What happens if a bet is void in a parlay Fanduel? A deep dive analysis - 33rd Square (2024)

Hey there fellow sports betting enthusiast! Terry here, back at you with another guide, this time focused on an important but often confusing topic – what happens when you have a void leg in a parlay bet. I know we‘ve all been there, sweating out that 10-leg parlay ticket, only to have one game get postponed and put the whole thing in limbo. Talk about a rollercoaster ride!

In this guide, we‘re going to dig into the nitty gritty details on void bets in parlays, so you can go into battle fully prepared. I‘ll draw on my own experience of both winning and losing parlays, research all of the sportsbook house rules, and provide actionable tips on how to structure your tickets. Sound good? Let‘s dive right in!

Defining Void Bets in Parlays

First things first – let‘s make sure we are all clear on what exactly a void bet is when it comes to parlays. Essentially, a void bet occurs when one of the outcomes you bet on ends up not being determined normally. Common examples include:

• A player unexpectedly not participating in a game at all
• A sporting event being postponed or abandoned before completion
• The scheduled length of a match changing, like extra innings in MLB

The key distinction here is that void bets are DIFFERENT than losing bets. With a normal loss, the wager went through but the outcome just didn‘t go your way. With a void, the bet itself is invalidated and cancelled as if it never happened.

This crucial difference greatly impacts parlays, where one void leg might bring down your whole carefully constructed ticket. Ok, now that we‘ve got the basics down, let‘s move on to policies across major sportsbooks.

How Sportsbooks Handle Void Bets in Parlays

Unfortunately, standards aren‘t universal when it comes to void bets in parlays. Some books treat them one way, while others take a different approach. Here‘s a quick rundown of the void rules at the top online sportsbooks:

FanDuel

• If any leg of a parlay is void, the ENTIRE parlay reduces by one selection
• For example, a 5 team parlay becomes a 4 team parlay
• The payout odds adjust accordingly

DraftKings

• If any leg of a parlay is void, the ENTIRE parlay bet is REFUNDED
• No partial parlays – ticket is canceled and full amount returned

PointsBet

• For same game parlays, one void leg loses the whole bet
• For parlays across multiple games, void legs are dropped

BetMGM

• If any leg is void, that selection is excluded from the parlay
• Parlay legs and odds adjust automatically

So as you can see, you‘ve gotta know the specific house rules on voids for wherever you‘re betting. Now that we‘ve got that covered, let‘s get into some common situations that trigger void bets.

Void Bet Triggers – Injuries, Postponements, and Late Scratches

Based on painful personal experience through thousands of parlays, I can tell you the most common causes of dreaded void legs:

• Injury news breaking right before a game
• Late scratches after lineups have been posted
• Severe weather postponing a matchup
• Game abandonment due to unforseen issues mid-match
• College player unexpectedly not playing any minutes

These sorts of things seem to happen most frequently in the late afternoon and evening slates, especially for NBA and MLB. Just when you think your parlay is lined up perfectly, bam – your star point guard is suddenly out with back spasms or your ace pitcher gets scratched after tweaking his hamstring in warmups.

It‘s critical to take a calculated approach with parlays to minimize void bait. Here are 5 pro tips:

5 Pro Tips to Avoid Void Bet Pitfalls

Wait for confirmed starting lineups – Don‘t bet early on players in questionable roles

Monitor injury news closely – Late news can sink an otherwise smooth parlay

Check severe weather reports – Rain and snow delays ruin parlays

Stick to earlier games – Increased unknowns exist in late night matchups

Bet moneylines when possible – Removes point spread variance; team just has to win

Ok, now that we know some best practices on the defensive side, let‘s talk about how to squeeze maximum value out of our parlays with smart structure.

Maximizing Parlay Returns – Bet Sizing and Hedging Strategies

We all love the huge potential payouts from a long parlay ticket – I remember when I hit a 10-gamer paying out close to $15,000 on just a $20 bet! But we have to be smart about how we stack parlays to optimize our overall bankroll.

Here are some key strategies I like to use:

APPROPRIATE BET SIZING

• 10-20% of normal bet for 3-4 team parlays
• 5-10% of normal bet for 5-6 team parlays
• 2-3% of normal bet for 7+ team parlays

HEDGE CORRELATED LEGS

• Bet both teams to score in a soccer match
• Take each side of a game total over/under
• Consider moneyline and spread

CASH OUT WINNING PARLAYS EARLY

• Monitor live parlays closely
• With 2-3 legs hit, consider cashing out
• Protect profits from potential void legs

Let‘s take a look at how bet sizing and hedging work with a quick example:

Sample Parlay Strategy

$100 player making 4 bets:

• $30 straight bet
• $20 on a 3-leg parlay
• $10 on a 5-leg parlay
• $5 on a "confidence pool" 10-leg parlay

Uses optimal bet sizing based on number of legs. Also takes advantage of a "free shot" moon ball parlay at end while protecting bulk of bankroll.

Hedging correlated legs, like betting on Mahomes over 2.5 TD passes AND Kelce anytime TD scorer, can maximize upside risk protection. We‘ve got upside with the parlays, but loss is mitigated if that game goes differently than expected.

Now, I know that was a quick example – happy to go into much more detail on optimizing parlay strategy in a future post. Let me know in the comments if that‘s something you‘d be interested in!

Alright, we‘ve covered a TON of ground so far. Let‘s bring it all home with some rapid fire key takeaways:

Final Thoughts – Key Takeaways on Void Bets

Know sportsbook void rules – Policies vary, so read the fine print!
Wait for confirmed rosters – Late scratches spoil parlays.
Monitor weather forecasts – Rain outs and delays void legs.
Focus on 2-3 team parlays – Long parlays tempt fate.
Bet size appropriately – Don‘t risk too much on low probability parlays.
Consider hedging – Correlated legs help manage risk.
Cash out winners early – Protect profits from potential voids.

And that‘s a wrap! Hopefully you now have a MUCH stronger grasp on everything you need to know about void bets in parlays. I know it was a ton of information, but my mission is to make sure you have the COMPLETE picture.

Let me know if you have any other topics you‘d like me to break down in the future. Which long shot parlay are YOU betting this weekend? As always, may the sports betting gods shine upon your parlays!

All the best,
Terry

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