Victor Wembanyama’s season-ending deep vein thrombosis didn’t just hit the San Antonio Spurs—it shook their entire fanbase. Last season, he easily claimed the Rookie of the Year title. This year? Many believed he was on track to snag the Defensive Player of the Year award. Bettors were confident. But with the 21-year-old now sidelined indefinitely, those hopes—and their wagers—have slipped away. Just like sand from the gap of the fingers.

Meanwhile, in a bold and unexpected move, the $31 billion giant Fanatics Sportsbook is paying out bets on Victor Wembanyama. They’re honoring wagers on him to win Defensive Player of the Year—despite his season-ending blood clot injury. While the Spurs’ phenom is out, bettors aren’t walking away empty-handed.

With 3.8 blocks per game and -2500 odds on Fanatics, Wemby was a near-lock for Defensive Player of the Year. But those hopes vanished when a deep-vein thrombosis diagnosis led to a blood clot in his shoulder—ending his season and any shot at meeting the NBA’s 65-game award requirement. Wembanyama’s injury stunned bettors. Yet, Fanatics Sportsbook softened the blow, Front Office Sports informed.

On Thursday night, they announced they would pay out all Wemby DPOY bets as winners and refund any affected parlays—an unexpected silver lining for those who backed the Spurs’ rising star. However, other sportsbooks aren’t budging—at least for now. Spokespeople for FanDuel and BetMGM said they have no plans to pay out or refund bets on Wembanyama. This comes despite the Frenchman being the overwhelming favorite for DPOY in just his second NBA season.

Fanatics refunds prop bets under its Fair Play rule if a player gets injured early—in the NBA, that means the first quarter. It covers straight props, parlays, and same-game parlays. While award bets don’t usually qualify, Wembanyama’s injury was the only real obstacle to his DPOY win. So, Fanatics bent the rule, paying out his award-related bets, anyway.

And while Victor Wembanyama‘s dreams for the 2024-25 season have officially crashed out, some could benefit from this. Surely, no one is happy that a talent as stellar as the alien has been sidelined this way. But then, there is always an altering effect- the pros and cons of such mishaps.

If not Victor Wembanyama, then who could be the Defensive Player of The Year?

With Victor Wembanyama’s bets settled, the season marches on—and a new favorite for Defensive Player of the Year must rise. Averaging 24.3 points, 11 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 3.8 blocks per game, Wembanyama was a force.

But his injury didn’t just crush the Spurs’ playoff hopes—it sent shockwaves through the betting world, shaking up the Defensive Player of the Year race. Before Thursday’s shocking news, Victor Wembanyama was a near-lock for Defensive Player of the Year. BetMGM had him as the overwhelming favorite at -2500. But after his season-ending injury, the race cracked wide open.

Now, Jaren Jackson Jr. leads the pack at -120—an incredible jump from his +3000 odds before the announcement. The ripple effect didn’t stop there. Evan Mobley follows closely at +120, with Dyson Daniels at +700, Lu Dort at +1400, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander trailing at +3000. As the market adjusts to Wemby’s absence, the odds remain in flux. Besides, these players now have a fair chance of having that performance bonus at the end of the season, which most likely Wemby would’ve relished.

As you can see, bane for one is a boon for five here. Undoubtedly, the alien’s injury has been a major setback for him and the Spurs. But this is also opening opportunities for other hoopers in line to get that DPOY award. Now, who do you think could claim the title, with Wemby off the list?