Xavier Worthy injury: Will sportsbooks refund bets after Chiefs–Chargers Week 1 exit?

What happened on the field

The Xavier Worthy injury happened fast. On the third offensive snap of the Kansas City Chiefs’ 2025 opener against the Los Angeles Chargers in São Paulo, the second-year wideout collided with Travis Kelce on crossing routes and went down clutching his right shoulder. He was evaluated on the sideline, taken to the locker room, and ruled out before halftime.

The timing made it brutal for bettors. Worthy entered Week 1 as a featured option for Patrick Mahomes with Rashee Rice serving a six-game suspension. He had been targeted on the play he was hurt. Without him, Kansas City’s early rhythm dipped: Mahomes completed just one of six passes for six yards when throwing to receivers in the first quarter. That immediate drop-off underscored how central Worthy was to the plan after a rookie season of 59 catches, 638 yards, and six touchdowns.

There was no immediate word from the team on the severity beyond his in-game status. The setting—an international opener in Brazil—didn’t change how sportsbooks would grade bets, but it did magnify how quickly a single play can flip markets and tickets.

Will sportsbooks refund Xavier Worthy props?

If you bet on Worthy’s receptions, yards, or anytime touchdown, here’s the short version: most U.S. sportsbooks treat player props as “action” once the player takes the field. Early injuries are usually not a refund trigger. The details come down to each book’s house rules.

• DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars (typical rule): If the player participates (takes at least one snap), bets stand. If the player never plays (DNP/inactive), the bet is void and refunded. Leaving early due to injury does not qualify for an automatic refund.
• Bet365 and similar operators: Policies are broadly similar—once the player appears, wagers stand. If he never appears, the bet is void.
• Minimum participation clauses: Some books reference “must play” rather than a specific snap count. A single snap generally satisfies this.
• Same-game parlays: Most books keep the leg “alive” if the player takes a snap. If the player never plays, that leg is voided and the parlay is recalculated, but terms vary by operator.

Where it can get messy is with niche markets. For example, “first reception” or “first catch” props usually require the event to happen for the bet to win. If Worthy didn’t record a catch, those bets grade as losses if he participated. Likewise, “over 3.5 receptions” or “over 44.5 yards” props generally lose if he exits before getting there, because participation makes the bet live.

What about goodwill refunds? Books sometimes make PR-driven exceptions after high-profile injuries. After Aaron Rodgers’ Week 1 Achilles tear in 2023, several operators issued courtesy refunds or bonus bets on select markets. That was a one-off decision, not a rule. You could see one or two books do something similar here, but it won’t be universal and isn’t guaranteed.

Parlays deserve a closer look. If you built a same-game parlay with a Worthy leg, the grading follows the house rules for SGPs at your book. If he took a snap, the leg stands. If he never logged a snap, the leg is voided and the rest of the parlay is repriced. For multi-game parlays, a voided Worthy leg (only if he DNPs) usually turns that piece into a push; the rest remains action.

Live bets and in-play props won’t be retroactively adjusted. If you took a live receptions over after kickoff and Worthy was injured moments later, that ticket will almost certainly stand as a loss unless your book announces a special refund.

Season-long markets are different. Futures like “Chiefs over/under wins” or “AFC West winner” aren’t impacted by a single player’s early exit. Player season totals (e.g., Worthy season receiving yards) typically remain action once the season starts, unless the player never appears in a game or the market has a listed qualifier. Check the fine print for any minimum game requirements, but most widely available NFL player futures don’t have them.

Daily fantasy pick’em apps and exchanges have their own rules. Prize-style platforms sometimes offer “injury insurance” entries or special protections, but those are product-specific promos. They don’t carry over to legal sportsbooks. Always read the rules inside the app you used; the terminology looks similar, but the settlement can be very different.

So what should you do now if you had a Worthy bet?

1. Check your book’s house rules: Look for “player must play” language for NFL props and any SGP-specific provisions.
2. Confirm participation: If the box score shows Worthy logged a snap or a target, your prop likely stands. If he never appeared, it should void.
3. Wait for grading: Books may take until postgame or the next morning to settle all markets from an international game.
4. Document your bet: Save screenshots of your ticket, rules page, and game log in case you need to appeal.
5. Ask—politely—about a courtesy refund: Don’t expect it, but some books will issue bonus bets as a goodwill gesture during high-profile injuries.

From a market perspective, keep an eye on how books adjust Chiefs pricing over the next two weeks. With Rice already out on suspension, Kansas City’s receiving props and anytime touchdown markets could tighten around the next-man-up options. Team totals and Mahomes’ pass yardage numbers may also shift if the injury sidelines Worthy beyond this game.

Bottom line for bettors: location and timing don’t change the core rule. Because Worthy played—and was even targeted—most player props are going to be graded as action. The only widespread refund scenario would be if he never took the field, which isn’t the case here. Anything beyond that would be a discretionary promo from the sportsbook, not a rights-based refund.