What is Push in Sports Betting?

Push Explained in Detail

A push is essentially a no-decision. If the spread is -3 and the favorite wins by exactly 3, both sides push. If the total is 45 and the combined score is exactly 45, both over and under bets push. Your money is refunded as if the bet never happened.

Pushes are most common in NFL betting because football scoring increments (3 for a field goal, 7 for a touchdown with extra point) create clusters around certain margins of victory. The number 3 is the most common margin of victory in the NFL, which is why games with a 3-point spread push more frequently than any other number.

Sportsbooks use half-point lines (like -3.5 or 45.5) specifically to eliminate the possibility of a push. When you see a whole number spread, it means the sportsbook is willing to accept push risk rather than move off the key number. Some bettors intentionally buy onto whole numbers to give themselves push protection.

In parlays, a push on one leg reduces the parlay by one leg rather than killing the entire ticket. A three-team parlay where one leg pushes becomes a two-team parlay with adjusted odds. This is one advantage of parlays over teasers, where a push can be treated differently depending on the sportsbook's rules.