First Past The Post Rules – Who Pays Out Amended Result Only?

Picture the scene, you’re in your local bookmaker shop and you are placing a bet on a horse race that’s about to come on live in the shop at any moment. You quickly place your bet which is a tip from one of these tipsters for horse racing you have found on a hot streak.

Soon after scribbling at the speed of light the horse’s name (lucky star), and your stake the meeting and the time and so on the race is about to go off.

The bets on and away the horses go, you watch intently as your horse seems to be traveling quite well as they come towards the end of the race. The commentator screams as they come towards the end of the race “and Lucky Star hits the front at the furlong pole and there is only one threat to him here comes Green Dreamer down the outside”.

It’s at this point that your horse Lucky Star bumps into Green Dreamer and your horse’s jockey has the whip in the wrong hand, for example, your horse rallies but doesn’t get back up due to the interference and poor jockeying from the rival horse.

The steward’s enquiry sirens play after the race and there is an intense wait to see what the stewards decide upon the race, The stewards decide that Green Dreamer was seriously impeded and would have won the race, so they amend the result to Green Dreamer as the winner and your horse is now second so you don’t get paid.

Or do you? Many bookmakers these days payout on a thing called the first past the post ruling, this means whatever horse finished first they will pay out on that horse as well as the amended result. Worth checking that your online bookmaker pays out on first past the post and amended result as this happens more often than you would imagine.

An example of a stewards enquiry

Below is a video of a stewards enquiry which shows what can happen to your horse if something happens during the race. Amended results due to stewards enquiries are rarer these days but they still happen but if your horse won due to the interference its wise to have a bookie that pays out on first past the post.

Bookmakers FPP (first past the post) Rules

Below I have compiled a number of popular bookmakers rules on first past the post, you may be shocked to find that one of the online bookmakers on this list does not pay out on first past the post.

William Hills First Past The Post Rules (they pay first past the post and amended result)

1. If the result of a race is amended before the weigh-in, when the official result is declared, win single/multiple bets and the win part of each way single/multiple bets will be paid on both the official result and first past the post with the following exceptions: –
   • The Grand National | ante post bets | forecast or tricast bets | void races | a selection taking the wrong course | a selection given as the winner in error by the judge | a selection carrying the wrong weight | a jockey failing to weigh-in | Totepool bets | favourite points markets | distance markets | bets placed on a two runner race | special match bets | novelty bets | ‘Insurance’ markets | ‘without the favourite’ markets | ‘place only’ markets | match bets.
2. First past the post is applicable to win single/multiple bets and the win part of each way single/multiple bets only. It is not applicable to placed horses that are demoted.
3. Staking restrictions do not apply

Corals First Past The Post Rules (they pay first past the post and amended result)

19.1 DOUBLE RESULTS

Where we offer the ‘Double Result’ concession we will pay out on both the original WINNER and any subsequent alteration to the FIRST place only. Amendments to any other placing do not qualify for this concession. Payment will be made once:

1. The official result from the racecourse following the weighed in signal is received and
2. The ‘first past the post’ result, which is the immediate result after the race has been completed with any subsequent amendments, as a result of stewards’ enquiries or objections ignored.

19.1.1 Exceptions

The ‘Double Result’ concession will generally apply to all single and multiple bets at UK and Irish racecourses. However, only the official ‘weighed in’ result on the day will apply to the following:

• Ante Post bets
• Forecast and Tricast bets
• Void races
• Aintree Grand National
• Selections which have taken the wrong course
• Races where an incorrect ‘first past the post’ result has been announced in error by the judge
• Selections carrying the wrong weight
• Selections whose jockey failed to weigh in
• Tote or Pari-Mutuel (PMU)bets
• Winning Favourites and Distance betting markets
• Betting ‘Without the Favourite’ markets.
• On Course Markets

Ladbrokes First Past The Post Rules (they pay first past the post and amended result)

All bets placed on UK and Irish horse racing will be settled on First Past the Post AND the official result.

• First Past the Post: The immediate result after the race has been completed (see Exceptions below)
• Official Result: Announced at the “weigh-in” on the day, after any Steward’s Enquiries and/or objections have been considered. If a winner is disqualified after the official result is announced, the disqualification will not affect the settlement of bets.

Exceptions

The exceptions where First Past the Post does not apply and bets are only settled according to the official result are:

• A selection taking the wrong course
• A selection carrying the wrong weight or the jockey failing to weigh-in
• Any Ante Post bet
• A Forecast or Tricast bet
• A void race
• Any Tote/Pari-Mutuel bet
• A selection given as the winner in error by the judge
• A bet placed on a two-runner race or a special match bet
• A bet placed in a “without the favourite” or any other special market
• Aintree Grand National
• Any bet placed at the rails on a racecourse
• We pay FPP on UK & Irish racing ONLY – Horse racing bets placed on non-UK/Irish meetingsare settled on the official result declared by the racecourse judge and confirmed by the ‘Weighed-In’ announcement. If a winner is disqualified after the official result is announced, the disqualification will not affect the settlement of bets.

888 Sports First Past The Post Rules (they don’t pay first past the post)

1. Settlements will be based upon the official result issued at the time of the ‘Weigh In’. Any changes after such result has been announced will not be taken into consideration.

Paddy Powers first past the post rules (they pay first past the post and amended result)

Double result

• Double result is only applicable to horse racing in Ireland and the UK where an industry SP is returned.
• Double result means if your horse is first past the post you get paid, however, should your horse be awarded the race or promoted to a place, as a result of a stewards enquiry or an objection which is announced before the ‘weigh in’ or ‘winner alright’, we will still pay you.
• In a combined Horses bet, the bet remains a winner if a runner in a combined horses selection is first past the post and another horse is promoted to a winner. The bet is promoted to winner if the runner in a combined horses selection is promoted to winner where the first past the post was not in the combined horses selection.
• We offer Double Result on Place Betting, Betting Without Favourite, Fallers Insurance, Combined Horses & all Insurebet Markets.
• Double result does not apply to the following bets or circumstances:

  a. All ante-post bets.

  b. Bets which rely on Tote dividends ie. Jackpots, Placepots etc which are settled on the Rules of Racing.

  c. ‘Distance specials’ which are settled on a First Past the Post basis only.

  d. Any horse disqualified for taking the wrong course or for carrying an incorrect weight.

  e. Races which are declared void.

  f. Where there is an official correction to the result by the judge or SIS prior to the ‘weigh in’ and any races which are declared void before the ‘weigh in’ for which Rules of Racing will apply.

  g. All bets on horse racing outside of Ireland and the UK (which shall be settled on a Rules of Racing basis only).

  h. All bets on horse racing within Ireland and the UK where an industry SP is not returned in respect of the applicable race (such bets shall be settled on a Rules of Racing basis only).

  i. All bets placed on Betting in Running markets (which will be settled on a Rules of Racing basis only).

  j. Daily Doubles

  k. The Aintree Grand National

Boyle Sports first past the post rules (they pay first past the post and on amended results)

• Any bet settled on a Double Result, ‘First Past the Post or ‘Rules of Racing’ basis (the definitions of which are contained in the following pages) in UK or Ireland is subject to a limit of:
• UK – Classes 1 & 2   €500,000. UK – Classes 3 & 4  €250,000. UK – Classes 5 & 6 or lower €50,000. Ireland – all graded, group & listed races  €500,000. Ireland – premier handicaps €250,000. Ireland – all other races not listed €50,000. Any bet in Ireland or the UK that includes a selection which is not covered in Full Service €50,000. Antepost bets €250,000.
• Bets which include a selection for overseas racing covered in our Full Service are subject to a maximum payout of €100,000
• Any bet which contains a selection running at an overseas meeting where race results are not covered in full service by SIS is subject to a maximum payout of €50,000
• UK and Irish Placepots, UK Jackpots UK Quadpots; The maximum payment to any one customer in respect of any one day’s aggregate bets in each of the following categories is as follows: UK Placepots Irish Placepots bets €25,000, UK Jackpots €30,000 and UK Quadpots €10,000. The maximum payout to any one customer in respect of any one day’s Quadpots aggregate bets will be twice the total race-course Quadpots pool or twice the S.P. win or place accumulator whichever is the lesser. In the event of a “Carryover”, the maximum payout to any one customer who nominates all successful selections in the UK Jackpot or UK Placepots or Irish Placepot will be twice the S.P. win or place accumulator respectively, subject to a maximum limit of €30,000 for the Jackpot and €25,000 for the Placepots.

Betfair’s first past the post rules

Double Resulting

1. • All bets placed on UK and Irish horse racing will be settled on First Past the Post AND the official result on the day. Any subsequent disqualification will not affect the settlement of bets.
   • This offer applies to winning single and multiple bets and the win part of Each-Way bets placed only.
   • Exceptions: The exceptions where First Past the Post does not apply and bets are only settled according to the official result are:
     • A selection taking the wrong course
     • A selection carrying the wrong weight or the jockey failing to weigh-in
     • Any bets placed at a Non UK/IRE race meetings
     • A Forecast or Tricast bet
     • A void race
     • Any Tote/Pari-Mutuel bet
     • A selection given as the winner in error by the judge

Betway’s first past the post rules (they pay both amended and first past the post)

All bets placed on UK and Irish horse racing will be settled based on First Past the Post (FPP) AND the official result.

1. First Past the Post: The immediate result after the race has been completed (Exceptions apply, please see relevant section below).

2. Official Result: Announced at the “weigh-in” on the day, after any Steward’s Enquiries and/or objections have been considered. If any changes are made to the result after the official result has been announced, there will be no change to the settlement of bets.

FPP Exceptions

1. This offer applies to winning single and multiple bets and the win part of Each-Way bets only.

2.Only bets on UK & Irish Horse Racing are eligible – Bets placed on non-UK/Irish Horse Racing meetings are settled on the result declared officially by the racecourse judge and confirmed by the ‘Weighed-In’ announcement. If any changes are made to the result after the official result has been announced, there will be no change to the settlement of bets.

3. FPP does not apply to any horse racing market other than race winner.

4. A selection carrying the wrong weight or the jockey failing to weigh-in

5. A selection taking the wrong course

6. Ante Post bets

7. Forecasts or Tricasts

8. Void race

9. A selection given as the winner in error by the judge

10. A bet placed on a two-runner race

It’s well worth asking your bookmaker if they pay out on first past the post and amended result as then you are giving yourself the best chances of avoiding race interferences affecting your winnings.

Be sure to check my other Gambling Info guides.