- Bookie Ledger
- Betting terms and conditions explained
- Starting price: how SP settlement works on horse and greyhound racing
Term
Starting price: how SP settlement works on horse and greyhound racing
Starting price (SP) is the price a selection has when a race begins, as the operator's rules define it. A bet settled at SP pays at that price, not at the price shown when you placed it. In the example here, a €10 win bet returns €45.00 at an SP of 7/2 (4.50), against €50.00 at an early 4/1 (5.00).
What is the starting price?
The starting price, or SP, is the price a selection has when a race starts. The operator's rules say how that price is taken for settlement.
A bet placed at a fixed price is settled at that price. A bet placed at SP is settled at the price when the race starts, which you cannot know when you bet.
Bottom line: SP is the price at the start of the race, and a bet settled at SP pays at that price.
How does SP settlement change a return?
The table compares one example bet under three example starting prices. None are real prices.
| Starting price | Return if settled at SP | Return at the price taken | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7/2 (4.50) | €45.00 | €50.00 | −€5.00 |
| 4/1 (5.00) | €50.00 | €50.00 | €0.00 |
| 9/2 (5.50) | €55.00 | €50.00 | +€5.00 |
The same method applies on greyhound racing, where the rules of the operator and the track decide the details.
Bottom line: the same bet returns a different amount depending on where the price ends up.
What do operators publish on SP?
We did not record any operator's SP wording on 7 November 2026. The table shows what we will record from three candidate operators once each licence is confirmed on the GRAI register.
| Operator (candidate, licence to be confirmed) | How the starting price is defined and when bets settle at it | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| bet365 | Could not be verified on 7 November 2026 | Operator rules page, URL to be recorded | 7 November 2026 |
| Paddy Power | Could not be verified on 7 November 2026 | Operator rules page, URL to be recorded | 7 November 2026 |
| BOYLE Sports | Could not be verified on 7 November 2026 | Operator rules page, URL to be recorded | 7 November 2026 |
Bottom line: the definition of SP is in each operator's rules, and we have not yet recorded it.
Where to go next
- See how each-way place terms use the final price.
- Read on horse racing and greyhound racing.
- Convert prices in odds formats.
Bottom line: each link stays inside this site.
What changed?
No changes recorded since first publication on 7 November 2026.
Bottom line: this is the first version of the page.
Where to go next
- What does each-way mean, and how are the returns calculated?
- Betting on Irish horse racing: market types, settlement rules and availability
- Betting on greyhound racing from Ireland: markets and settlement rules
- Fractional and decimal odds: what 5/1, 6.00 and evens mean
- Betting terms and conditions explained