DraftKings has introduced a new player-friendly Early Exit Program, offering bettors a safety net when athletes get injured early in games. The American sports betting giant's move directly responds to Fanatics Sportsbook's popular Fair Play injury policy, escalating competition in the increasingly crowded U.S. sports betting market.
"The Early Exit Program provides bettors with cash credits when a player exits a game due to injury within a designated early-game window and does not return," according to DraftKings' official Terms & Conditions.
The new policy applies differently based on wager types. For single bets, DraftKings refunds the full stake as cash credits if your player suffers an early injury and doesn't return. For parlays and Same Game Parlays, the injured player's leg gets voided and the parlay recalculates with adjusted odds.
Interestingly, DraftKings defines its early exit timeframes more precisely than Fanatics does. The program typically covers the first period of play - whether that's a quarter, inning, or round, depending on the sport. Each sport has specific guidelines, with DraftKings even separating postseason rules for NBA and WNBA games.
Do other sportsbooks need to follow suit now? The trend certainly suggests so.
While Fanatics voids affected bets immediately, DraftKings processes cash credits within 24 hours of game completion for single bets, or after the final leg result for parlays. The two approaches differ slightly, but both address a long-standing frustration among sports bettors.
Unlike Fanatics, DraftKings includes soccer in its coverage but doesn't offer protection for tennis bets. New users can take advantage of this injury protection while also claiming a $150 new-user promotion with just a $5 initial wager.
This evolution marks a significant shift in how sportsbooks handle the unpredictable nature of injuries in player prop betting. For regular bettors tired of losing wagers due to early injuries, these protection policies offer welcome peace of mind. Will other major sportsbooks now feel pressured to introduce similar policies?
