Bet Acceptance
3.1 Bets accepted by Colossus Bets will be provided with a unique reference number. If you are unsure about the validity of a Bet, please check the ‘Transaction History’ page on the Site.
3.2 It is your responsibility to check that the Bet instructions you submit are correct before confirming the Bet.
3.3 Where there is any disagreement as to the details or status of a Bet or cash-out transaction, Colossus Bets’ records will be the primary source of evidence for the details/status of the Bet or cash-out transaction.
3.4 Colossus Bets may decide to suspend betting on a pool if such a course of action can be justified in the interests of maintaining integrity and fairness of such a pool. Colossus Bets may also in exceptional cases void a pool in its entirety or any Leg(s) or Bet(s): to correct any obvious errors; to maintain integrity and fairness in the Colossus Bets pools; if there has been a change to the format or events within a pool; or if it believes any Bet has been placed in contravention of either these Terms of Play or the rules of a sports governing body or other relevant professional body.
Betting Rules
3.5 Players bet on the outcome of multiple related events which are pre-selected by Colossus Bets (“Legs”) and decided over a set period of time (“Game Period”).
3.6 The Legs in any Game Period shall be selected by Colossus Bets acting at its sole discretion.
3.7 Players may choose to place one or more Bets, each consisting of a minimum of at least one selection in each Leg. For example Arsenal to beat Aston Villa by ‘Other Home Win’ (i.e. a home win by a score not otherwise listed on the coupon), Liverpool to beat Newcastle 3-2, and Chelsea and Everton to draw 1-1. Each Bet is identified with a unique reference number when the Bet is accepted.
3.8 For any given Leg a Player may make one or more selections of alternative results. For example, if you choose 3-1 and 2-1 in Leg 1 and 1-0 in all other Legs – this would constitute two Bets (or two “Lines”). Each Bet has a full unit cost, for example £2 in most pools for a Player whose Account is denominated in Sterling (GBP), and the Colossus Bets bet placement engine will add up the amount of Lines multiplied by the stake per Line to show the total amount staked on your Bet.
3.9 Bets on American Football and Basketball are placed for the result including all overtime periods and if an American Football (or Basketball) match results in a tie after overtime, in correct points margin pools the lowest points margin win for the home team and the away team will be settled as equal dead-heating winning selections. Unless stated otherwise, all Bets on other sports are placed for the correct result in the ordinary passage of play according to the match officials including stoppage time, but excluding extra time, any golden point period, penalties or similar (if they occur).
Currency and Pool Units
3.10 The base currency for all Colossus Bets pools is Sterling (GBP). This means that certain data (including but not limited to Pool Units, Pool History, Unit Distribution and Winning Units) will be displayed on the Site in Sterling values only. However, the ‘dividend per unit’ displayed for a pool will be based on the maximum stake per line in the currency of your account, for that pool. For example if the maximum stake per line in a pool for a Euro player is €2 and the ‘dividend per unit’ in that pool is described on the Site as €500, this means that a €2 winning line in the pool would win €500. In addition, values which are specific to your Account, including the prize you are playing for, your stake options and any cash-out offers, will also be displayed to you in the currency of your Account.
3.11 Colossus Bets may give Players the option to place Bets at a fraction of the full unit cost predetermined for the pool. For example, if the full unit cost in a pool is £2, Colossus Bets may enable Players to place Bets for a fraction of this full £2 unit cost. Fractional Bets like this will give the Player a corresponding entitlement to any dividends payable at the point of pool settlement. For example, if a Player places a Bet for 50 pence in a pool with a full unit cost of £2, the Player will be entitled to a one-quarter (25%) share of any full unit dividend payable in this pool. A Player betting in a currency other than Sterling can also place Bets which are a fraction of the full local currency unit stake, for a corresponding entitlement to any dividends payable. Staking options available to Players betting in different currencies may differ, but in all cases Players will only be entitled to a dividend which is proportional to the cost of their Bets.
Settlement, Abandonments and Postponements
3.12 Subject to the other provisions in this clause 3 below all Bets will be settled based on the official result of the relevant event regardless of any subsequent disqualification or amendment to the result.
3.13 In the event of any uncertainty about any official result, Colossus Bets may suspend settlement of any pool until the uncertainty can be resolved to its reasonable satisfaction.
3.14 Colossus Bets will reverse the settlement of a pool if it has been settled in error (for example, a human or technical error). If Colossus Bets resettles a pool, this may lead to amendments being made to Players’ Account balances to reflect changes in pool settlement.
3.15 Notwithstanding anything else in these Terms of Play, once a pool has been settled for 72 hours, its settlement will be considered full and final.
3.16 If a match is not completed – i.e. the full period of play (so for example 90 minutes in the case of soccer), according to the match officials, plus any stoppage time within 3 days of its scheduled start date, it will be considered a void Leg for the purpose of all pools in which it has been included. All selections in a void Leg will be treated as winning selections for the purpose of the pool.
3.17 If a match starts but is later abandoned or postponed but is completed within 3 days of the scheduled start date, it shall be considered a valid Leg for all pools in which it is included unless the match is restarted from the beginning. If the match is restarted from the beginning then clause 3.16 above applies.
3.18 Notwithstanding the provisions of this clause 3 above, in circumstances where Colossus Bets reasonably believes that a match (whether started or not) will not be completed within 3 days of its scheduled start date, Colossus Bets reserves the right to declare the match to be a void Leg at that point for the purpose of relevant pools (irrespective of whether the match is ultimately completed or not within 3 days of its scheduled start date).
3.19 The voiding of any Bets or Legs as described above in relation to abandoned/postponed fixtures will not apply to Bets/Legs unconditionally determined at the time of abandonment/postponement. For example, if Colossus Bets offers a Leg based on the score at half-time in a match, the abandonment of the match at any point after half-time is not relevant to the completion of the Leg in question. Another example is that ‘Yes’ is unconditionally determined as a winning selection for a Leg in a ‘Both Teams to Score’ pool once the second team also scores, irrespective of whether the match is completed.
3.20 If any pool is decided on fewer than the advertised number of Legs, any guarantees or rollovers otherwise applicable to the pool will be disapplied. In such circumstances Win Pool and Consolation Pool dividends will be declared based only on the net stakes of tickets purchased for that specific pool, although Colossus Bets reserves the right to apply a substitute guarantee to any such pool. Notwithstanding the terms of this clause 3.20 otherwise a rollover which applies to a greyhound pool will only be disapplied if more than one Leg is not completed.
3.21 Provided at least one Leg of the pool takes place, a Win Pool dividend will be declared. If no Legs of a pool are completed, all Bets in that pool will be void and stakes will be refunded. This excludes stakes rolled over from previous pools, which will be rolled over for use in future pools as determined by Colossus Bets.
3.22 Notwithstanding the terms of clauses 3.20 and 3.21 above, to the extent that a pool includes Consolation Pool(s), if the number of Legs which are completed means that every ticket automatically contains at least one winning Line in any such Consolation Pool, then the Win Pool and all Consolation Pools in the pool will be declared void.
3.23 If the scheduled venue for a Leg is changed after a pool has been loaded by Colossus Bets, the Leg will be void only if the new venue is a home ground of the original away team. For matches played at a neutral venue Bets will stand regardless of which team is listed as the home team.
Tennis Specific Rules
3.24 For ‘Head to Head’ pools (also referred to as ‘H2H’ or ‘1×2’):
- A leg will be determined as: a home win (‘1’), if the first named player progresses further in the tournament than the second named player; a draw (‘X’), if both of the named players are eliminated in the same round; or an away win (‘2’) if the second named player progresses further in the tournament than the first named player.
- if both players in a Leg reach the final of the relevant tournament, the winner of the final will be deemed to have progressed furthest.
- if a relevant player does not play at least one point in the tournament (excluding any qualifying rounds), any Leg in a pool featuring such player will be void.
3.25 For pools based on the correct score of selected matches:
- if a player retires or is disqualified before the completion of the match, Legs featuring such match will be void.
- if the scheduled duration of a match is reduced or increased in the number of sets required to win, Legs featuring such match will be void.
- if a match is postponed or re-scheduled, Legs featuring the match will stand provided the match is played before the end of the tournament.
3.26 If a tournament is not completed within 3 days of its scheduled completion date, Legs in a pool which have not been unconditionally determined will be void.
3.27 Bets on tennis pools will stand regardless of changes to scheduled venues, including any changes to a different type of surface.
Horse Racing and Greyhound Racing Specific Rules
3.28 Legs will be determined according to the official result at the time of the ‘weighed-in’ announcement (or equivalent). Subsequent disqualifications, appeals or amendments to the result will be disregarded.
3.29 Bets ‘stand’ on horses which do not compete after coming under ‘Starter’s Orders’. Bets on horses which become non-runners before coming under Starter’s Orders are either void or will be replaced by the Favourite, depending on the pool type as described below. For Greyhound Racing pools, bets are based on trap numbers and not on named greyhounds. A reserve runner may replace a greyhound which is listed in a pool but which does not race. This means that a non-runner for the purposes of Greyhound Racing pools is a vacant trap.
3.30 If a race is abandoned and is not re-run on the same day, or is declared void or declared a walkover, or if the scheduled venue of a race is changed after the pool has been loaded, relevant Legs will be void.
3.31 The ‘Favourite’ will be listed in certain pools as an option which Players can select and in such pools all selections on horses which are non-runners will be replaced by the Favourite in the given race. In Greyhound Racing because bets are made on trap numbers, only if a selected trap is vacant will selections on that trap be replaced by the Favourite.
3.32 For the purpose of clause 3.31 directly above the ‘Favourite’ means the bookmakers’ starting price (SP) favourite. If there are joint or co-favourites, the runner with the lowest racecard number will be deemed Favourite. Should the SP favourite be withdrawn before coming under Starter’s Orders but too late for the SP market to be reformed, the runner with the shortest returned SP will be deemed Favourite and should there be two or more runners at the shortest SP, the one with the lowest racecard number will be deemed Favourite. If there are no SPs returned, the shortest priced runner quoted in the Racing Post betting forecast will be substituted. If there is no such betting forecast then the lowest racecard number of the runners which came under Starter’s Orders will be deemed Favourite. Notwithstanding the above, in jurisdictions where there is no SP equivalent, the shortest priced runner returned in the primary local win pool will be deemed as the Favourite and in the absence of any such pool then the lowest racecard number of the runners which came under Starter’s Orders will be deemed Favourite.
3.33 Multi-Leg Place Pools on British Horse Racing are subject to a deduction of 20%. Unless stated otherwise all other Horse Racing and Greyhound Racing pools are subject to a deduction of 30%. The net amount in each such pool is therefore either 80% or 70% of stakes and the allocation of stakes to the different pools referred to below is after this deduction. However because Colossus Bets offers guaranteed minimum prize pools the net deductions over time will be less than those described above.
3.34 For Horse Racing, racecard numbers are listed as a guide only with Bets placed on named horses. For Greyhound Racing however, bets are placed on trap numbers with greyhound names provided for information purposes only.
3.35 In the event of any non-runner(s) in any Leg(s) of a pool after a pool has been loaded which Colossus Bets deems material, guarantees otherwise applicable to the pool may be disapplied. In such circumstances Win Pool and Consolation Pool dividends will be declared based only on the net stakes of tickets purchased for that specific pool, together with any rollovers associated with the pool, although Colossus Bets may apply a substitute guarantee to any such pool.
3.36 In pools where there are Consolation Pool prizes offered the full unit stake cost will be £2 (or the currency equivalent), whereas in pools where no such Consolation Pool prizes are offered (such as multi-leg place pools and finishing order pools) the full unit stake cost will be £1.
3.37 As with sports pools, rollovers from Consolation Pools within Horse Racing (or Greyhound Racing) will be applied to a subsequent corresponding Win Pool. More generally Colossus Bets will seek to treat rollovers in a consistent manner so that they are applied to the next corresponding pool, but rollovers will be applied at the sole discretion of Colossus Bets.
Horse Racing and Greyhound Racing Multi-Leg Win Pools
3.38 The objective is to select the winning horse (or greyhound) in each Leg of the Bet.
3.39 Player stakes are allocated in accordance with the following:
3.39.1 Stakes on Pick 6 (and above) Bets shall be allocated as follows:
- 50% of stakes shall be allocated to the Win Pool.
- 20% of stakes shall be allocated to the Consolation Pool for all but one winning selections.
- 30% of stakes shall be allocated to the Consolation Pool for all but two winning selections.
3.39.2 Stakes on Pick 4 and Pick 5 Bets shall be allocated as follows:
- 50% of stakes shall be allocated to the Win Pool.
- 50% of stakes shall be allocated to the Consolation Pool for all but one winning selections.
3.40 Non-runner selections will be replaced by the Favourite.
3.41 In the event of a dead-heat for first place in a relevant race all such dead-heating runners are considered to be equal winners for the Leg.
Horse Racing and Greyhound Racing Multi-Leg Place Pools
3.42 The objective is to select a horse(s) or greyhound(s) to be placed in every Leg of the Bet.
3.43 100% of Player stakes will be allocated to the Win (i.e. ‘to be placed’) Pool.
3.44 The finishing positions which constitute a place in any Leg, unless otherwise stated, are as follows:
2 – 4 runners: 1st only
5 – 7 runners: 1st and 2nd
8 – 15 runners: 1st, 2nd and 3rd
16+ runners (non-handicap race): 1st, 2nd and 3rd
16+ runners (handicap race): 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th
3.45 The ‘runners’ in a Leg for the purpose of clause 3.44 above will be based on the number of horses who come under Starter’s Orders in the relevant race.
3.46 Non-runner selections will be replaced by the Favourite.
3.47 If the official number of finishers is fewer than the number of places in any Leg as described in clause 3.44 above, then only the runners who finish will be deemed to have been placed. For example if there are only two finishers in an 8 runner race, then there will only be two winning selections for the purpose of relevant Legs.
3.48 In the event of a dead-heat for any position which constitutes a place in any Leg, all such dead-heating runners are considered to be fully placed in that race. This means that there can be more winners of a Leg than is described in clause 3.44 above. For example if there is a dead-heat for second place in a 6 runner race then the winner and two dead-heating runners-up will all be full ‘winners’ for the Leg.
Horse Racing and Greyhound Racing Finishing Order Pools
3.49 The objective is to select the correct finishing order of the advertised number of positions in a single race.
3.50 100% of Player stakes are allocated to the Win (i.e.’finishing order’) Pool.
3.51 Any Line in a Bet which includes a non-runner will be made void after the race has been completed. This means that a ticket with multiple Lines may have some Lines (including the non-runner) which are void but other Lines (which do not include the non-runner) which remain valid.
3.52 When two or more runners dead-heat for a relevant finishing position, the pool will be divided into as many equal parts as there are winning combinations.
Worked example 1:
In a first 5 finishing order pool runners A and B dead-heat for first place with runner C in third place, runner D in fourth place and runner E in fifth place. Half of the pool will be allocated to each of the following two winning Lines:
A (1st ), B (2nd ), C (3rd ), D (4th ) and E (5th )
B (1st ), A (2nd ), C (3rd ), D (4th ) and E (5th )
Worked example 2:
In a first 4 finishing order pool runner A wins and runners B, C and D dead-heat for second place. One sixth of the pool will be allocated to each of the following six winning Lines:
A (1st ), B (2nd ), C (3rd ) and D (4th )
A (1st ), B (2nd ), D (3rd ) and C (4th )
A (1st ), C (2nd ), B (3rd ) and D (4th )
A (1st ), C (2nd ), D (3rd ) and B (4th )
A (1st ), D (2nd ), B (3rd ) and C (4th )
A (1st ), D (2nd ), C (3rd ) and B (4th )
3.53 If fewer than the required number of finishers for the Bet type officially complete the race, a winning Line will be one which includes the correct order of the runners who do finish. In such circumstances guarantees otherwise applicable to the pool may be disapplied, with dividends declared based only on the net stakes of tickets purchased for that specific pool, together with any rollovers associated with the pool. Colossus Bets does however reserve the right to apply a substitute guarantee to any such pool.
Worked example:
In a Pick 4 finishing order pool there are only three finishers with runner A finishing first, runner B second and runner C finishing third. Any Line with the first three in the correct finishing order and any other runner selected as fourth, will be a winning Line for the purpose of the pool.
Esports Specific Rules
3.54 If any fixture finishes as a Draw, Legs featuring such fixture will be void. Notwithstanding the provisions of clause 3.9 above, if overtime or similar is played as part of the fixture, this will be included in the settlement of the Leg.
3.55 Bets are placed on named teams. In the event of any changes to published team line-ups, all Bets will stand.
3.56 If a fixture is won by either team surrendering, the fixture will be deemed as completed and all Bets will stand.
3.57 If a fixture is replayed or restarted due to a technical problem, all Bets will stand and be settled on the official result of the fixture.
3.58 In the event of a fixture starting but not being completed, all Bets will be void unless after the start of the fixture a team is disqualified, in which case the team awarded the victory by the governing body of the specified competition or broadcast or will be deemed the winner for settlement purposes.
3.59 Notwithstanding how fixtures are labelled on a coupon the normal sporting concepts of ‘Home’ and ‘Away’ are typically inapplicable to Esports and the use of those terms on a coupon is generally for convenience only. Selections in a Leg will stand in any case where there is a change in the ordering between ‘Home’ and ‘Away’ after the relevant pool has been loaded.
3.60 Notwithstanding the provisions within clauses 3.57 and 3.58 above, in relation to any fixture which is not completed (whether or not it has started) as scheduled, the provisions within clauses 3.16-3.18 above will apply, save that references to 3 days within those clauses will be replaced with 2 days for the purpose of Esports fixtures.
Single Event Pool Rules
3.61 Games offered on a single event (sometimes referred to as ‘Match Predictor’ pools), require players to select outcomes from multiple Legs taken from within a single event, for example a football match.
3.62 Subject to clause 3.9 above all Legs are based on the ordinary passage of play according to the match officials (a term which includes the video assistant referee, or the ‘VAR’). This includes stoppage time, but excludes extra time, any golden point period or penalties or similar (if they occur). This means any subsequent amendment to the result of a Leg will be disregarded.
3.63 Any Leg based on the number of corner kicks will be settled on the number of corners taken, not the number awarded. Any corner which is retaken will count as one corner kick.
3.64 A penalty awarded but not taken for whatever reason will not count for any Leg based on whether a penalty will be taken.
3.65 For any Leg based on the time of a goal:
- the ‘0 – 10 Minutes’ selection covers the first 10 minutes of the match. In other words, it runs from kick-off until just before the clock hits 10:00. The ‘11 – 20 Minutes’ selection runs from 10:00 until just before the clock hits 20:00. The same principle applies to the other selections in any such Leg.
- Any goal scored in stoppage time will be counted as either the 45th minute at the end of the 1st half or the 90th minute at the end of the 2nd half.
- If a goal is scored as a result of VAR overturning an on field decision to disallow the goal, the initial time the goal was scored will be used for the purposes of settlement.
3.66 For any Leg based on cards:
- Settlement will be made with reference to a card shown to an active player and any card shown to non-players (e.g. managers, substitutes or substituted players who play no further part in the match) do not count.
- Cards shown to active players during the half-time interval will count. For 1st / 2nd half card markets, cards shown at half-time will count towards the 2nd half cards total.
- A yellow card counts as 1 and a red card also counts as 1, for the purpose of any Leg based on the number of cards shown in match / for a team. This means that a second yellow card shown to a player is ignored for settlement purposes and the maximum number of cards which can be shown to a player is 2.
- A yellow card = 10 points and Red card = 25 points, for the purposes of any Leg based on booking points. Consistent with the rule directly above, the maximum points per player is 35 points.
- In the event of a card being shown but subsequently rescinded before the end of the match (due to VAR intervention, mistaken identity etc), the card will not be counted for settlement purposes.
3.67 For any Leg based on VAR an on field decision will be deemed to have been overturned by VAR if the referee indicates this to have been the case and / or information issued by the governing body confirms this to have been the case. A ‘decision’ may constitute the failure by the referee to initially make a decision, for example the failure to show a red card.
3.68 If the relevant event is not completed based on the application of clauses 3.16-3.18 above, the pool will be void, regardless of how many legs in the relevant pool have been unconditionally determined.
Time Periods, Errors and Hierarchy of Terms
3.69 References above within this clause 3 to a particular number of ‘days’ shall mean the end of the day in local time (where the relevant fixture, event or tournament is taking place) after the expiry of the specified number of days. For example, if a match is scheduled to be completed on 15th November local time when a pool is loaded on the Site, then the rule that allows the match to be completed within three days after the scheduled completion date would mean that the deadline for completion of that match would be 23.59:59 local time on 18th November.
3.70 Certain information provided via the Site, including (without limitation) any clock counting down to the beginning of the next passage of play in a pool, any live scores and results (together the “Site Information”), is provided for information purposes only and should you rely on the Site Information to place bets or make cash-out transactions, you do so at your own risk.
3.71 If there is any inconsistency in these Terms of Play between a provision of general application and a provision relating to a specific sport or a specific bet type, the latter will prevail. For example notwithstanding the terms of clause 4.4.1 below, for a multi-leg Pick 6 Horse Racing pool the allocation of stakes as described in clause 3.39.1 above will prevail.
