Tennis Retirement Rules

What Are Tennis Retirement Rules?

When betting on tennis you need to be very careful. Sometimes, a player will "retire", meaning they forfeit the match. When this happens, the other player wins.

This can cause problems with our matched bets.

Bookmakers have different rules on how they settle bets when a player retires. Unfortunately they don't always settle the retired player as a loser, and the other player as a winner. Because of this, you need to understand retirement rules before placing any bets on tennis, or your funds could be at risk!

Below we have a very easy to use table, which will help you place your bets on tennis worry-free!

If you are backing & laying a bet on tennis then you can only use a bookmaker from group 1. In group 1, the bookies retirement rules are the same as the exchanges.

If you are doing an offer with a bookmaker from group 2, then you must dutch your bet with another bookmaker also from group 2.

Note: Dutching is where you place multiple back bets to cover all outcomes. Rather than backing and laying, we are placing back bets on player 1 and player 2 at different bookies. 

If you're backing with any bookie in group 3, you should also dutch with another from group 3. The only difference between Group 2 and Group 3 is disqualification (which is VERY rare). So, my advice when doing small stakes is to treat Group 2 and Group 3 bookies the same. Dutch between them, as the chances of disqualification are minimal.

What Are The Dangers?

If you don't check retirement rules, you could lose a lot of money.

Lets say you have £20 on Roger Federer and £20 on Rafael Nadal in a match. Rafael Nadal then decides he can no longer continue and retires. If you haven't made sure the retirement rules match, your money could be at risk.

Bookmaker 1 might void Federer as the match hasn't finished, refunding your £20 stake.

Bookmaker 2 might settle Nadal as a loser, losing you £20.

You'd be down £20, as bookie 1 voided the bet rather than settling it as a winner. For this reason, make sure you check the table below!

Which Bookmakers Use Which Rules?
  • The table was last updated in January 2020, and may have since changed.

Group 1 Group 2 Group 3
Betfair Exchange 10bet Bet365
Smarkets Exchange 12bet Betstars
Matchbook Exchange 21bet Betway
138 Betboro Betvictor
32red BetBull Kwiff
888sport Bethard M88
Betfair Sportsbook BetUK STSBet
Betfred Betvision VBet
Betsafe Boylesports
Blacktype Energybet
Brucebetting Fansbet
Bwin Fun88
Coral GiveMeBet
Dafabet Guts
Genting K8
Grosvenor Mansionbet
JenningsBet Moplay
Ladbrokes Netbet
Leovegas Novibet
Marathonbet Space Casino
Mrgreen Sportnation
Paddypower Sportpesa
Partypoker StarSports
QuinnBet TLC bet
Redbet Vernons
Skybet William Hill
Sportingbet
Toals
Totesport
Unibet

Group 1 (All exchanges included here): All bets are valid if one set is complete.
All the exchanges are in this category so you are safe to back and lay your bets as normal. A whole set has to be played for the back and lay bets to stand.

If they haven't finished the first set and someone retires then all bets will be void and returned to you. If one set is complete and a player retires then your bets will stand.

Group 2: Bets are valid only if the full match is complete.
The full match has to be played for your bet to stand. If there are any retirements before the match is over then your bet will be void. We can't back on a website in this group and lay the bet. If your player retires in set 2, 3, 4 or 5 then your back bet will be void, but you will lose your lay bet on the exchange.

Group 3: All bets are valid only if the full match is complete - apart from disqualifications

This group is exactly the same as group 2, but if a player is disqualified then bets will stand. This is very rare and has only happened 6 times in major tournaments from 1990 to 2017.

So, you should only be backing and laying group 1 bookies. If you are using group 2 or 3 bookies, then you should be dutching them with a bookie in the same group.

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