Everybody Hurts: A Guide to Online Sports Betting Injury Insurance

In my mind, the Monday Night Football parlay was airtight: Bijan Robinson 100+ rushing yards (obviously), Chris Olave 100+ receiving yards (naturally), and Za’Darius Smith to record a sack (gutsy). 

Key Takeaways

• Sportsbooks increasingly offer injury protection to refund or adjust eligible bets when players leave games early due to injuries.
• Coverage varies by sportsbook, including qualifying sports, injury timing, eligible bets, opt-in requirements, and whether refunds come as cash or bonus bets.
• Bettors should check each sportsbook’s rules and terms to understand their protection and avoid unexpected losses.

I was convinced: Bijan would run wild, and the Saints would need to pass their way out of the hole in which the Falcons would put them. Therefore, Olave would get his, and Smith would eventually find his way to New Orleans QB Tyler Shough.

Check, check, and, well, not so much check. Bijan and Olave got across the finish line (and then some, really), but Smith was injured in the first quarter and never returned to the game.

However, what I discovered later was that my same-game parlay had somehow and somewhat won. By virtue of bet365’s “Prop Protect” program, the SGP was recalculated and paid out in bonus bets that I’ve already put to work elsewhere (badly).

Saved by the bet 

While your mileage may vary, such has been the experience of other bettors this NFL season. When somebody goes down in a primetime game, the social media lines light up with cries for refunds and voids. Operators are standing by to deliver, albeit not always. 

That is because various injury protection or insurance programs have become nearly table stakes for online sportsbooks trying to hold on to their customers. We can argue about what this is doing to the bettor psyche, so to speak, but the books (led by Fanatics, and followed by many others) are getting in front of the issue by outlining when and how they’ll refund a prop or prop-laden parlay. 

Yet these programs are not universal in how they work or are offered. You need to know the rules, what qualifies, and whether you need to opt in. 

Here, then, is a guide to injury insurance offered by online sportsbooks (and, in some instances, sports-related prediction markets). Always read the terms and conditions yourself to manage your expectations accordingly.

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bet365 (“Prop Protect”)

• Applies to pregame or in-play player props placed on NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, or WNBA games.
• For straight bets, if your player is ruled out with an injury before a certain period of time (i.e., for NFL, before the end of the first half and only through Week 7) you get back your wager in bonus bets.
• If your player is part of a parlay, the parlay gets recalculated and remains live with that player-related leg removed.
• Any winnings from the remaining legs of the parlay will be paid out in bonus bets.
• Check the promotion for the applicable sport, deadline and qualifying market.

BET99 (“NFL Primetime Injury Insurance”)

• Covers all Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and other “standalone” NFL games.
• If your player exits with an injury in the first half, the bet is voided and cash returned to the player. 
• If the player is part of a same-game parlay, the wager is repriced like that prop wasn’t included.
• If the remaining parlay hits, the bettor is paid out in cash. 
• Coverage is limited to qualifying standalone NFL games. Confirm eligible games and current terms before betting.

INTRODUCING BET99 INJURY INSURANCE 🛡️🏈 For eligible primetime games, if a player is injured in the first half and doesn’t return, eligible straight Player Prop wagers will be voided and returned in Cash 🤝 For Parlays/SGPs, only the affected leg is voided and the remaining odds are recalculated 📊

— BET99 Canada (@BET99CA) October 8, 2026

BetMGM (“BetDefense”)

• Only works for certain player props ("tied to a player’s positive performance," such as Over on rushing yards; no Unders).
• BD kicks in if a player leaves with an injury in the first quarter of an NFL game and is ruled out. 
• For straight bets, the wager is canceled, and money is returned within 72 hours of settlement. 
• For parlays and SGPs, the player is removed and the parlay recalculated. 
• Eligible wagers will have the "BetDefense" icon in the bet slip; no opt-in required. 
• If a profit boost or bonus bet was used, the wager will be voided, and the original promo stake returned.

Caesars Sportsbook (“Injury Protection”)

• No opt-in needed. 
• Applies to "eligible" wagers designated by Caesars (most likely player-based ones), which will have a shield icon and "This bet is covered by Injury Protection" in your bet slip.
• For straight bets, affected cash bets will be refunded in cash "or as an equivalent account adjustment, as determined by Caesars." 
• If bonus bets were used, the stake is returned in bonus bets or "an alternative promotional benefit, as determined by Caesars."
• For parlays, Caesars will remove the affected leg and recalculate the parlay.
• Applies to multiple sports, but there are sports-specific rules: for the NFL, for example, a player must be injured during the first half and ruled out for the remainder of the game. 
• Doesn't apply to suspensions or ejections.

DraftKings (“Early Exit”)

• Works for multiple sports, but rules can vary; for the NFL, for example, insurance only covers first-half injuries. 
• For straight bets, if a player leaves a game with an injury, your bet gets tagged with "Early Exit Eligible" and is under review. If it's confirmed the player didn't return, the bet settles as lost, and you're refunded your stake in cash within 24 hours of settlement.
• Something similar happens with parlays: tagged, reviewed, and then remaining legs stay active, and odds are recalculated like the affected leg wasn't included. If won, pays out at those new odds; if lost, loses.
• Read the full terms and conditions for the sport-specific restrictions.

Fanatics (“Fair Play”)

• Covers injuries for both the first and second half of a game, but you need to opt in for second-half protection and refunds for those come in Fan Cash, Fanatics’ loyalty currency.
• Straight bets are refunded, but parlays are recalculated and, if won, will pay out according to those new odds.
• Fanatics also offers "Fair Play MAX," which is specifically for NFL and includes "Forward Progress" protection that bails you out on rushing and receiving Overs when a runner or receiver loses yards on a play (i.e. a QB prop for 50+ rushing yards that dips from 51 to 49 on a kneeldown could be protected).
• Fanatics also offers similar protection via its prediction market platform, with refunds in FanCash.

FanDuel (“Bet Protect”)

• Applies to eligible pre-game player prop bets for NFL and WNBA, and when players are injured in the first half.
• However, FanDuel also offers Bet Protect+ in most states where it is active, wherein players can opt in for a 3% fee and your bet is protected against an injury for the entirety of the game. If an eligible player exits and does not return, straight bets are refunded in cash and affected parlay legs are removed and the parlay repriced.
• If a bet is eligible for Bet Protect+, the "BP+" option will show up in the bet slip.

With Ja'Marr Chase leaving the game in the 1st half & unable to return for the remainder of the game, all straight wagers will be refunded and all parlays, SGPs, or teasers will have those legs removed with the parlay odds recalculated. Only pregame wagers apply. https://t.co/yRCpZ8OPTx

— theScore Bet (@theScoreBet) October 4, 2026

theScore Bet (“Injury Insurance”)

• Until Oct. 31, theScore Bet can deem any NFL game or event as eligible for Injury Insurance.
• Pre-game straight cash wagers that settle as a loss due to injury can be refunded in cash.
• Affected parlays can be recalculated, and the wager remains open.
• Can't involve wagers that are cashed out or that were placed with bonus bets or profit boosts.
• No opt-in required.

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