As the 2025 NFL season kicks off, ESPN Bet and FanDuel have rolled out new injury refund policies, expanding on a growing trend among sportsbooks to protect bettors from early-game injuries in player props. The new offerings closely follow the model introduced by Fanatics and refined by DraftKings earlier this year.
FanDuel, ESPN Bet Follow the Trend
On September 2, FanDuel introduced “Bet Protect,” a program offering bonus bet refunds for pre-game NFL player prop wagers when the chosen player exits due to injury in the first quarter. Straight wagers are refunded as bonus bets within 24 hours, and parlay bets are adjusted—either re-priced or refunded in bonus bets if the injured player was the only losing leg.
Just two days later, ESPN Bet launched its own “injury insurance,” refunding pre-game player props in bonus bets if a player is injured during the first half and ruled out for the remainder of the game. Wagers on the “under” will still be paid out as wins, and parlays will have the affected leg voided and recalculated. ESPN Bet’s terms suggest this policy could extend beyond NFL betting.
These policies mirror earlier initiatives from competitors, aiming to ease frustration among bettors when injuries derail otherwise promising bets.
DraftKings and Fanatics Set the Stage
DraftKings introduced its “Early Exit” feature weeks prior, covering major U.S. leagues and select sports globally. It provides cash credits equal to the original wager when a bet is “significantly impacted” by a player’s injury, with coverage extending through the first half of a game.
Fanatics, however, was the earliest adopter of this type of protection. Its “Fair Play” program has been active since 2024, offering refunds across multiple sports—NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and tennis. For this football season, Fanatics extended its protection from just the first quarter to the entire first half.
In May, “Fair Play” made headlines after Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry exited a playoff game with a hamstring injury. A bettor who had placed $5,000 on a four-leg parlay—including a Curry over/under—was still paid $224,773.09 under the Fair Play terms.
Fanatics Responds to Copycat Policies
Fanatics has not been shy about its influence on the rest of the industry. The company stated its policy has saved over 500,000 customer bets from losing, while estimating $54 million in losses from similar bets placed at other sportsbooks lacking such protections.
Commenting on the latest competitor policies, Fanatics wrote, “When Fanatics Sportsbook launched (this is only our second full NFL season), we said we would bring new ideas and put the sports fan first. Well… now everyone is copying our Fair Play™ injury protection.” The company added that it is “flattered” by the imitation, maintaining that its version remains the most generous on the market.
A New Standard in Bettor Protection
With the arrival of ESPN Bet’s coverage, all four major U.S. sportsbooks now offer some variation of injury-related bet protection. While each platform varies in scope and terms—from timing windows to refund types—the overarching trend is clear: operators are aligning with bettor interests by mitigating the risk of uncontrollable injuries.
Source:
“FanDuel and ESPN Bet latest sportsbooks to add NFL injury refund measures”, sbcamericas.com September 4, 2025
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