FanDuel refunds contest fees for daily fantasy sports (DFS) players due to technical difficulties during week one of the NFL regular season.
FanDuel states they will refund net losses to DFS players affected by the outage on Monday, September 14.
Players experienced issues editing lineups during the technical problems, which began approximately 1.5 hours before the first Sunday NFL games at 11:30 am ET.
To our DFS customers: we acknowledge that yesterday’s site issue was unacceptable. NFL Week 1 should be a joyous time, and we fumbled,” FanDuel stated.
“The team investigated and refunded net losses to impacted customers. We are dedicated to providing a better DFS experience and have exciting plans for Week 2 and beyond,” the release added.
Player Complaints
Many FanDuel DFS players were dissatisfied with the platform’s response to the Sunday hiccup, demanding bonus bets and compensation.
I need bonus bets. This is outrageous and unfair,” one comment on X to FanDuel Customer Support read.
Refunds were only given to DFS players attempting to log in to make lineup changes, causing frustration for some players.
“Why weren’t all DFS users impacted? Even those with dummy lineups couldn’t edit them,” a FanDuel customer mentioned.
Rival DraftKings invited affected FanDuel DFS customers to its platform.
“Your DFS home should be with someone who values DFS. We’ve noticed others don’t care. We’re not surprised,” DraftKings stated.
“Largest prize pools. More gameplay options. Improved customer service. Always choose DraftKings,” the company emphasized.
How DFS Differs From Sports Betting
Sports betting and fantasy sports differ significantly. In sports betting, a bettor wagers against the sportsbook, while in fantasy sports, players assemble lineups to compete against each other.
Fantasy sports generate revenue through contest fees, unlike sports betting where operators profit from bets placed against the house.
FanDuel no longer discloses DFS revenue separately in financial reporting, grouping it under the “other” category instead.