Definition of Dead Heat Reduction

In sports betting, dead heat reduction refers to the adjustment made to payouts when two or more competitors finish in a tie, and there is no tie-breaking mechanism in place.

For example, in a golf tournament or a horse race, if two players tie for a place position (e.g., second), and you bet on one of them to place, the winnings are divided accordingly. The stake is split between the tied participants, and your payout is calculated on that reduced stake.

Let's say you placed a $100 bet on a golfer to finish in the top 5. That golfer ties with one other player for the final spot. Under dead heat rules, your stake is divided in half - $50 is treated as a winning bet, and $50 as a losing bet. You'll receive a payout based on the $50 winning portion.

Dead heat reduction is common in sports without clear tiebreakers, and it ensures fairness when multiple competitors share a finishing position.