DraftKings Debuts “Early Exit” to Refund Bets on Injured Players
DraftKings has launched a new “Early Exit” feature that will issue cash credits to bettors whose wagers are ruined by a player’s early-game injury. The move is a major pro-customer initiative designed to address one of the most common and frustrating experiences for sports bettors.
How “Early Exit” Works
The new program applies to pre-match, full-game player prop bets, including single wagers, parlays, and Same Game Parlays. If a player in a qualifying bet is injured during a specific “early exit window” and does not return to the game, DraftKings will issue a cash credit to the user.
For single bets, customers will receive a full cash credit for their stake. For parlays where the remaining legs win, the wager will be repriced with the injured player’s leg removed, and the customer will be paid out based on the recalculated odds. The credits will be applied to user accounts within 24 hours.
A Sport-Specific Approach
The “early exit window” is defined differently for each sport, providing clear and specific rules for what constitutes an early injury.
- NFL: First Quarter
- NBA (Regular Season): First Quarter
- NBA (Playoffs): First Half
- MLB: Pitcher exits before 3 outs; batter exits before 2nd plate appearance
- NHL: First Period
- Soccer: Subbed out in the first half
The program provides a clear and consistent policy for a situation that has historically been a source of major frustration for bettors. Losing a well-researched prop bet because a player gets hurt on the opening drive or in the first inning is a universally disliked “bad beat,” and this new feature directly addresses that pain point.
A Competitive Differentiator
The “Early Exit” feature is a significant customer service innovation that could become a key differentiator for DraftKings in the hyper-competitive U.S. market. While other operators have occasionally offered “goodwill” refunds on a case-by-case basis, this is the first time a major U.S. sportsbook has implemented a formal, codified policy for early-game injuries.
There are a few key exceptions to the new policy. Live, in-play bets are not covered. Bets that have already been unconditionally won (e.g., a player hits their “over” before getting injured) or lost (e.g., “under” bets that have already hit) will be settled normally.
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