What Is First Past the Post?

Betting on horse racing is full of potentially frustrating outcomes. From losing out in a photo finish to being denied certain victory as a result of a questionable performance from the man or woman in the saddle. Another item to add to that list is when the joy of backing a winner turns to despair following a steward’s enquiry. The cheers as your ingenious selection crosses the line in front, the dreaded “bing-bong” announcing the enquiry, and the mounting feeling of dread as you wait to discover if your noble steed is demoted or disqualified.

In reality, results are altered only occasionally in British and Irish Racing, at least in comparison to the situation in the US and France, where the trigger-happy stewards need minimal encouragement. Whilst rare, being robbed of your winnings as a result of a steward’s decision can be hard to forget.

Thankfully, there is a way to protect yourself against this punting pitfall, and it goes by the name of First Past the Post aka Double Result.

First Past the Post vs Official Result

As the name suggests, First Past the Post (FPTP) refers to the horse that crosses the winning line in first place. However, as strange as it initially sounds, the horse that is first across the winning line is not always declared the official winner of the race.

So, why would the official result differ from the first past the post result, you might reasonably ask. The most common reason is if the “winner” causes interference with the horse who finished second. Interference may come in the form of barging into a rival or cutting across their racing line.

If, when reviewing the race, the stewards deem that the interference materially affected the result, they may alter the official result - most commonly by awarding the race to the horse who crossed the line in second and demoting the FPTP horse to the runner-up position. In extreme cases, the horse causing the interference may be disqualified entirely.

How Does this Affect Bets?

By default, all bookmakers settle bets on the official result of the race. And for some bookmakers, that is as far as it goes. If you back a horse that crosses the line first but is subsequently demoted or disqualified – hard lines, there is always another race.

Happily, a significant percentage of bookmakers have taken the punter friendly step of paying out on both the First Past the Post horse and the Official Result, hence the term Double Result payout. If your horse crosses the line in front but is demoted following a stewards enquiry, you will still be paid out as a winner (barring the exceptions discussed below).

First Past the Post in the 2015 St Leger

One of the most famous examples of a First Past the Post or Double Result payout came in the 2015 St. Leger. The final Classic of the season produced a thrilling finish, with the Ralph Beckett filly Simple Verse mastering Aidan O’Brien’s Bondi Beach by a head. However, the drama didn’t end when the runners crossed the line.

Upon reviewing the race, the stewards deemed that Simple Verse had interfered with Bondi Beach when switching off the rail. Given the narrow winning margin, the stewards were satisfied that Bondi Beach would have won had he not suffered interference. Bondi Beach was awarded the race, with Simple Verse relegated to second.

In this instance, bookmakers offering the First Past the Post concession settled both the First Past the Post (Simple Verse) and the Official Result (Bondi Beach) as the winner of the race. Great news for those who backed the filly at 8/1 and those who sided with the 2/1 joint favourite Bondi Beach. A punter we know going by the name of “lucky” Louie, backed Bondi Beach to win and Simple Verse each way, and so was paid out as a winner twice – he didn’t get that nickname for nothing! Gallingly for bookmakers who paid out on both results, Simple Verse was reinstated as the official winner following an appeal weeks after the race.

When Does First Past the Post Not Apply

First Past the Post terms state that a bookmaker will pay out on both the first horse to cross the line and the official result. However, there are exceptions. Bookmakers will not pay out on the first past the post if any of the following apply:

• If the jockey weighs in incorrectly. All horses are assigned a weight that they must carry during a race. This weight is checked before the race (weighing out) and after the race (weighing in). If the horse is found to have carried the incorrect weight, it is disqualified.
• If a horse takes the wrong course during a race. Thankfully rare, but jockeys do occasionally lose their bearings. If a horse “wins” having taken the wrong course, bookmakers will not pay first past the post.
• Void Races. If the entire race is declared void for whatever reason, you will receive your stake back, but none of the runners will be paid out as a winner.

Which Bookmakers Pay Double Result?

First Past the Post or Double Result payouts are offered by many of the leading betting sites we recommend, including:

• BetMGM -
• talkSPORTBET -
• BetGoodwin -
• Coral -
• Ladbrokes -
• LiveScoreBet -
• QuinnBet -
• Virgin Bet -
• Spreadex -
• Betfred -

Whichever site you choose, there is a fair chance they will offer First Past the Post payouts. Nevertheless, it is always worth double-checking the terms and conditions of a specific site (or asking a quick question in the Live Chat) if you are unsure.

The most notable platforms that do not pay FPTP out are exchange-based sites, such as Betfair Exchange, BETDAQ, or EasyBet. For those who enjoy a day at the races, it is also worth noting that on-course bookmakers DO NOT pay out on the first past the post, but only the official result.

First Past the Post FAQs

• Does First Past the Post apply to all bet types? - First Past the Post rules apply to fixed odds bets. This includes singles, accumulators, and combination bets. Tote bets, such as tote singles and jackpots, do not qualify for first past the post. The rules surrounding ante-post bets vary between bookmakers, but most commonly do not qualify for the First Past the Post concession.
• Do all bookmakers pay First Past the Post? - Many bookmakers offer First Past the Post, but it is sound advice to check the terms and conditions if you are unsure.
• What does Double Result mean? - Double Result means that a bookmaker will pay out on the first horse to cross the winning line AND the official result.
• When does First Past the Post not apply? - First Past the Post does not apply if a horse weighs in incorrectly, takes the wrong course during the race, or if the race is declared void.
• Does First Past the Post apply to all races? - Where offered, First Past the Post usually applies to all races in the UK and Ireland, subject to bookmakers terms. Some bookmakers also apply FPTP payouts to international racing.
• Does First Past the Post apply to each way bets? - Yes, First Past the Post applies to the win part of an each way bet.

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