What happens if a player you bet on gets injured? The answer to that requires greater exploration because it can vary based on when the players get injured and what the sportsbook chooses. Sportsbooks are betting platforms (online or physical) that allow you to place wagers on players and teams of specific sports. Player injuries can typically affect bets specific to a player’s individual performance, be it in a team sport or a 1-vs-1 match. This article helps answer the question by explaining what factors can affect the outcome of the bet (i.e., if it gets void or not). At the same time, it also mentions what specific sportsbooks do when a player gets injured.
Understanding Some Key Terms
The first thing is to clarify some terms related to bets and them being canceled.
- Void: this means that your bet is canceled. In this context, canceled means that you’ll have your money returned back to you. More reasons than one can lead to a void bet, such as the event not taking place, a player being pulled out of a match before it starts, etc.
- Ejected: players or coaches of a team can get ejected during a specific sport due to playing against the rules. For example, there are specific rules for players in the NBA, i.e., the National Basketball Association in the United States. A specific coach or player can be ejected if they do the following.
- 2 technical fouls that are unsportsmanlike
- 2 “type 1” flagrant fouls during a match
- Injury: in this case, we are referring to injuries as severe situations where players are unable to play a game or continue playing a match. It does not refer to a player getting a minor injury that may or may not affect how they play (mostly—more on this below).
- Inactive: this term is specific to a player’s contribution/participation in a specific game. For example, an inactive player in an NFL match may be considered inactive by a sportsbook if the player does not place a snap. A snap is when a player passes the ball to one of their teammates by throwing it under their legs.
Questions Regarding Injuries and Void Bets
As mentioned above, there is no definitive answer to whether a bet is void when a player is injured. Factors like the time of injury and their activity matter. That said, we have listed some questions and answers below to help give you a better idea of potential outcomes with your bets.
If a player gets injured, is the bet void in football?
In this case, football refers to American football, which is part of the National Football League (NFL). There are 2 factors to note.
- The first is the time the injury occurred
- Whether the injury led to the player becoming inactive
Here are some possibilities that may occur regarding point 1.
- The bet will be considered void if the player is injured (and cannot play a game) before a match.
- The bet will NOT be considered void if the player is injured (and cannot play a game) during a match, i.e., the player is active.
Here are some possibilities that may occur regarding point 2.
- The bet will be considered void if the player is injured and cannot play a game before a match, becoming inactive.
- The bet will NOT be considered void if the player is injured but will still play the match you’re betting on. What may happen instead is that the sportsbook will adjust the odds for the player to ensure that the bets are fair based on their skill level after the injury.
What happens if you bet on a player and they get injured in NBA?
The same points mentioned above for NFL matches may apply to the NBA. Again, the exact rules will depend on the sportsbook. For example, a sportsbook, such as FanDuel, may declare that an NBA player must be on the court for them to be considered active.
If a player gets hurt, is the bet void on FanDuel?
No, your bet will not be void if a player is hurt during a game, be it football, basketball, or another sport. This rule assumes that the player was injured during a match. What’s important to note is that the player must be active for the bet to not get void.
Fanduel has provided specific instructions for this that you should note.
A player that gets hurt before a game, i.e., they are deemed inactive, will void the bet. In that case, FanDuel will return your money (i.e., your wager on the canceled bet), and you can choose another bet (if available).
FanDuel explains that betting is about taking risks, and a player getting injured during a game is a risk that all bettors take. Thus, it’s a fair ask.
If a player gets hurt, does the bet void on DraftKings?
When a tennis player retires mid-way of the game due to an injury, all bets up until that point will stand. Moreover, bets on any teams or players of a game that have played up to a point before an event is canceled will stand.
DraftKings also has declared the right to void any bet at its discretion.
What happens if you bet on a player and they get injured BetMGM?
BetMGM claims that postponed or canceled games will lead to a void bet. However, if the game is only delayed by a few hours, the bets stand as they were. Thus, players that are inactive and injured beforehand can lead to a void bet. However, that can vary based on the sport. For example, BetMGM will not refund bets on injured players (even beforehand) on PFL games.
What happens if you bet on a player and they get ejected?
Most sportsbooks will NOT consider the bet void if the player is ejected during a game. There’s always a risk with sports betting, and ejection is part of it. Thus, prop bets will stand because of this reason.
Something You Must Keep in Mind Before Placing a Bet on a Sportsbook
Make it a habit to read through a sportsbook’s house rules before you start placing bets there. As mentioned above, the rules value among sportsbooks, so the best way to familiarize yourself with the rules is to look at what each website says. You can find details about injured or inactive players and much more.
In addition to that, get in touch with the customer service personnel if you still have lingering questions. Their job is to assist you, so you should ensure that you’re getting the most out of your betting experience at a specific website. Try to keep your questions specific to help the representative understand your point easily and save both your and their time.
You must remember that you’re putting your money on the line with every bet. So, if you’re not educating yourself about a sportsbook beforehand, you’re doing yourself a disservice.
Final Thoughts
Considering many sportsbooks only void bets on injured and inactive players, you can expect sportsbooks to not allow live bets on specific players to be void. Thus, placing high wagers on live bets and prop bets may not be a good idea. Their ejection may lead to money lost in those cases.