Rules

1. Betting closes at midnight the evening before the race. For bets involving stage races, this is midnight the evening before the first stage. (All times are Chicago time.)
2. Players may not cancel bets.
3. However, if a rider withdraws before the start of the race, for any reason, bets on that rider are canceled and refunds are issued.
4. New players cannot bet more than 2 points until they have placed five or more bets. Among other things, this "training wheels" provision encourages beginners to get a feel for the game's economy before going wild with their wagers.
5. The house furnishes a list of favorites for each race as soon as reliable start lists are available. Each race will also have the option of "Other," an instrument with which one can bet upon any rider not on the house's list of favorites.
6. Picking the winner of any of the following races will earn 1.25x the final payout: Milan-Sanremo, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Liege-Bastogne-Liege and the world championships. Picking the winner of the grand tours -- Giro d'Italia, Tour de France, Vuelta a Espana -- will earn 1.5x the final payout. These bonuses will not be awarded in the event that "Other" wins.
7. Results in stage races refer to the final general classification, unless explicitly noted as pertaining to a specific stage or other outcome.
8. In head-to-head match-ups, both riders must start, and at least one must finish. Failing those conditions, bets will be voided and points refunded.
9. The house provides a prliminary payouts -- a "morning line" -- on all new propositions. Until enough points have been bet, this morning line will be displayed. If betting closes without meeting that minimum, the morning line will be paid out.
10. If a proposition asks for a number -- such as, "How many stages of the Tour de France will Mark Cavendish win?" -- the options mean exactly that many, unless otherwise noted. "Two," therefore, means "exactly two."
11. Riders will never be added to a race. Should there be a late addition to a start list, that rider will be considered to be included in "Other."
12. Bets will be validated and paid out as soon as prudent after each race. Should riders be relegated after bets have been validated -- such as if a winning rider is popped for doping -- the payouts will not be revised.
13. Suspicious betting patterns (such as creating puppet accounts or colluding with other players, not to give you any ideas) will not be tolerated.
14. Comments are available on all propositions for up to two weeks after each race. Don't be a jerk. Like any respectable joint, Rouleur Derby reserves the right to define what it means to be a jerk and to bounce violators.
15. Players who run out of points may request a "bailout." Accounts will be replenished, but the player will spend another week with training wheels, during which bets are limited to 2 points at a time and new bailouts may not be requested. Furthermore, players with outstanding loans will have asterisks appear next to their name in the standings. Loans can be paid back at any time -- at 10 percent interest.

Good luck!