FanDuel is issuing refunds and credits to users affected by a significant site outage that occurred shortly before the start of NFL Week 1 games. The malfunction prevented many fantasy football players from creating or editing their lineups approximately 90 minutes before kickoff, a critical window for last-minute adjustments based on injuries and other factors.
Users attempting to make changes encountered error messages such as "An unexpected error occurred. Please close this modal and try again." On the app, the message read, "Content Unavailable. There was an error. Please try again later." The issue persisted until after the early games had begun, by which time rosters were locked.
A FanDuel spokesperson acknowledged that not all issues were resolved before kickoff and stated that the company is investigating the cause. The platform has begun refunding users the net amount of their entry fees, calculated as the entry cost minus any winnings.
While the company apologized for the disruption, some users expressed dissatisfaction with the compensation. One user, Josh Engleman, a fantasy advice YouTuber, noted that FanDuel was offering bonus cash, which cannot be withdrawn and is only valid for seven days, instead of real money refunds for net losses.
Competitor DraftKings also commented on the situation via its official X account, stating, "Your DFS home should probably be somewhere that treats DFS like it matters. We’ve noticed other companies just don’t care. We’re not shocked."
FanDuel's customer support account on X posted an apology, calling the site issue "unacceptable" and acknowledging they "fumbled" during NFL Week 1. The company assured customers that they are committed to providing a better daily fantasy sports experience and have plans for Week 2 and beyond.
The extent of the user base impacted and the total value of refunds issued have not yet been disclosed by FanDuel, though the company stated the issue was widespread based on social media chatter. The platform eventually resumed normal operations after the initial games had commenced.