Last updated 28 February 2023 (v1.05)
Picklebet’s general Betting Rules and these Racing Rules apply to all Bets placed on Australian and international thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing events. To the extent of any inconsistency, these Racing Rules override Picklebet’s general Betting Rules.
All terms defined in the general Betting Rules (including terms referred to in capital letters) have the same meaning in these Racing Rules unless otherwise stated.
We reserve the right to change, amend or add to these Racing Rules at our discretion, and will publish such changes on our website. Any changes, amendments or additions will be effective immediately on publication on our website.
1. Betting Deadlines
1.1 Bets may be placed up to close of betting for a Racing Market. This may be at the scheduled start time of the race, the time a race officially starts, or slightly after the start of a race at Picklebet’s sole discretion.
2. Racing Odds
2.1 Bets may be offered with Fixed Odds and/or Starting Price Odds.
2.2 Bets placed at Starting Price Odds will be paid on the final Fixed Odds offered when betting closes (“Starting Price Odds” or “SP Odds”). If Fixed Odds for a runner are not offered prior to close of betting, the official starting odds declared by the relevant racing authority on the day of the race will be used to determine runner SP Odds. If official starting ‘win’ odds are also not declared in these circumstances, the bet will be void and stake refunded to your Account.
2.3 Where in these Rules we refer to the point in time that “Odds are fixed” this refers to:
(a) for bets placed with Fixed Odds, the time that the bet is placed; or
(b) for bets placed with SP Odds, the time when betting closes for the race.
3. Determination of Results
Interim and Final Results
3.1 All racing bets are settled based on the official declaration of the result of the race as made by the relevant racing authority on the day of the race. Once the official result is declared, this official result will not be affected by subsequent protests or amendments to such result.
3.2 Interim results are indicative only and bets will only be resulted based on the official declared result.
Scratchings and Deductions
3.3 Deductions for scratchings may apply for either SP Odds or Fixed Odds bets - see Rules 7 and 8 below for more details on scratchings and Deductions.
Abandonments
3.4 Subject to Rule 3.5, if a race or race meeting for the day is abandoned, transferred or postponed, all bets placed on the abandoned, transferred or postponed races will be Void and the stake refunded to your Account.
3.5 If a race is re-run on the same day and at the same venue, all bets placed on the race will stand.
Dead Heat Rule
3.6 If a Dead Heat occurs, reduced returns shall be awarded on all runners involved in the dead heat. The reduction on returns shall be dependent on the number of runners involved in the Dead Heat. The reduced return will be the expected Payout of the bet divided by the total number of runners involved in the Dead Heat.
4. Win Betting
4.1 All Win Bets require the selected runner to finish in first place to be successful. Win Bets may be placed with either Fixed Odds or SP Odds. Dead Heat rules and Deductions rules apply for Win Bets.
4.2 If Fixed Odds for a runner are not offered prior to the close of betting, the official starting odds declared by the relevant racing authority on the day of the race will be used to determine SP Odds.
5. Place Betting
5.1 Place Bets require the selected runner to finish in a position which pays a place dividend, as determined under this Rule 5. Place Bets may be Fixed Place or a Fixed Top “X” type bets.
Fixed Place Bets
5.2 The number of positions for which a dividend is paid will depend on the field size at the time Odds are fixed.
5.3 Where there are 8 or more runners in a race at the time Odds are fixed, the place dividend will be paid on first, second and third places only. If the field had 8 or more runners at the time Odds were fixed and the field is later reduced to 7 or less runners, first, second and third places will be paid however Deductions rules will apply.
5.4 Where there are 7, 6 or 5 runners in a race at the time the bet Odds are fixed, the place dividend will be paid on first and second places only. If bet Odds are fixed when the field had 5, 6 or 7 runners and the field later reduced to less than 5 runners, first and second place will be paid however Deductions rules will apply.
5.5 Where there are less than 5 runners in a race, no Fixed Place betting will be available. Where a bet is placed at SP Odds and the field is reduced to less than 5 runners at the time Odds are fixed, the bet will be Void and the stake refunded to your Account. In the event Place Betting is available in error, the bets will be Void and the stake refunded to your Account.
5.6 For SP Odds bets, if Fixed Odds for a runner are not offered prior to the close of betting and no official starting odds are available for the selected runner to place, then the ‘place’ Odds for the selected runner will be derived by calculating 1/5th of the official ‘win’ starting odds declared for the runner.
Fixed Top “X” Bets
5.7 Fixed Top “X” bets require the selected runner to finish in a position either equal or better than that selected. For example, if you select a runner to finish “top 2”, the selected runner must finish in either first or second place for a place dividend to be paid.
5.8 Fixed Top “X” bets will only be offered for races where there are 4 or more runners at the time of bet placement. For a Fixed Top “X” bet, the number of top positions which a User may select to pay a dividend is the field size at the time the bet is placed, less 2. Where a bet is placed at SP Odds for a runner to finish Top “X” and the field is reduced to less than “X+2” runners at the time Odds are fixed, the bet will be Void and stake refunded to your Account. In the event a Fixed Top “X” is available in error, bets will be Void and the stake refunded to your Account.
5.9 If after Odds are fixed for a Fixed Top “X” bet the field is reduced to:
(a) 4 runners, bets selecting a runner to finish equal or better than fourth place (i.e. “top 4”) will be Void and the stake refunded to your Account;
(b) 3 runners, bets selecting a runner to finish equal or better than third place (i.e. “top 3”) will be Void and the stake refunded to your Account;
(c) 2 or less runners, all bets will be Void and the stake refunded to your Account; or
(d) in all other instances, a Fixed Top “X” bet will stand and Deductions rules will apply.
5.10 SP Odds bets, if Fixed Odds for a runner are not offered prior to the close of betting, and no official starting odds are available for the selected runner to finish in top “X” positions, then the ‘place’ Odds for the selected runner will be derived by calculating 1/(X+1) of the official ‘win’ starting odds declared for the runner.
6. Multi Bets
Multi Bets
6.1 Each Selection for a Multi bet may be placed with either Fixed Odds or SP Odds. Dead Heat rules and Deductions rules apply for Multi bets.
6.2 Racing Selections are only available to place on Multi bets with other racing Selections and cannot be combined with Sports or Esports Selections.
Same-Race Multi Bets
6.3 Same-Race Multi bets are only available on selected Australian and international thoroughbred, harness and greyhound races and only if Fixed Odds are available for the specific race. The maximum number of Selections in a Same-Race Multi is 4.
6.4 Fixed Top “X” bet rules above apply for each Selection in a Same-Race Multi bet. Where the field is reduced after a Same-Race Multi bet is placed:
(a) if (in applying the Fixed Top “X” bet rules to each Selection) a Selection would be Void, the entire Same-Race Multi bet is Void and the stake refunded to your Account; and
(b) if (in applying the Fixed Top “X” bet rules to each Selection) a Selection would be subject to deductions, the Deductions Rules will apply to the Same-Race Multi bet.
6.5 Odds for Same-Race Multi bets are calculated based on the inter-relation of the Selections in the Multi and will not represent a multiplication of Odds for each Selection. In the event that a Same-Race Multi is placed with more than one Selection on the same runner, the entire Same-Race Multi will be Void and the stake refunded to your Account.
7. Scratchings
7.1 Unless otherwise stated, if a runner is scratched from a race this Rule 7 applies.
7.2 For bets where the selected runner(s) are scratched:
(a) for Single bets (e.g. Win Bets, Place Bets), the bet will be Void and the stake refunded to your Account;
(b) for a Same-Race Multi bet, if one or more Selections are scratched, the entire Multi-bet will be Void and the stake refunded to your Account; or
(c) for a Multi bet (other than a Same-Race Multi), the impacted Selection will be voided but the Multi will stand with the odds adjusted to 1.00 for the impacted Selection.
7.3 For bets where a runner other than the selected runner(s) are scratched, the Deductions rules will apply for:
(a) Fixed Odds bets placed prior to the scratching, and
(b) Starting Price Odds bets where the runner is scratched after Odds are fixed.
8. Deduction Rules
8.1 In the event of a scratching, a deduction will be applied in accordance with these Rules and the Schedule of Deductions for racing bets.
8.2 The deduction rate is applied to the expected Payout of the bet, based on the Fixed Odds of the scratched runner at the time of the scratching.
8.3 If multiple runners are scratched from a race, a combined deduction rate is applied. This is calculated by summing the total of the individual deduction rates as calculated in accordance with the Schedule of Deductions.
9. Win Limits
9.1 A “win limit” is the maximum amount that can be won by a player (i.e. Payout less Stake) per bet type, per race venue type, for all winning bets. Losing bets are not counted when determining the player's win amount. For PLACE bets, the win limit is the maximum amount that can be won on each place-getter, per race venue type, per player.
9.2 In this Rule 9, a “player” will be deemed to be any one individual, entity or group deemed to be acting on behalf of any one individual, entity or group.
9.3 Win limits include all Winnings derived from bets placed by the player on each bet type, per race venue type (or per individual place-getter in the case of PLACE bets), regardless of whether the bet is included as an element of a Multi, a group of Multis, or as a Single bet.
9.4 It is the responsibility of each User to be aware of the win limits, and we will not be in any way responsible for communicating such limits in any other form or via any other medium at the time that a bet is placed.
9.5 Win limits are open to upwards adjustment at our sole discretion. Any player requesting a review of these limits, may apply by email to support@picklebet.com. If we determine to allow for the requested adjustment, you will receive an email confirming the new win limit(s) applicable to your Account.
9.6 Winnings to a player will not surpass the maximum aggregate Winnings amounts per player, per day as prescribed for a particular bet type at a race venue type in this Rule 9.
(a) Thoroughbred Races
The aggregate total Winnings for a player for each race type, per race venue type, per day for thoroughbred races collectively must not exceed the following limits:
(b) Greyhound and Harness Races
The aggregate total Winnings for a player for each race type, per race venue type, per day for greyhound and harness races collectively must not exceed the following limits:
9.7 If specific win limits have been prescribed to particular player and the players’ betting limit would normally be applied for a bet, the maximum Payout for each Selection in a Multi bet will be paid at the prescribed win limit or $2,000 whichever is less.
10. Betting Limits
10.1 Applicable minimum bet laws will be adhered to according to the jurisdiction of the race venue.
10.2 If there has been an official price fluctuation or our own price fluctuation has changed, we may refuse to accept any bet at the pre-change price.
11. Website Features
11.1 We publish a number of features for the enjoyment of our Users. These features are indicative only and whilst we endeavour to provide true and accurate information, we take no responsibility as to the accuracy and validity of the information contained therein. Users must make their own informed choice as to the utilisation of these features. This includes but is not limited to: horse form information; horse, jockey and trainer information; barrier draw; weather and track conditions; arrow indicators; favourite indicators; and market mover indicators.
11.2 Whilst we offer a variety of information identifying a horse or greyhound in a race, including name translations, bets will be deemed to be placed and therefore settled, based on the official saddlecloth number only. For UK greyhound racing, bets will be settled based on the box or trap number only.
12. Rules Jurisdictions
12.1 The official results for a race are determined in accordance with the applicable rules of racing set by the governing body for racing in the jurisdiction in which the race event is run.
13. Past-The-Post Payout Rules
13.1 Past-the-Post Payouts are available on Single Win or Place bets on Australian & New Zealand racing (thoroughbred, harness and greyhounds) only. Dividends for Past-the-Post Payouts are paid when interim dividends are available for the event.
13.2 We do not offer Past-the-Post Payouts on racing events held in jurisdictions outside of Australia or New Zealand.
13.3 We do not offer Past-the-Post Payouts on any Multi bets (including Same-Race Multis). These bets will be settled on final official results only.
14. Protest Payouts
14.1 Protest Payouts only apply to Australian & New Zealand thoroughbred and harness races for the first runner past the post that is relegated and all place getters.
14.2 If a protest against the first horse to finish is upheld, and provided the first horse to finish is not disqualified, we will pay a dividend for both the interim winner as well as the official winner.
14.3 Valid on Single Win Bets and Place Bets only. Protest Payouts do not apply to Multi bets (including Same-Race Multis). Maximum protest Payout is $5,000 per player, per day.
14.4 Promotional bets, including Bonus Bets and boosted-odds bets, are not eligible for protest Payouts.
14.5 Protest Payouts are available to recreational customers only, and do not apply to any User excluded from Picklebet’s Promotions.