You placed a bet on your favorite tennis player. You’re excited. You check the schedule. Then you see two letters next to their match: W.O. Your heart sinks. What just happened? Is your bet dead? Do you get your money back? Tennis walkovers confuse even experienced bettors. One minute you’re counting potential winnings. The next minute everything’s up in the air.
This guide breaks down exactly what happens to your tennis bets when walkovers, retirements, and weather delays hit. No confusing jargon. Just straight answers that protect your bankroll.
What is a Walkover in Tennis?
A walkover happens when one player advances to the next round without hitting a single ball. The opponent pulls out before the match starts. No coin toss. No warm-up. No first serve.
A walkover win occurs when a player advances as a result of their opponent pulling out of a tournament before a match. You’ll see “W.O.” listed next to the match result. That’s your signal that nobody actually played.
Why Players Give Walkovers
Injuries top the list. A player wakes up with a pulled hamstring. They can’t risk making it worse. Illness knocks players out too. Food poisoning, flu, COVID—all valid reasons to withdraw.
Sometimes it’s personal emergencies. Family situations that demand immediate attention. Strategic withdrawals happen at smaller tournaments. A player saves energy for a bigger event next week.
Walkover vs. Retirement: Know the Difference
This matters for your bets.
Walkover: Player withdraws before the match starts. Retirement: Player quits during the match. That timing changes everything when money’s on the line.
This is when a player advances after their opponent retires during a match. If Nadal pulls out at 9 AM for a 10 AM match? Walkover. If Nadal starts playing but quits at 3-2 in the first set? Retirement.
Your sportsbook treats these completely differently.
Walkover Rules in Professional Tennis
The ATP and WTA have strict rules about when you can withdraw. Pull out too late? You get fined. Sometimes heavily.
Players must notify tournament officials as soon as they know they can’t play. Waiting until match time costs them prize money. Medical documentation helps. A doctor’s note protects you from bigger penalties.
Grand Slam tournaments enforce even stricter rules. The fines increase. Your reputation takes a hit.
The 24-Hour Rule
Most tournaments want 24 hours notice if possible. That gives organizers time to adjust schedules. It helps fans too. Nobody wants to show up for a match that won’t happen.
But injuries don’t always give you 24 hours warning. A twisted ankle during practice might force a same-day withdrawal. Tournament directors understand. They just want honesty and quick communication.
Do Walkovers Count as Wins in Tennis?
Yes and no. It depends what you’re measuring.
For official records: The advancing player gets a win on their tournament record. Their opponent gets a loss.
For career statistics: Most tennis databases mark walkovers separately. They don’t count toward head-to-head records the same way.
For ranking points: The winner receives points for advancing. The withdrawing player loses points they would’ve earned.
For betting records: This is where things get interesting.
Most sportsbooks don’t count walkover “wins” the same as regular wins. The match result gets voided instead.
What Happens to a Bet When There’s a Walkover?
Here’s the answer you’ve been waiting for.
Since the match never started, all bets would void. This is pretty much a universal rule. Your money comes back. The sportsbook returns your stake like you never placed the bet.
Typically, when a walkover happens, most bookmakers will refund your stake, as the match result is deemed void.
Match Winner Bets
You bet $100 on Djokovic to beat Alcaraz. Alcaraz withdraws before the match.
Your $100 comes back. No win. No loss. Just a refund.
BetMGM’s current tennis rules read, “In the event of a tennis match not taking place or if a player is given a walkover, bets on this match are cancelled” .
Tournament Winner Bets
Wait. This changes for tournament-long bets. However, this is not the case for outright tournament bets.
Say you bet on Nadal to win the French Open before it starts. He gives a walkover in Round 2. Your bet loses. You don’t get a refund. The tournament bet stands regardless of how he exits.
Parlay and Accumulator Bets
Walkovers can destroy parlays. Most sportsbooks void the individual leg. Your 5-leg parlay becomes a 4-leg parlay.
The odds adjust down. Your potential payout shrinks. Some books treat voided legs differently. Read your specific sportsbook’s rules before building parlays with tennis matches.
Live Betting During Walkovers
You can’t live bet on a match that doesn’t start. But what if a player withdraws during warm-ups? Before the first point?
This gets murky. Some books still call it a walkover. Others might have different rules. It is always a good idea to check the tennis betting rules before placing a bet.
Know your book’s policy before betting.
Tennis Retirement Rules: When the Match Starts
Retirements follow different rules than walkovers.
It is different if a player retires during a match.
Once the first point is played, your bet is usually live. What happens next depends on your sportsbook and the specific bet type.
Common Retirement Betting Rules
One Set Rule: Many books need one completed set for action. If the first set finishes, bets stand. The player ahead when retirement happens wins the bet.
No Set Rule: Some books settle bets based on who’s leading when retirement occurs, even mid-set.
Specific Market Rules: Set betting, game betting, and prop bets have unique rules. Always check.
Example: Federer leads 6-3, 2-1 when opponent retires. Most books pay Federer backers. The match result stands.
But if retirement happens at 3-2 in the first set? Different books handle this differently.
Why This Matters for Bettors
You can win a bet even if your player gets injured and retires—if they’re ahead when it happens. You can also lose a bet when your player is winning but their opponent retires. Some books void these. Others pay the leader.
In the event of a match starting but not being completed (player retirement, disqualification, etc.) then one set must be completed for action on the money line.
Know the rules. They vary by book.
What Happens to Bets If There’s a Weather Delay?
Rain doesn’t void your bet. It just pauses it. Weather delays are common in tennis. Wimbledon sees rain delays constantly. US Open used to before they added the roof.
Short Delays
Play stops. Everyone waits. Play resumes. Your bet continues normally.
Nothing changes. The match picks up where it left off.
Extended Delays
Sometimes rain washes out the entire day. The match reschedules to tomorrow. Your bet still stands. It just settles later than expected.
Live bets freeze during the delay. You can’t cash out or add to positions until play restarts.
Match Suspensions Spanning Multiple Days
Grand Slam matches sometimes stretch across two or three days because of weather. Your pre-match bet remains active. It doesn’t matter if the match takes one day or five.
The final result is all that counts.
When Weather Causes Scheduling Changes
If weather forces a match to move courts or times, your bet still stands. The match itself must happen for your bet to remain valid.
Only if the tournament cancels the match completely (extremely rare) would bets void.
Tennis Betting Rules: What You Must Know
Every sportsbook publishes their tennis betting rules. Read them.
Here’s what to look for:
Walkover Policy: How do they handle pre-match withdrawals?
Retirement Rules: What happens if a player quits mid-match?
Minimum Play Requirements: Do they need one set completed? One point played?
Weather Delay Rules: How long can a match be suspended before action?
Tournament Betting: Do outright bets stand regardless of withdrawals?
Major Sportsbook Differences
DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars—they all have slightly different tennis rules.
One might need one set completed. Another might settle based on official ATP/WTA results.
Check before betting. Don’t assume all books handle situations the same way.
Staying Informed Protects Your Bankroll
Staying informed is your best strategy. Monitor player updates and injury reports closely. Follow tennis news. Check player social media. Watch for injury reports.
A player who struggled in their last match might withdraw. Don’t bet on them until you know they’re healthy. Tournament draws show scheduled matches. But those matches only happen if both players show up.
Smart Tennis Betting Strategy
Walkovers happen. You can’t avoid them completely. But you can minimize the frustration:
Bet early in tournaments: Early round matches have fewer strategic withdrawals.
Follow injury news: Players nursing injuries are withdrawal risks.
Avoid betting right before matches: Last-minute withdrawals happen. Give yourself buffer time.
Diversify your bets: Don’t load up on one match. Spread risk across multiple matches.
Check the schedule: Back-to-back matches increase injury risk. Be careful betting on players with no rest.
Read your book’s rules: Know exactly what happens to your money when things go wrong.
Proof: The Bottom Line on Tennis Walkover Betting
Walkovers void most tennis bets. You get your stake back. Tournament winner bets stand even if your player withdraws. Retirements follow different rules. Usually bets stand if one set completes.
Weather delays don’t void bets. They just postpone settlement. Every sportsbook has unique rules. Read them before betting.
The principle is simple: if a player you bet on drops out, either before the start of the match (referred to as a “walkover”) or during the match, your bet will be refunded in all cases.
Tennis betting involves more than picking winners. Understanding walkover rules, retirement policies, and weather delay procedures protects your bankroll.
The next time you see “W.O.” next to a match, you’ll know exactly what it means for your bet.
Check those injury reports. Read those sportsbook rules. Make informed bets.
Your wallet will thank you.
