One leg of your parlay pushed? Here's what happens to your bet and how your payout recalculates.
You placed a parlay, one of your legs landed exactly on the number, and now you're staring at your betting app wondering what just happened. Did you lose the whole thing? Does the bet count? Good news: a push on one leg of a parlay doesn't kill your ticket. Here's exactly what happens and what it means for your payout.
What Happens If a Leg Pushes in a Parlay
A push happens when a result lands exactly on the number you bet. If you took a team at -3 and they won by exactly 3, or you bet a total of 224 and the final score added up to exactly 224, that bet pushes. Lines with a half point, like -6.5 or 47.5, can't push. On a single bet, a push means your stake is refunded.
In a parlay, the standard industry rule is simple: the pushed leg is removed from the parlay, and the bet recalculates as if you had placed a smaller parlay from the start. The whole ticket is not voided, and you don't lose the bet just because one leg tied. Your remaining legs still need to hit for you to win, but the pushed leg essentially never existed.
This is genuinely good news compared to what you might fear. A push is one of the better outcomes a parlay leg can have short of winning outright.
A Simple Example With Real Numbers
Let's say you place a 3-leg parlay on a Sunday National Football League slate. Your three picks are:
- Kansas City -6.5 (-110)
- Philadelphia Eagles -3 (-110)
- Buffalo Bills moneyline (-130)
Your 3-leg parlay at those odds pays roughly +545, so a $20 bet returns about $129.
Now, Philadelphia wins by exactly 3. That's a push on leg two. Here's what happens:
- The Eagles -3 leg is removed from the parlay.
- Your ticket recalculates as a 2-leg parlay between Kansas City -6.5 and the Buffalo Bills moneyline.
- A 2-leg parlay at those odds pays roughly +238, returning about $68 on your $20.
If both remaining legs win, you collect that reduced payout. If either of them loses, you lose the bet as normal. The push simply shrinks the parlay - it doesn't save you from losing the others.
Parlay Push Rules at DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM
The good news is that the major US sportsbooks are largely aligned on this policy, but it's worth knowing exactly how each one words it and whether there are any edge cases to watch for.
DraftKings
DraftKings follows the standard rule: a pushed leg is treated as a no action result, removed from the parlay, and the remaining legs continue. Your parlay drops down by one leg and recalculates at the lower odds automatically. You'll see this reflected in your settled bet history - the pushed leg will typically be marked as "Push" or "Void" depending on the specific market type.
FanDuel
FanDuel handles pushes the same way. A tied leg is voided, and the parlay continues with one fewer selection. FanDuel is transparent about this in its house rules, and the app will update your potential payout in real time once a push is confirmed. One thing to note at FanDuel: same-game parlay legs that push may be handled slightly differently depending on the specific props involved, so it's worth checking your bet slip for confirmation.
BetMGM
BetMGM also removes pushed legs and recalculates the parlay at reduced odds. BetMGM is worth paying attention to because they occasionally offer parlay insurance promos - if a pushed leg ends up being the difference between a win and a loss on a 2-leg parlay, check whether any active promotions apply to your situation.
One Edge Case to Know
If every single leg in your parlay pushes, the entire bet is typically refunded. You'd get your original stake back since there are no active legs remaining. This is an extremely rare outcome but worth knowing.
Also, be aware that cancelled or postponed games are often treated similarly to pushes in parlays - removed and recalculated - but this can vary by sportsbook and by how far into the game the cancellation happened. Always check the specific rules at whichever book you're using.
What Happens If a Leg Pushes in a Same Game Parlay?
Same game parlays are where sportsbooks differ most. FanDuel's parlay guide says a voided leg is removed and the remaining legs are recalculated, and your stake is refunded if every leg is voided. theScore Bet's help center describes a different approach when a same game parlay sits inside a bigger ticket: if one selection in the same game portion pushes, that whole portion is treated as a push, unless another selection in it lost, and the rest of the bet settles on the remaining legs. Check your own sportsbook's house rules before relying on either outcome.
Push vs Void: Is There a Difference in a Parlay?
On a single bet, a push and a void are different things. A push is a graded result that landed exactly on the line. A void, sometimes called no action, means the bet was canceled, for example because the game wasn't played or a player didn't take part. In a parlay they usually end up in the same place: most sportsbooks remove that leg and reprice the ticket on the legs that are left, and if every leg pushes or is voided, your stake is refunded.
The Bottom Line
A push on one parlay leg is not a disaster. Your bet doesn't die - it just gets smaller. The pushed leg is removed, your parlay drops down by one, and your potential payout recalculates at reduced odds. DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM all handle this consistently, so if you've just gone through this for the first time, know that the books treated you fairly. The surviving legs still need to come through, but you're still very much alive.
Check your bet slip directly in the app to see the updated odds and potential payout on your recalculated parlay - it will reflect the new, smaller parlay automatically once the push is graded.
Please gamble responsibly. If sports betting is affecting your finances or wellbeing, contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700 for free, confidential support.
