Terms of Service

1. Who we are and what this is

HoundLine (“we”, “us”) runs houndline.bet, a free-to-play prediction game on UKC, PKC, ProSport Kennel Club and American Kennel Club (AKC) coonhound hunts. By creating an account or using the site you agree to these Terms and to the House Rules, which form part of them.

HoundLine is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the United Kennel Club (UKC), the Professional Kennel Club (PKC), ProSport Kennel Club (ProSport) or the American Kennel Club (AKC). AKC events are entered by hand from public information. Their names are used only to identify the events.

2. Play points only

HoundLine currently uses play points only. Points are free, cannot be purchased, have no cash or monetary value, and cannot be redeemed, exchanged, transferred, sold or gifted, on or off the site. No prizes are awarded. Any attempt to sell or trade points or accounts breaches these Terms.

We may adjust, reset or remove point balances (for example to fix an error or at the end of a season) without liability.

3. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old, or the age of majority where you live if that is higher (and, for any future real-money play, the minimum gambling age in your jurisdiction, which may be 19 or 21). You must not use HoundLine where doing so is unlawful.

One account per person. Accounts are personal and may not be shared, sold or transferred. We may close duplicate accounts and void their activity.

4. Prohibited jurisdictions

You may not use HoundLine from any place where this kind of game is prohibited. If and when real-money play is offered, it will be available only in jurisdictions where we hold the required licence, and we will block access from all others using location checks. Using a VPN, proxy or other tool to hide your location is prohibited.

5. How bets work

Bets are pool (parimutuel) bets. Odds shown before betting closes are estimates that keep changing as other bets come in; your return is calculated from the final pool when betting closes, after the stated takeout. If nobody backs the winning result, stakes in that pool are refunded. Multi-leg pools (such as the Final 16 Parlay) follow their own split, carryover and void-leg rules in the House Rules.

You can change or cancel your bet until betting closes. Once betting closes, all bets are final. Betting on a cast closes when an operator closes it or at its scheduled start time, whichever is first. A change or cancellation is only effective once our server confirms it before close.

Settlement follows the House Rules and the official results and protest (question) rules of the sanctioning club (UKC, PKC, ProSport or AKC). Results are provisional until the protest window ends; they then become official. Once a bet is settled as official it stands, except as set out in section 6.

6. Errors, voids and refunds

We may void a bet or a whole market, and refund stakes, if there is an obvious error (also called a palpable error): for example clearly wrong odds, hounds, cast assignments or start times, a technical fault, or a bet accepted after betting should have closed. We may also void markets where the hunt is cancelled, abandoned, not completed under the official rules, or where no official result is published.

If we pay out in error we may correct the balance. Voided bets are refunded in full and are treated as never having been placed.

7. Integrity

You must not: bet on a cast in which you handle, own, or have a hound entered, or where you are a judge, guide or official; use inside information that is not public; collude with others to manipulate pools or results; use automated tools or multiple accounts; or exploit bugs.

We may monitor betting patterns, suspend accounts, void affected bets, and share information with event organisers or authorities where we believe the integrity of an event is at risk.

8. Your account

Keep your login details secure; you are responsible for activity on your account. Tell us immediately if you think your account has been accessed without permission.

We may suspend or close any account, and withhold or void points, if we reasonably believe these Terms have been broken, if required by law, or to protect other users. You may close your account at any time by contacting support.

9. No warranty

HoundLine is provided “as is” and “as available”. Event listings, draws, odds, weather and results may be delayed, incomplete or wrong. To the fullest extent permitted by law we give no warranties of any kind, express or implied.

10. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, we are not liable for any indirect, incidental, special or consequential loss, or for loss of points, data, profits or opportunity. Because points have no value, our total liability to you for any claim relating to play-points use is limited to CAD $50. Nothing in these Terms limits liability that cannot be limited by law.

11. Indemnity

You agree to indemnify us against claims, losses and costs arising from your breach of these Terms or misuse of the site.

12. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms or the House Rules. The current version and effective date are shown at the top. If we make a material change you will be asked to accept the new version before placing further bets. Bets already placed are settled under the version that applied when betting closed.

13. Governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada that apply there. You agree to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in the City of Kawartha Lakes, Ontario, unless the law where you live gives you the right to bring a claim locally. This clause will be updated to match any gaming licence we obtain.