Code can provide additional value for bettors when placing any type of the aforementioned bets.
You can also check out our list of the best sportsbooks!
Is a Push Bet a Loss?
No. Nor is it a win. For any bet that pushes, the bettor simply receives back all of the money he/she wagered, and does not have to forfeit any of the vig.
In a bettor's win-loss record, pushes are listed third. So a bettor that goes 4-2-1 on the night won four bets, lost two and pushed on one.
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