What Does Push Mean in Betting? Push Bets Explained | BookieBrawler
A push ties a spread or total bet and refunds your stake. See when pushes happen on point spreads, totals, and props, plus how they change parlays and teasers.
What Does Push Mean in Betting?
A push is a tie on a spread, total, or prop when the final score lands exactly on the number you bet. Nobody wins, nobody loses, and the sportsbook refunds your stake.
Common Push Examples
- Spread push: You take Cowboys -7 and they win 24-17 (exactly 7). Stake refunded.
- Total push: You bet Over 42 and the combined score is exactly 42. Stake refunded.
- Player prop push: You bet LeBron Over 25.0 points and he finishes with exactly 25. Stake refunded.
How Pushes Affect Parlays and Teasers
Most books remove a pushed leg from a parlay and recalculate the payout with the remaining picks. Some books void the whole ticket, so check house rules before you build multi-leg slips.
Avoiding Pushes With Half-Point Lines
Laying -7.5 instead of -7, or taking Over 42.5 instead of 42, removes the tie outcome. You can also buy a half-point on many spreads and totals if your book offers it.