KEY TAKEAWAYS
A push in betting is a tie between you and the sportsbook. It happens when the final result lands exactly on the betting line, so neither side wins. The bet is graded as a push and the sportsbook returns your full stake: you make no profit and lose nothing. If you bet a team at -7 and it wins by exactly 7 points, or you bet the over on a total of 44 and the final score is 24-20, the bet pushes.
Pushes matter because they change what can happen to a bet. Most beginners think every wager ends in a win or a loss, but on a whole-number line there are three possible grades: win, loss or push. A push also behaves differently inside a parlay, where it usually shortens the ticket rather than ending it. This guide explains exactly when a push can happen, how sportsbooks grade it on spreads, totals and moneylines, what it does to the money on your bet slip, and the common mistakes bettors make about it. Every example uses hypothetical teams and lines, and every number is calculated step by step.
What a Push Means in Sports Betting
Every bet is graded against a line set by the sportsbook. A point spread sets a margin, a total sets a combined score, and a prop sets a statistic. When the result lands above or below that line, one side wins. When it lands exactly on the line, the bet is a push, which is also called a tie or “no action” on that wager.
A push is not a small win or a small loss. It is a refund. The sportsbook hands back the amount you staked, and that money returns to your balance as if the bet had never been placed. A pushed bet pays zero profit and costs zero, whether you bet a favorite at -110 or an underdog at +150.
Pushes are closely related to a second grade: the void, sometimes shown as “no action” or “cancelled.” A void happens when a bet cannot be settled at all, for example because a game is postponed beyond a set time or a player in a prop does not take part. A void also returns the stake, but the cause is different: a push is a tie on the line, while a void means the bet never had a valid result. The exact void conditions are set in each sportsbook’s house rules and vary.
On a bet slip, a push usually appears as “Push,” “Tie” or “Refunded.” The stake reappears in your balance once the bet is graded, usually soon after the result is official.
How a Push Happens on Spreads, Totals and Moneylines
A push requires a whole-number line. The final score of most games is a whole number, so a team can win by exactly 7 or two teams can combine for exactly 44 points. A half-point line, called “the hook,” makes a push impossible, because no score can land on 7.5 or 44.5. That is why sportsbooks often post lines such as -6.5 or 44.5.
Point spreads
On a spread, the favorite gives points and the underdog gets them. Suppose Team A is -7 against Team B at +7. If Team A wins by 8 or more, the favorite covers. If Team A wins by 6 or less, or loses, the underdog covers. If Team A wins by exactly 7, both sides push and both stakes are returned.
Totals
On an over/under, the line is the combined score. With a total of 44, a final of 24-21 (45 points) wins for the over, a final of 21-20 (41 points) wins for the under, and a final of 24-20 lands on 44 and pushes.
Moneylines and props
A two-way moneyline has no points to land on, but it can still push if the game ends in a tie where the sport allows one. Most sportsbooks grade a tied two-way moneyline as a push, but tie rules for moneylines vary by sportsbook and by sport. In a three-way market, the draw is its own outcome, so a bet on either team simply loses if the game is drawn. Player props on whole numbers, such as 5 receptions, can push in the same way when the player finishes on exactly 5.
A push does not change the price you paid on decided bets. At -110, you still need to win 52.38% of the bets that are decided to break even, because 110 ÷ (110 + 100) = 52.38%. Pushes simply drop out of that calculation, since they return the stake without profit or loss.
Worked Example: Grading a Bet on a Whole-Number Spread
Suppose, in a hypothetical game, the Hawks are -7 at -110 against the Bears at +7, also at -110. A bettor stakes $110 on the Hawks -7. At -110, a $110 stake wins $100 profit, because $110 × 100 ÷ 110 = $100. Three results are possible, and each one grades differently:
| Final score | Hawks margin | Grade for Hawks -7 | Money returned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawks 28, Bears 20 | 8 points | Win | $210 ($110 stake + $100 profit) |
| Hawks 27, Bears 20 | 7 points | Push | $110 (stake only) |
| Hawks 24, Bears 20 | 4 points | Loss | $0 (stake lost) |
The table shows that the push sits exactly between the win and the loss: the bettor walks away with the original $110 and nothing more. A bettor on the Bears +7 would be graded the same way in reverse, also receiving a $110 refund on a 27-20 final.
Now change the line to Hawks -7.5. On a 27-20 final the Hawks win by 7, which is less than 7.5, so the Hawks bet loses and the Bears +7.5 bet wins. The extra half-point turns a refund into a full loss, which is why a single half-point can matter so much on a spread.
Common Mistakes About Pushes
The first mistake is thinking a push is a loss. Because nothing is won, some beginners count it as a losing bet in their records. A push returns the full stake and should be recorded as neither a win nor a loss, or the bettor’s win rate will look worse than it is.
The second mistake is assuming every parlay dies when one leg pushes. At most sportsbooks the pushed leg is simply removed and the parlay continues with fewer legs at a lower payout. Push rules for parlays, teasers and same-game parlays vary, and some books grade them differently, so the house rules decide.
The third mistake is mixing up a push and a void. Both refund the stake, but a void depends on rules about postponements, cancelled games or players who do not play, and those void conditions differ from one sportsbook to the next.
The last mistake is treating a whole-number line as “safer.” A push protects the stake only on one exact result, and the vig still applies to every decided bet.
How to Handle Pushes Before You Bet
Before placing a bet, look at whether the line is a whole number or ends in .5. If the line ends in .5, a push is impossible and the bet will be graded as a win or a loss. If it is a whole number, a refund is one of the three outcomes.
Next, read the sportsbook’s house rules for the market you are betting. The rules explain how ties on two-way moneylines are graded, what happens to a parlay when one leg pushes or is voided, and when a postponed game becomes “no action.” House rules, not general guides, decide how a specific bet is settled.
Keep pushes in your betting records as their own line. A simple log with columns for date, market, line, price, stake and grade (win, loss, push or void) shows the real result of your betting. If 100 bets at -110 include 4 pushes, the win rate should be measured on the 96 decided bets, and you would need about 50.29 wins (52.38% × 96) to break even.
Finally, set a betting budget before the season starts and stick to it. A push is not a reason to “re-bet” the same money on another game you had not planned. Because of the vig, the average bettor loses money over time, and sports betting should only use money you can afford to lose.
Where Pushes Fit in Your Betting Knowledge
Pushes connect directly to the whole-number lines that create them. To see how margins and half-points work in more detail, read what the spread means in betting, and for combined scores, see how over/under totals work. If you combine bets, how parlay odds are calculated shows why a pushed leg lowers the payout. The next step is the price itself: why you need to win 52.38% at -110.
Frequently Asked Questions
