How does Polymarket settle a tennis retirement?
The moneyline resolves to the player who advances, whether the opponent retired, defaulted or was disqualified. No minimum play is required once the match has begun.
Prediction markets · settlement rules
Polymarket tennis retirement and disqualification rules
Moneyline resolves to whoever advances. Only a true walkover - a withdrawal before any play - resolves 50-50.
| Retirement | Disqualification | Walkover |
|---|---|---|
| pays the advancing player | pays the advancing player | resolves at $0.50 for each player |
Retirement and disqualification are written into the same sentence here, so the cause makes no difference to how you are paid.
The rule, in their words
“If the match begins but is not completed, and one player advances due to the opponent's retirement, default, or disqualification, this market will resolve to the player who advances. If the match ends in a walkover (player withdraws before the start and the other advances automatically), this market will resolve to 50-50.”
Read and verified on Polymarket’s own published rules, 2026-10-05. Operators change these without notice, so we re-read them each time this page is updated.
Other markets
Set handicap and game totals DO resolve 50-50 on a mid-match retirement, unless already determined. So one retirement settles two ways depending on which market you are in.
Worth knowing
Rules are published per market rather than centrally, so there is no single tennis rulebook to link to. Read the rules on the market you are trading.
Common questions
Does Polymarket resolve tennis walkovers at 50-50?
Yes, but only a true walkover - a withdrawal before the match starts. Each side resolves at $0.50. A mid-match retirement is not a walkover and resolves to the advancing player.
Do all Polymarket tennis markets settle the same way on a retirement?
No, and this is the trap. The moneyline resolves to the advancing player, but set handicap and game totals resolve 50-50 on a mid-match retirement unless already determined.