Tie (draw)

In sports and games, a tie or draw happens when the result is the same for both sides or it’s not clear who won. This can occur in many, but not all, kinds of competitions. When a game ends in a tie, neither team or player is declared the winner.

The idea of a tie isn’t just for sports. It can also happen in other parts of life, like in politics or business. For example, in politics, two groups might have equal power and can’t agree on a decision, leading to a stalemate. In business, two companies might offer the same price for something, so there’s no clear winner either.

Ties remind us that not everything always has a single winner. Sometimes, things end evenly, and that’s okay too. It shows that competition can sometimes balance out perfectly.

Terminology

The word tie is commonly used in North America, while the word draw is more often used in other places. Both terms mean the same thing—a game where the scores are equal and no one wins.

Resolving ties or draws

When a game or contest ends with no clear winner, there are several ways to decide who wins. In sports, one way is to look at the total points scored over all the games. Sometimes, the game keeps going with extra time, and the first person or team to score wins immediately. Other times, players might take turns kicking a ball or bowl to decide the winner. If needed, they might play the game again later. When all else fails, a simple coin toss can decide the winner.

In places like voting, there are also ways to break a tie. Having an odd number of voters can help, but sometimes someone might not be able to vote or there might be more than two choices. In many groups, one person might not usually vote but will vote only when there is a tie. Sometimes, a coin toss is used to decide. In some important groups, there are special rules for the person who can break a tie, like voting to keep things the way they are or allowing more discussion before making a decision.

Main article: Casting vote

Examples of two-player games

Chess

Main article: Draw (chess)

In chess, a game can end in a draw in several ways: when neither player can make a move, when both players agree to a draw, or when the same position repeats too many times. About half of top-level chess games end in a draw.

Boxing

In boxing, if the judges give both boxers the same score at the end of the match, it is called a draw. This is rare because the scoring systems often make it hard for both fighters to have the same score. If a draw happens in an important match, the current champion usually keeps the title.

Sumo

In sumo, draws used to be common, but now they are not allowed. If a match is too close to decide a winner, they either have a rematch or take other steps to pick a winner.

Tennis

In most tennis matches, if a set is tied at 6–6, a special game called a tiebreaker is played to decide the winner. However, some big tournaments used to not use tiebreakers in the final set, which could lead to very long matches. Now, all major tournaments use a special tiebreaker game to end the match quickly.

Video games

In fighting video games, a draw can happen if both players lose at the same time or if the match ends with both having the same amount of health left. Some games make players fight extra rounds if the score is tied, while others end the match right away if it is a draw.

Examples of multi-player games

American football

Tied games were common in the National Football League (NFL) through the 1960s. They became rare with the introduction of sudden death overtime in 1974. The first game under this rule ended in a tie between the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Changes to overtime rules in recent years have made ties more common. The most recent NFL tied game was on September 28, 2025, between the Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers, ending in a 40-40 tie after overtime.

In the NFL, both teams must have at least one possession in overtime. In the regular season, the game ends in a tie if the score is still tied after ten minutes of overtime. In the postseason, they keep playing until a winner is determined.

Association football

If both teams score the same number of goals in the 90 minutes of play, the game is usually called a draw. In knockout games, extra time is played if a winner is needed. If the score is still tied, a penalty shootout decides the winner. Some competitions repeat the drawn match instead of using extra time.

In two-leg fixtures, the away goals rule may be used if the total scores are level. This gives the win to the team that scored more away goals.

Australian rules football

Draws in Australian rules football happen about twice per season. In a regular season match, a draw stands, and both teams get points. In finals matches, the game was once replayed the following week, but extra time is now used to decide a winner.

Baseball

Ties are rare in baseball because games continue into extra innings until there is a winner. However, games can end in a tie due to weather or other reasons. In some amateur and international games, tiebreakers are used to end the game earlier.

In Major League Baseball, games can only end in a tie due to weather. Before 2007, tied games were replayed, but now they continue from where they left off. In Japan, regular season games can end in a tie after 12 innings. Special rules applied during the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami for energy conservation.

Basketball

Ties are rare in basketball because extra periods are played until there is a winner. The only exception is in two-legged ties where no overtime is played if the first leg is tied.

Cricket

Cricket has two possible results: a tie and a draw. A tie happens when both teams score the same total runs after all innings are completed. A draw occurs when the game time runs out without all innings being completed. Draws are common in Test cricket, occurring in 20–30% of matches.

Ice hockey

In ice hockey, if the score is tied after three periods, the game may end in a tie or go to overtime. In North American leagues, a five-minute overtime period is used, with each team playing short-handed. If no goal is scored, a shootout decides the winner. In the National Hockey League, shootout wins count as two points, and overtime losses count as one point.

Tournament poker

Ties rarely occur in poker tournaments. If multiple players are eliminated simultaneously with the same chip counts, they are ranked as tied. Poker tournaments always have one winner, though multiple players can tie for second or lower places.

Racing sports

In racing sports, if competitors finish at the same time and technology cannot separate them, it is called a "dead heat." In horse racing, wagers are paid on all winning horses, but against half the original stake. In motorsport, ties almost never occur due to precise timing, but photo-finish cameras can declare a tie if needed.

Rugby league

In rugby league, draws are possible but usually subject to golden point overtime. In the United Kingdom, if the score is level at the end of 80 minutes, the game ends in a draw, and each team gets one point.

Rugby union

Draws are uncommon in rugby union due to different scoring methods. Draws are allowed in league play. In knockout stages, extra time is played if needed. If still tied, a place-kicking competition decides the winner. If tries scored are equal, overtime is played.

Ties in tournament play

Further information: Tiebreaker

In many sports and games, it’s possible for two teams or players to end up with the same score. When this happens, the game is called a tie or draw. This means neither side won or lost. Some competitions have special rules, called tiebreakers, to decide a winner if a tie happens. These rules can include extra time, penalty kicks, or lottery draws to pick a winner fairly.