What Are Dead Heat Rules and Why Was My Payout Adjusted?

• Dead heat rules come into play when two or more competitors finish a sports event with the same score or time.
• In golf, dead heat rules are applied when two or more golfers tie for first place at the end of a tournament.
• When dead heat rules are applied, the payout for bets on the tied golfers is calculated differently than if there were no tie.
• The odds of the tied golfers are averaged and the stake is divided by the number of tied golfers to calculate the payout.
• For example, if you bet $10 on Rory McIlroy to win a tournament at odds of 10-1 and he ties with Dustin Johnson, also at 10-1 odds, your payout would be calculated as follows:
  • Payout = ($10 x 10 + $10 x 10) / 2 = $100 / 2 = $50
• So, in this scenario, you would receive a payout of $50, rather than the $100 you would have received if McIlroy had won outright.
• Dead heat rules are important to understand as they affect potential payouts, especially in sports like golf where ties are common.