When a star player gets injured in a prime-time game, sportsbooks have been increasingly proactive in terms of refunding losing wagers made on that player.

That opportunity presented itself Monday night when Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray went down with a non-contact injury early in a 27-13 loss to the New England Patriots.

Murray suffered a torn ACL on the third play from scrimmage, scrambling to the right and then falling to the ground after a three-yard gain.

For bettors, a sudden injury to a star player creates the possibility of a sportsbook refunding bets involving that player. Sportsbooks are not obligated to do so, but an expectation was created among online bettors when sportsbooks started doing this for notable early injuries to stars, especially if they occurred during prime-time games.

DraftKings Sportsbook quickly offered to refund any straight Murray prop picks as well as any same-game parlay picks in which Murray was the only losing selection. These refunds were to be issued as free bets within 24 hours.

FanDuel Sportsbook came out Tuesday with refunds for Murray and injured Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson, who left with an ankle injury. FanDuel offered a refund for online straight bets, odds boosts, parlays, and same-game parlays where a Murray and/or Stevenson prop was the only losing leg. Refunds were to be issued as free bets within 48 hours.

BetMGM was quick to respond, as well, offering refunds on Murray single wagers, covering touchdowns, passing completions, yardage, and attempts, rushing yardage, as well as passing yardage and interceptions.

BetMGM explicitly noted that Under wagers would be recorded as winners – but that presumably was the case at other books, too.

PointsBet was in line with the other top sportsbooks, offering to refund all Murray props, parlays, and same-game parlays in which Murray was the only losing leg. Those refunds were to be issued as free bets within 24 hours.

After looking at those top sportsbooks, generally following similar reactions to an injury to a star player, it was remarkable to see that one of the top sportsbooks went in a different direction.

Caesars Sports did not issue refunds for Murray bets. By the rules of the game, Caesars is entirely within its rights not to refund those bets. However, that decision might ultimately do damage to the brand because the other leading sportsbooks showed a greater interest in giving bettors a positive experience by refunding the Murray bets.

This is not a losing proposition for the sportsbooks in the long run (quite the opposite, actually), which is why they continue to offer refunds when star players are injured early in a game. Those refunds are going to be free bets which puts that money right back into play.

Because injury news only flows one way during the game – no one is unexpectedly coming out of the locker room midway through the proceedings like at the Royal Rumble – sportsbooks can use the opportunity created by injuries to do some good public relations work and keep their bettors feeling like they are getting a fair shake.

Or it could handle the situation the way Caesars did.

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