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FanDuel has introduced a new feature aimed at reducing the risk tied to player injuries in sports betting, rolling it out as the NBA playoffs begin. The product, called Bet Protect+, allows users to safeguard certain wagers for a small fee, reflecting a broader shift in how sportsbooks respond to bettor concerns about injuries affecting outcomes.
The newly launched Bet Protect+ applies specifically to NBA player prop bets and covers injuries that occur at any point during a game. This marks a change from earlier offerings in the market, which typically limited protection to the first quarter or first half.
Customers can activate the feature before placing a bet by selecting it within the app. The cost is set at 3% of the total wager, meaning a $10 bet would include an additional $0.30 charge. The fee is clearly displayed before the bet is finalized, allowing users to decide whether to include the protection on a case-by-case basis.
“What we found was customers appreciate having agency and ownership in their betting process,” said FanDuel Sportsbook Product Vice President Jon Sadow in a company press release. “They want to choose what they bet on, how much, and what outcomes they think will happen. Bet Protect+ is an extension of that”.
The feature offers two potential outcomes if a player exits a game due to injury. For straight bets, the original stake is refunded in cash. For parlays, the affected leg is removed and the remaining bet is recalculated. This differs from some competing offers that issue refunds as bonus bets rather than cash.
Designed Around Betting Behavior and Injury Trends
FanDuel’s decision to extend protection across the full game aligns with internal data showing that injuries are not confined to early periods. According to the company, injuries during the 2025-26 NBA season were evenly split between the first and second halves, with the third quarter recording the highest occurrence.
“The challenge is that even with the most well-planned bet, the most comprehensive research, the best hunch – it can all get squashed by an unexpected injury. We want to allow our customers to regain that loss of control,” said Sadow.
The feature is available for pre-game wagers and is being expanded to include live betting markets, although live odds protection is still in development. Only NBA bets qualify for now, and wagers involving multiple sports are excluded. The protection also applies strictly to injuries that prevent a player from returning to the game; situations such as fouling out, ejections, or benching do not qualify.
“When we discussed the in-app design, we wanted it to be seamless and familiar,” Sadow said. “Transparency was key. Customers can see the option, the fee, and decide instantly if they want to enable it for a given bet”.
FanDuel launched the feature at the start of the NBA playoffs, a period when player workloads increase and injuries can have a greater impact on both games and bets.
Competition Drives Innovation in Betting Features
The introduction of Bet Protect+ reflects a wider trend across the sports betting industry. Operators have gradually added protections in response to persistent customer feedback, particularly as legal sports betting expanded in the United States after 2018.
Earlier efforts included case-by-case refunds, such as those offered by PointsBet’s “Karma Kommittee.” Other sportsbooks have since introduced structured programs. Fanatics offers its Fair Play program for NFL bets, providing cash refunds or adjusted parlays when injuries occur early in games. DraftKings launched its Early Exit feature in 2025, issuing cash credits under certain conditions across multiple sports. Hard Rock Bet also introduced a similar option covering first-half injuries in NFL and NBA wagers.
FanDuel itself previously released a free Bet Protect feature in September 2025, which covers injuries in the first quarter and provides payouts as bonus bets rather than cash. Bet Protect+ builds on that concept but adds full-game coverage through a paid, opt-in model.
The company has indicated that Bet Protect+ will expand to other sports in the future. For now, availability remains limited in certain states, including Massachusetts, Connecticut, North Carolina, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, where only the original version is offered.