Fanatics Sportsbook is expanding its player protection features ahead of the 2026 football season. The operator announced the launch of FAIR PLAY MAX, an upgraded version of its existing Fair Play program. The update gives Fanatics another way to stand out from competitors during the busiest time of the sports betting calendar.
FAIR PLAY MAX builds on the injury protection program Fanatics first introduced in 2024. It includes three protections for NFL player props.
First Half Injury Protection is automatically included on NFL player props. If a qualifying player is injured during the first half, the wager can be protected under Fanatics’ Fair Play rules.
The biggest new feature is Forward Progress Protection. Once an Over wager has crossed the posted prop line, Fanatics will protect it from later negative-yardage plays that would otherwise move the player’s final total back below the number.
For example, if you took Jonathan Taylor to go over 94.5 rushing yards and he got to 95, but then lost two yards on his final carry, finishing at 93 yards, you would still win your initial wager with this policy.
This is a common, frustrating bad beat among sports bettors. According to Fanatics, there were 115 qualifying examples last season where negative yardage affected an Over.
Users will also have access to a FAIR PLAY MAX Gameday Token. The token can be activated on the bet slip to add Second Half Injury Protection to one eligible player prop wager per day. If the protection is triggered, the user is compensated in FanCash.
Fanatics is also using FAIR PLAY MAX to separate itself from competitors that have introduced similar injury protection features. Earlier this year, FanDuel launched Bet Protect+, which allows users to add injury protection to eligible player prop bets for a fee equal to 3% of the wager amount.
Fanatics is taking a different approach by emphasizing that its injury protection does not require customers to pay a separate fee. First Half Injury Protection is automatically included on eligible professional football player props.
To that end, as sportsbooks continue adding features designed to reduce frustration from injuries, Fanatics is trying to stand out by offering its protections without adding an extra charge to the bettor.
The growing competition between major sportsbooks is pushing operators to find new ways to make their platforms more appealing to users. We see this with injury protection, with Fanatics enhancing their offering to compete with FanDuel. The negative-yardage promo is also an innovative way of enhancing their offerings.
That competition can benefit users as sportsbooks look beyond traditional promotions and focus more on the overall betting experience. Features that protect certain wagers from injuries or negative yardage give bettors additional safeguards that were not available a few years ago.
The FAIR PLAY MAX rollout comes as Fanatics continues to expand beyond a traditional sportsbook. The company recently consolidated its offerings into one app, including sportsbook, casino, and prediction markets. This gives users access through a single account and shared FanCash balance.
The unified platform and new bettor-protection features show how Fanatics is trying to build a more connected gaming experience along with innovative offerings to attempt to stand out from the competition.
