Glossary
Push
A push is a tie between your bet and the sportsbook, which happens when the result lands exactly on the number. On a spread of 7, a favorite winning by exactly 7 is a push. No one wins the bet, and your original stake is returned to you in full.
A push is the betting version of a draw. It occurs when the final result matches the line exactly, so neither you nor the sportsbook wins the bet. Your stake comes back untouched.
Pushes only happen on whole numbers. If a spread is set at 7 and the favorite wins by exactly 7, the bet pushes. The same is true on a total: a posted number of 44 that lands on a combined 44 is a push.
This is why sportsbooks add half points, known as the hook. A spread of 6.5 or a total of 44.5 cannot land exactly on the number, so a push becomes impossible and every bet resolves as a clear win or loss. When you see a whole-number line, a push is on the table.
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