It is a rarity for FanDuel, and other major US sportsbooks, to make mistakes, but they can happen. If your winning bet is marked as a loss, it is most probably a technical error that you can fix by reaching out to the support team. In most cases, it is a technical error that they will amend by themselves. But you don’t want to leave it hanging, and you shouldn’t.
So, when a sportsbook such as FanDuel says you lost, but you actually won, you can immediately notify them about the error and reverse the mistake. Here is a quick guide on the steps you have to take, and a deeper dive into why this happened in the first place.
The Sportsbook Says I Lost – What to Do
The problem is the following, and I will use FanDuel as an example: you placed a bet, the bet won, but FanDuel settled the bet as a loss. It appears in your Bet History, where it is displayed as a loss. The only snag is that you know the bet didn’t lose, and there is no question about it. So, one of three things can happen now, if you leave this settled bet as a loss. Either:
- a) FanDuel uses information from independent sources to verify the bet settlement. If any error flags up within a 48 hour period, the bet is either reinstated or resettled. This may be because of a system glitch or accounting error.
- b) Amid uncertainty in the bet settlement, FanDuel holds the right to suspend a bet for an unlimited period until it can be “resolved to the reasonable satisfaction of FanDuel Sportsbook”
- c) The system error does not flag up, and this bet will remain settled as a loss
Most often, it is the first case scenario, and FanDuel will rectify the error within 38 hours of your bet settling as a loss. If your bet won, and there is no dispute, then they should reverse the settlement, mark it as a win, and give you your money. The other two cases are rare, and for all three, you have to take quick action.
Steps of What to Do
First, before anything else, you have the proof that your bet was settled as a loss on your Settled Bet history. You must take a screenshot or print out the proof that this wager existed. It is the same thing you have to do if your bank makes an accounting error. Print out the bank statement – or when FanDuel says I lost – take a screenshot. The most important thing you need to have on your screenshot are the following:
- Bet ID – A 15-digit code in the following format: O/1234567/1234567 (the numbers used here are arbitrary – your Bet ID is not!)
- Placed – the exact time you placed the bet
Exactly what you bet on, how much you wagered, and how much you stood to win is important, but with the Bet ID and the Placed information, FanDuel can easily locate your bet. They can’t delete the bet from their history, and should it disappear for any reason from your Settled Bet history, you have the evidence that you placed this bet.
Next, you should follow the standard protocols:
- Log out and back into your account
- Check your email for any communications regarding your bet settlement
- Update your app or browser (and clear cache/restart the app or browser)
These steps ensure that the problem is not on your side. In that its not because you’ve left the FanDuel App running for multiple days, or that your desktop has had an active FanDuel tab for too long.
If the bet is still not there, it is time to get that screenshot and go to customer support.
FanDuel Customer Support Channels
You can reach out to the sportsbook’s support team via live chat, email, on X (Twitter), or on Facebook. Unfortunately, FanDuel does not have phone support, but if you are living in a state with retail FanDuel books, you can always head there for a one to one with a member of staff. Unfortunately, there are only 15+ states where you can get FanDuel retail locations, so most members have to reach out to the live chat.
On the live chat, you have to state that you have an issue regarding a bet settlement, and that you want to dispute the settlement as it is wrong. You will be asked for the Bet ID and, for further clarification, the time the bet was placed. This is where that screenshot can be used, and you can ask FanDuel to review your wager.
The FanDuel team is pretty responsive and understanding, though you will have to go through the chatbot when opening the live chat, which is a bit annoying for some. But, just looking past that, the support staff are really there to help and they don’t want to lose your business. So you are completely in the right to raise the error and ask for them to review the bet.
One thing they shouldn’t do is review and then rescind the bet, or make it void, after it has settled. Dodgy offshore books may do this, when they basically send you a refund for your bet instead of paying out your rightful winnings. FanDuel did not build a reputation in the US on the back of ripping off its members or cheating them out of their winnings. And the support staff is there to do their bit – the error is most likely a rounding mistake that went overlooked.
Why Do They Still Say My Bet Lost?
Ok, so there are very rare occasions where the settlement itself is disputable. We aren’t talking about bets like Red Sox Moneyline – as you can easily check who won the game, and the result is not questionable. But there are betting markets where the margins may be so fine that the lines get blurred, and you get contrasting information about a bet.
The most likely suspects for this are bets that include betting lines, stats that are hard to measure, and data that could be interpreted differently by different sources. For instance:
- Total Shots (soccer)
- To Give an Assist (soccer)
- Goalscorer (soccer)
- Tackles (soccer)
- 3 Pointers attempted (basketball)
- Passing/Receiving Yards (NFL)
- Any bets related to minutes (all sports)
When an NBA player buckets a 3 pointer, there is no question about the attempt. Technically, all shots taken from beyond the 3-point line should count as attempted 3-pointers. But in some rare cases, the data may not match at two different game tracking softwares. Some of the finer details can get lost in the game, such as passing yards in NFL or how many shots a player takes in soccer. Especially when it boils down to a handful of yards or 1 or 2 shots in a soccer game.
This issue doesn’t just happen at DraftKings, BetMGM, and FanDuel, or in the US only for that matter. Back in 2024, there was a motion from the UK gambling watchdog to review how sportsbooks settle these types of bets. It is more frequent in soccer, where you can get half chances, shots that may be noted down as off target or even as crosses as opposed to shots. Throw in VAR, and nothing can be certain.
But just to put your nerves at rest, these miscalculations and issues are very rare. It boils down to very specific conditions, and when the margin between a loss is extremely fine. Such as you place a soccer bet for Mohammed Salah to shot over 6.5 shots on target in the next match. He shoots 6 shots on target, including a goal, and hits a seventh one that is blocked by a defender. One statistic software (such as Opta) may put that down as a complete miss, whereas another may put it down as a shot on target. So, again, it is a very rare case but there are instances of these rare settlement disputes.
Reasons for the Wrong Bet Settlement
Generally, sportsbook operators take a few minutes to settle bets, and checks its sources to get the information. The platform is over 99% accurate, but there are those rare few bets that go unchecked. When it does happens, in most cases, it is a simple rounding mistake, as sportsbooks works to get these results out as quickly as possible for bettors so they can grab their winnings and move onto the next bet. In other cases, the results are disputable, and you will have to take up your concerns with the book itself.
If you have placed a bet on passing yards and your bet is off by a dubious few yards, it is quite tricky. It would normally count as a loss, but by fine margins. But if you can find an independent source that displays information that works in your favor, the book will have to review this. In the worst case scenario, they may stick to their official bet settlement sources. They may give you a refund on your bet if the conditions of the bet are not ample to decide whether the bet was a win or loss.
Or, they may settle it as a loss, but as a goodwill gesture, grant you a bonus bet to make up for it. It’s not the best, but it’s better than nothing. And the sportsbook is not out to take your money, it is all about building trust with members, and they are known to grant bonus bets to players who have lost big money or are going through a losing streak.
The Sportsbook Didn’t Pay Me My Full Winnings
Another rare issue that you may come across (but hopefully don’t) is when a sportsbook ticks the bet as a winner, but then doesn’t pay out the full returns. The most likely event is that you have placed a parlay, and the sportsbook either didn’t put calculate the odds correctly, or made an accounting error when paying out your winnings.
Here, the +675 parlay bet, with a $10 stake, should have paid out $77.50, and not $6.46. This is a complete rounding error, or system glitch as the $6.46 returns would be given for a bet with odds around -155, and none of the bets in the parlay have those odds.
Once again, you have the proof in the Bet ID and Placed data, and that is enough to overturn this mistake and get your full returns.
Troubleshooting Other FanDuel Issues
For the most part, FanDuel shines as one of the most user friendly and intuitive mobile betting apps out there. You get a premium service, with outstanding betting markets, and the betting app is pretty reliable. However, we cannot rule out the occasional timeout, geoblock, or app crash from time to time. Given the endless array of betting markets and high end features, we can’t really fault FanDuel for having the occasional hiccup.
- Geo block (app)
- Time out or crash (app)
- Deposit still pending (app/desktop)
- Bet not accepted (app/desktop)
- Withdrawal declined (app/desktop)
- Pending bonus not arrived (app/desktop)
Let’s just go into them in more detail so you can identify the problems quickly, and resolve them if they ever pop up.
Geo Blocks
Geo blocks occur because your location information may not be turned on, you are using a VPN, or because the IP address of your WiFi network is hidden/not registered in that state. The best thing to do is close your app and try again. If it still doesn’t work, then try moving to mobile data or try another WiFi source.
Time Outs/Crashes
Time outs can happen at FanDuel and other sportsbooks, at the most inconvenient times. When making deposits, while placing live bets, when you try to use a bonus, or even when you are simply browsing the betting markets. Either it is a problem on your end – in that your cache is full, the app times out, or it simply crashes. Or, the sportsbook has an issue with its servers. There may be a service maintenance running on the site, or a temporary overload of the servers.
The best thing to do is close the mobile application (or desktop site, if it occurred there), and clear your cache. Check for any app updates (or internet browser updates), as these can also cause crashes. And if everything is squeaky clean on your side, then open the app again or log into the FanDuel site. If you cannot access it, this is most likely because the servers are temporarily down – FanDuel will most likely release a statement on social media and possibly send out a generic email apologizing for the inconvenience. There is nothing left to do but wait a little while, and then try again.
Pending Deposit/Declined Deposit
FanDuel deposits are nearly always instant, except for those times when the book cannot confirm your transaction and the deposit will remain in pending. If you have entered all the correct details and there is no question of a mistake in the banking details or the bank account data, then the problem is either with your ePayment provider or FanDuel itself. Verify the payment with your service provider, and if you can get your hands on a bank statement, you can show this to FanDuel to validate the deposit.
Bet Not Accepted
FanDuel Sportsbook reserves the right to reject any bet, and there are a number of reasons why they may do so. It may be because you are suspected of arbitrage betting or matched betting – these betting strategies are not illegal, but books like FanDuel don’t want users to apply them. Another reason is because the terms of the bet may have changed, or some external factor may cause the odds to change, but they didn’t update for some reason. They may even temporarily accept the bet, only to revoke it a short while later.
Then, there are bet rejections on the grounds that they are put in a parlay with other bets that have some interference. Generally, FanDuel won’t allow you to make SGP bets if there are any overlapping wagers. But if it does happen, by mistake, they will rectify the error and cancel the bet.
What FanDuel won’t – and can’t do – is reject your winning bet after it is settled. Your wager rightfully won, and even if you get into that FanDuel says I lost but I won dilemma, they should respect the conditions of the wager and send you your winnings. After all, it is FanDuel we are talking about, not some shady unregulated book that can just cancel winning bets to keep your money.
Withdrawal Declined
Withdrawals can be declined for the same reasons as deposits, in that FanDuel does not recognise your payment provider, or there is some error on the provider’s end. But they can also occur because:
- You haven’t cleared the wagering requirements on a bonus (it is not cashable winnings)
- Network issues/technicalities on FanDuel or the provider’s end
- Your payment method is not accepted by FanDuel or the provider does not accept transfers from gambling sites
Your safest bet is to send the money back through the payment gateway you used to make a deposit. But if that is not available – because you used a prepaid voucher or Apple Pay – then pick another method.
Pending Bonus/Bonus Not Arrived
This happens most on FanDuel deposit bonuses, or promos that require you to place a qualifying bet to get the bonus. The bonuses generally hit your account a few minutes after you have done the qualifying action (deposit or deposit and bet). But there may be some instances where the qualifying action was not accepted, or they didn’t align with the terms of service.
For deposit offers – make sure you read the fine print. There may be a minimum deposit amount required, or FanDuel may only accept qualifying deposits from selected banking methods (excluding, say, eWallets or prepaid vouchers).
If the problem is based on the qualifying bet, this may be due to any bet requirements. The qualifying bet may require a certain minimum stake, range of odds, or it may be market-restricted (such as, you can’t make a live bet or futures bet to qualify).
Of course, the issue could be a technical one on FanDuel’s end. So if your qualifying bet or deposit and bet meet the requirements, you can reach out to customer support for help. Screenshot the deposit statement, and the qualifying bet’s Bet ID and Placed time, you may need to show these.
Can This Happen at Other Sportsbooks
Unfortunately, no sportsbook is free of technical hiccups or occasional crashes. When you consider how many people are using the servers at the same time, the sheer volume of betting markets in the system, and how the odds are continuously updated (both for pregame and live), there is no way of avoiding the one off error messages.
Yet when your bet is settled incorrectly, this is more than just a temporary timeout or delayed pending bonus. You are rightfully concerned about whether or not you will lose money, where you should be celebrating the win instead. And sadly, FanDuel is not the only book where this can happen.
You can get the same wrong bet settlement at DraftKings, Caesars, bet365, and any other US book. We do have to stress though, that this occurrence is exceedingly at FanDuel and all other major US books. So therefore, we only review books that care about your welfare and provide proper customer support channels so that you can fix these kinds of issues. FanDuel doesn’t want the $50 you wagered on the Detroit Lions, they want to give you quality service so that you don’t look to any of the competitors.
The support team works tirelessly to fix these kinds of errors, and if the lines are very blurred (like those total shots bets), they will look to find a compromise. What they won’t do is get a losing bet that definitely lost, and resettle it. When you cry “FanDuel says I lost but I won”, you have to be able to back it up with a source that shows you won. In most cases, it is obvious.
