What happens if my bet doesn't get matched?
Betfair is an exchange, so in order for your bet to be matched someone needs to take the opposite side of it i.e. they back when you lay.
If no-one is willing to accept the lay odds that you are offering your bet will be 'unmatched' and will stay in the market until:
- Someone accepts the odds you are offering. In a fast moving market like horse racing this might happen very quickly, but there is no guarantee.
- The event starts, in which case your bet will be cancelled unless you have selected the 'Keep' or 'Take SP' options.
- You edit your odds to get matched at the current market price.
In general, we recommend adjusting your odds to ensure that your bet is matched. This is better than risking having the event start while your bet is still unmatched.
If the bet is on racing we also recommend clicking the 'Take SP' option as an extra layer of defence against unmatched bets.