Is this how it normally works when a bounty is placed and no answer is received?
1 Answer
Yes, this is the expected behavior. Note the following from the Help Center's Bounty Section
All bounties are paid for up front and non-refundable under any circumstances.
A bounty may attract more attention, and possibly better answers, but it does not guarantee either.
-
7As someone who's bountied more than once and not gotten answers, this is true. :P– Nathan CCommented Dec 26, 2013 at 15:39