A horse was withdrawn after you bet? Enter its price to get the Rule 4 deduction, add any other non-runners, and see what it does to your return, win only or each way.
A non-runner at 2/1 means a 30p Rule 4 deduction. £10.00 each way at 8/1 then returns £87.20 if it wins, instead of £116.00.
Non-runners
Enter each withdrawn runner’s price when it came out of the race.
Non-runner 130p
Your bet
£
Rule 4
Deduction
30p in the £
Taken off your winnings, not your stake.
Return with Rule 4
£87.20
Return without
£116.00
Rule 4 costs you
£28.80
Profit
+£67.20
Win odds 9.00 become 6.60; place odds 2.60 become 2.12 (decimal).
Rule 4 deduction table
The deduction is set by the withdrawn horse’s price when it came out of the race. Several non-runners add together, up to a maximum of 90p in the £.
Non-runner’s price
Deduction
1/9 or shorter
90p
2/17 to 2/11
85p
1/5 to 1/4
80p
2/7 to 3/10
75p
1/3 to 2/5
70p
4/9 to 8/15
65p
4/7 to 8/13
60p
4/6 to 4/5
55p
5/6 to 20/21
50p
Evens to 6/5
45p
5/4 to 6/4
40p
8/5 to 7/4
35p
9/5 to 9/4
30p
12/5 to 3/1
25p
16/5 to 4/1
20p
9/2 to 11/2
15p
6/1 to 9/1
10p
10/1 to 14/1
5p
Over 14/1
No deduction
Worked example
You have £10 each way at 8/1 with 1/5 odds for 3 places. A horse priced at 2/1 is withdrawn after you bet, so the deduction is 30p in the £.
Win part: winnings £80 less 30% = £56, plus the £10 stake = £66
Place part: winnings £16 less 30% = £11.20, plus the £10 stake = £21.20
Total return £87.20, against £116 with no non-runner
The deduction reflects the better chance the remaining runners now have. How prices and chances relate in the first place is covered in the overround and margin guide.
Related tools and guides
Each way calculator, every result for an each-way single, including dead heats.
When a horse is withdrawn from a race after you have bet, the remaining runners have a better chance of winning, so the bookmaker takes a deduction from your winnings. The size of the deduction depends on the withdrawn horse's price when it came out, using the standard Tattersalls Rule 4 table. It applies to bets struck before the market is re-formed without that horse.
How much is the deduction?+
It goes from 90p in the pound for a withdrawn horse at 1/9 or shorter down to 5p for one at 10/1 to 14/1. There is no deduction for a withdrawn horse priced over 14/1. For example, a non-runner at evens means 45p, at 2/1 it is 30p, and at 5/1 it is 15p. The full table is on this page.
What happens if more than one horse is withdrawn?+
The deductions for each non-runner are added together, but the total is capped at 90p in the pound. Two non-runners at evens (45p) and 6/4 (40p) make 85p; two at evens and 20/21 would make 95p, which is capped at 90p.
Does Rule 4 reduce my stake?+
No. The deduction comes off your winnings only, and your stake is returned in full. £10 on a 4/1 winner would normally win £40. With a non-runner at evens (45p), you lose 45% of the winnings: £22 in winnings plus your £10 stake, a £32 return.
Does Rule 4 apply to each-way bets?+
Yes. The same deduction comes off the winnings on both the win part and the place part. £10 each way at 8/1 (1/5 odds, 3 places) returns £116 if it wins. With a non-runner at 2/1 (30p) it returns £87.20.
Does Rule 4 apply to starting price (SP) bets?+
Usually not. A starting price is formed after the withdrawal, so it already reflects the smaller field. Rule 4 can still apply to SP bets when a horse is withdrawn too late for a new market to be formed. Check how your bet was settled on your account.
How does Rule 4 work in an accumulator or Lucky 15?+
The deduction applies to the leg in the race with the non-runner; the other legs are unaffected. In the accumulator and system bet calculators, enter the pence in the R4 box on the affected selection.
My bookmaker deducted a different amount. Why?+
Bookmakers settle on the withdrawn horse's price at the time it was withdrawn, which may differ from the price you saw. Some prices also fall between two bands in the published table. If your bet slip shows the deduction, tick "I already know the deduction" and enter it to settle the bet.
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