Rule 4 guide
Rule 4 explained
Understand how a supplied percentage deduction changes winning profit while preserving returned stake, including partial and each-way interactions.
Enter the supplied Rule 4 deduction
Rule 4 is normally associated with a non-runner or withdrawal after a bet was placed. SlipLogic does not decide whether it applies: enter the supplied Rule 4 deduction shown for the ticket.
SlipLogic presents the deduction as a percentage of potential profit. A 20% deduction retains 80% of winning profit; returned stake is not reduced.
Profit is reduced, stake is returned
- Returned stake
- UnaffectedThe winning stake remains part of the return under the neutral rule.
- Profit portion
- ReducedOnly potential winning profit is reduced by the supplied deduction.
Rule 4 applies to potential profit, not the returned winning stake.
Exact straight-bet example
This engine-settled Single uses Aster, a £10.00 stake, 5.00 decimal odds, a 20% deduction and a Win result.
- Original
- Odds 5.00Return £50.00Profit £40.00
- After Rule 4
- Odds 4.20Return £42.00Profit £32.00
The original return is £50.00, including £40.00 profit. After the deduction, 80% of that profit remains: £32.00. The £10.00 stake is still returned, producing £42.00 and a profit of +32.00.
The return formula
Customer-first, the relationship is: adjusted return = returned stake + reduced profit.
The supporting exact formula is 1 + (decimal odds − 1) × (1 − deduction). The leading 1 represents the returned stake. The displayed result is supplied by the exact calculation engine, not calculated in this page component.
Multiple supplied deductions
Under the current neutral rule, multiple deductions combine additively. For the same £10.00 stake and 5.00 odds:
The engine retains 75%, producing multiplier 4.00, return £40.00 and profit +30.00. The calculator does not choose either deduction. A combined deduction above the supported maximum is rejected, not silently capped.
Losing and void selections
| Result | Return | Rule 4 supplied | Rule 4 monetarily applied |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lose | £0.00 | Yes | No |
| Void | £10.00 | Yes | No |
A losing bet returns £0.00 because there is no winning profit to deduct. A void bet returns the £10.00 stake under the neutral void rule; Rule 4 is not applied to that returned stake. The supplied value remains visible as metadata even when it has no monetary effect.
Partial outcomes
This engine example uses a £10.00 stake at 3.00, a 20% deduction and the supplied result 1/2 Win + 1/2 Void.
- Step 1: 2.60Rule 4-adjusted winning multiplier
- Step 2: 1Void multiplier
- Step 3: 1.80Effective partial multiplier
- Step 4: £18.00Return
- Step 5: +8.00Profit
Rule 4 applies only to the winning half. The void half retains multiplier 1; the engine combines the exact component shares to give 1.80, £18.00 returned and +8.00 profit.
Rule 4 and each-way bets
Win and place are separate monetary parts. A Rule 4 deduction may be supplied independently for each part; the interface can link the same entered value to both, but linking does not merge them.
- Win part
- Own supplied deductionSettles and rounds independently using its win-part Rule 4 input.
- Place part
- Own supplied deductionSettles and rounds independently using its place-part Rule 4 input.
Read how each-way bets are calculated for stake and place-odds detail.
Settlement stage order
- Step 1: 1Original price
- Step 2: 2Rule 4-adjusted winning price
- Step 3: 3Dead-heat retained stake
- Step 4: 4Partial-share weighting where applicable
- Step 5: 5Final multiplier and return
The engine adjusts winning profit odds for Rule 4 before applying dead-heat retained stake. Partial-share weighting follows where applicable, before the final multiplier and return. No dead-heat monetary example is introduced here.
Bookmaker rules SlipLogic does not infer
SlipLogic does not automatically infer withdrawals or non-runners, deduction bands, time-of-withdrawal rules, joint-favourite handling, promotional concessions, or maximum-deduction policies outside its supported neutral contract. Supply the value and result that apply to the ticket.
What SlipLogic preserves
- The supplied percentage deduction.
- Whether it was monetarily applied.
- The original and adjusted multipliers.
- The exact stage-by-stage settlement explanation.
Common mistakes
- Deducting from the complete return instead of profit.
- Forgetting that a winning stake is returned.
- Treating the percentage as a deduction from the entire return.
- Assuming a losing selection receives an adjusted losing return.
- Applying Rule 4 to a void component.
- Assuming win and place must use the same deduction.
- Applying dead heat before Rule 4.
Rule 4 FAQ
What does a 20% Rule 4 deduction mean?
It removes 20% of potential winning profit, retaining 80% of that profit under the neutral rule.
Is Rule 4 deducted from the stake?
No. It reduces winning profit; the winning stake remains in the return.
Does Rule 4 apply when the bet loses?
No monetary deduction is applied because a losing selection has no winning profit. The supplied adjustment can remain visible.
Can Rule 4 affect each-way win and place parts differently?
Yes. Win and place parts accept separate supplied deductions and settle independently.
Does Rule 4 apply before or after a dead heat?
The neutral engine applies Rule 4 to winning profit odds before dead-heat retained stake.
Calculate with a supplied Rule 4 deduction
Enter the ticket’s deduction, then inspect the original price, adjusted multiplier and line-level return.