Fanatics Fair Play Policy Explained: How It Can Save Your Bet
Yeah, we’ve all been there. Your player prop is live for all of two minutes before your guy grabs his hamstring and limps off. Most sportsbooks will chalk it up as a loss because “he played.”
Thankfully, the Fanatics Fair Play policy is, well, a little more fair. Check out RotoGrinders’ guide to how this policy works and why we like it so much as it’s pretty unique compared to what other sportsbooks have to say on the matter.
What Is the Fanatics Fair Play Policy?
The Fanatics Fair Play policy protects your wager if your player gets injured early and doesn’t return.
On a straight bet, the policy triggers a refund!
If the injured player was part of your parlay or same-game parlay, that leg will be voided.
And perhaps not surprisingly, the policy gives you a full win if the stat line you needed already hit before your player was out for the count.
The policy is not a miracle cure for bad picks. You can still lose, but it keeps freak player injuries from killing bets that never had a fair shot.
Fair Play Policy in Action: An Example
Here’s an example of the Fair Play Policy in action from the 2025 NBA post-season:
The Fanatics Sportsbook Fair Play policy made headlines when Stephen Curry left Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals against Minnesota in the second quarter with a hamstring injury.
His early exit triggered automatic Fair Play grading, which meant overs were refunded and unders cashed. And parlay legs with Curry were voided so parlays still had a fighting chance.
Other mobile sportsbooks lack this unique protection, making Fanatics a good option if you have had one too many experiences with injuries ruining your betslip.
How The Fair Play Policy Works
The Fair Play rules hinge on when the player starts and leaves the game early. If the exit is inside the cutoff and there’s no return, Fair Play applies automatically.
Here’s a break down of when the policy applies by league:
- NFL regular season: If the player gets injured in the first half and doesn’t return
- NBA regular season: If the player gets injured in the first quarter and doesn’t return
- NBA playoffs: If the player gets injured in the first half and doesn’t return
- MLB: If a pitcher has thrown at least one pitch but fewer than three outs; if a hitter has had at least one plate appearance
- NHL: If the player gets injured in the first period
- Tennis or golf: Dependent on match or tournament progress such as retiring mid-match or withdrawing before completing round two
If your bet’s already cashed before the injury, you’re paid.
If not, it’s refunded or the parlay leg is voided.
Bettors don’t have to deal with any forms or calls to customer service, as the Fanatics Sportsbook trading team just grades the refund or void in the moment.
Check starting lineups before games to see if previous injuries are keeping players out—we’ve got tools for NFL lineups, NBA lineups, etc.
Fanatics Sportsbook Injury Rules and Process
Here’s what happens behind the curtain:
- The Fanatics Sportsbook trading crew monitors player injuries across all sports in real time.
- Once your player starts and leaves with an affected leg, ankle, or any knock, they track return status.
- If the player doesn’t come back within the Fair Play rules window, your bet is protected.
The Fanatics app updates the Fair Play hub so you know whether your ticket was voided or paid without having to refresh X like a maniac.
If you want to stay up to date on the latest injuries, check out RotoGrinders’ reports for NFL injuries, NBA injuries, etc.
What Bets Qualify for Fair Play at Fanatics Sportsbook
The policy’s built for player prop bets whether they’re individual or part of parlays.
- Straight bet on a player stat line? Covered if the injury is in the sport’s window.
- Same game parlays or multi-leg game parlays? Only the injured player’s leg gets voided; the rest keep running with recalculated odds.
- Works across the major sports like NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, tennis, and golf.
For example, let’s say you take Aaron Jones Over 68.5 rushing yards in Week 1. He gets hurt in the first quarter and never returns. In that case, Fair Play covers you. It’s the same for rebounds in the NBA playoffs if your guy can’t make it to the first-half buzzer.
Why Fair Play Matters: $500K in Refunds Says It All
Since the start of the 2025 football season, bettors have already collected millions in fair play payouts that would have been dead elsewhere. In this year’s NBA playoffs, the policy even made headlines when Fanatics Sportsbook refunded more than $500,000 in prop bets after Stephen Curry exited Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals against Minnesota in the second quarter with a hamstring injury.
It was the single most lucrative Fair Play payout of the postseason. One Michigan bettor turned a $5,000 four-leg parlay (which had only a 1% chance of hitting) into $224,773 when Curry’s leg was voided and the rest of the parlay cashed!
Plus, high-profile names like Jimmy Butler, Ja Morant, and Russell Westbrook also triggered Fair Play refunds in the 2025 postseason. Whether it’s the first half of a Minnesota Vikings game or the New York Jets opener, this policy is one of the few things in betting actually tilted toward the player.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. People across Fanatics Sportsbook legal states have access to the resources they need to bet responsibly.
Fanatics Fair Play Policy FAQs
How do I know if my bet qualified for the Fair Play policy?
If the injury hits the sport’s window and there’s no return, your ticket will show “void” or “paid” in your bet history. For parlays, the injured leg disappears and odds are recalculated.
Do ejections or illness count, or only injuries?
Fair Play is built for injuries. Other exits follow normal house rules. If they’re graded like an injury, you’ll see it on your ticket.
Do unders ever get settled as wins?
Yep. According to Fanatics Sportsbook, if the prop bets stay under and the player leaves inside the cutoff, it’s graded a win.
What exactly counts as returning?
Any appearance after the cutoff such as one snap or one shift counts as a return, and the Fair Play policy will not apply.
Is this the same as the FanCash drop game?
No, the FanCash drop game is a promo. Fair Play is about protecting bets from early injuries.
Where can I see updates?
In the Fanatics Sportsbook app inside the Fair Play hub and in your settled bets.
Hungry for more Fanatics Sportsbook content? See our state-specific operator reviews for New York, Illinois, and North Carolina.