My Favorite Parts of ESPN BET
- Great odds boosts
- Competitive pre-game odds
- Smooth live betting experience
- Wide variety of sports
- Good market depth
OA BetReview Rating
73/100
Odds Competitiveness
20/20
Sign-Up Bonus
13/15
User Experience
8/15
Promos & Boosts
9/10
Market Depth
7/7.5
Deposit & Withdrawal Methods
Payout Speed
1 to 5 Days
When ESPN BET replaced Barstool Sportsbook on November 14, 2023, it was the most hyped-up online sportsbook debut since the sports betting rush kicked off in the U.S.
The app is a powerhouse partnership between ESPN and PENN Entertainment. ESPN supplies its iconic branding and industry influence, while PENN handles the operational side.
ESPN BET is live in 17 U.S. states, with plans to expand further.
I've got to say, I was really pumped to see what ESPN BET would bring to the table. The big question for me was, could they stack up against heavyweights like FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM?
With ESPN's sports legacy—a level of pedigree not even FanDuel and DraftKings can match—and their deep pockets, I thought they could pull it off.
Did they deliver out of the gates?
It’s a mixed bag.
ESPN BET nails it with sharp odds, great market depth, a strong live platform, and hassle-free banking. Props to them for bringing in fresh betting options like the “No” bet for anytime TD scorers.
On the flip side, there's definitely room for improvement in the user experience department. While the app looks slick, getting around can feel like a chore, and the organization of their betting options could use some serious decluttering.
Ultimately, they've still got ways to go to reach the level of my top-rated sportsbooks like FanDuel, Caesars, and DraftKings.
But since ESPN BET often dishes out better-than-average odds and offers a sign-up bonus for new customers, it’s worth downloading the app—even if you don’t use it as your primary sportsbook.
Here are some screenshots of ESPN BET to help you get an idea of what it looks like:
ESPN BET Quick Facts
ESPN BET | |
|---|---|
OA Rating | 73/100 |
Owner | PENN Entertainment |
Launch Date | November 2023 |
Sign-Up Bonus | Bet Anything & Get $100 |
States | AZ, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, MA, MI, NJ, NC, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV |
Top Features | Odds competitiveness, odds boosts |
Number of Sports | 21 |
Payout Speed | 1 to 3 business days |
Loyalty Program | PENN Play Program |
Online Casino | Yes (MI, NJ, PA, WV) |
Ratings by Category
Overall Rating
73/100
ESPN BET ranks in the top 10 of our sportsbook ratings. While it's not as good as books like FanDuel & DraftKings, it's worth trying out.
Odds
19.5/20
Offers 20-cent lines on spread and total bets as well as industry-leading props odds. Learn more.
Sign-Up Bonus
13/15
The sign-up bonus doesn't have as much value as some competitors but requires very little upfront investment. Learn more.
User Experience
8/15
Feels like a maze sometimes. Slick, yes, but finding your way around can test your patience. Learn more.
Promos & Boosts
8.5/10
ESPN BET offers a loyalty program & a wide range of ongoing promotions, including many odds boosts. Learn more.
Features
3.8/7.5
The essentials are there like cashouts & SGPs. I'm still waiting for them to bring something new to the table, though. Learn more.
Market Depth
7.1/7.5
They cover over 20 sports & offer numerous prop bet markets—some that no other books offer. Learn more.
Customer Reviews
3/5
It's a hit on the App Store with a 4.8 rating, but Reddit tells a different story. Mixed reviews out there. Learn more.
Live Betting
4.5/5
Live betting’s a win with ESPN BET. You get great odds & a bunch of micro markets to play around with. Learn more.
Support
3/5
Various support channels are available but don’t expect lightning-fast answers. Learn more.
My Favorite Parts About ESPN BET
- Great odds boosts: ESPN BET offers more daily odds boosts than many competitors. You can snag boosts for markets in the +120 to +150 zone with good value. Don’t sleep on their "In the News" specials. That's where you'll catch some wild longshot parlays with odds that can climb up to +10,000. Worth a small bet if you’re feeling lucky.
- Competitive pre-game odds: ESPN BET typically matches or even bests the odds offered by other major sportsbooks. Their moneyline and prop bet odds are particularly competitive.
- Quality live betting platform: ESPN BET checks all the right boxes for live betting. You'll find competitive odds across a broad range of sports, along with a rich selection of bets for each. Plus, they offer extras like live streaming and Same Game Parlays+, which nicely complement the in-play betting experience.
- Variety of sports: They cover 20+ sports, including less common ones like winter sports and lacrosse. Plus, they've got esports and entertainment markets on tap, though keep in mind these options are only legal in certain states.
- Good market depth: ESPN BET features an impressive selection of prop bets, including some pretty unique ones you might not find at other sportsbooks. For example, you can bet on NFL players to not score a touchdown or the maximum number of consecutive points a team will score.
My Least Favorite Parts About ESPN BET
- Subpar user experience: The navy and aqua blue color scheme is cool, but the usability could be better. ESPN BET didn’t change much when switching from Barstool Sportsbook, and that’s not a good thing. The betting market layout is all over the place, making it hard to find what you’re looking for. Adding a secondary menu for prop bet categories would be a game-changer and would save us from endless scrolling. Also, the site's performance could use a boost—flipping between pages is slower than other books.
- Quickly limits sharps: Rumor has it that ESPN BET has been restricting winners and sharp bettors with tight limits on bets and winnings. I’ve heard such claims for a lot of other sportsbooks, yet for ESPN BET, it seems a bit soon to be imposing such restrictions.
ESPN BET Odds Competitiveness
ODDS ASSIST RATING: 19.5/20
When ESPN BET first launched, the first thing I did was check how the odds stacked up to Barstool Sportsbook and other books. At that time and in the months that I’ve used ESPN BET since then, I’ve found that ESPN BET consistently offers competitive odds for most markets.
We collected odds data from over 7,000 games on ESPN BET and found they offer some of the most competitive odds of all sportsbooks. Of the games we sampled, ESPN BET charged an average vig of 4.70%.
While some books have low vig for some sports/markets and high vig for others, ESPN BET tends to be pretty consistent.
Many sports have a similar vig, including NFL (4.47%), NCAAF (4.48%), NBA (4.57%), NCAAB (4.47%), and NHL (4.50%).
In addition, many betting markets have similar juice, including spreads (4.81%), moneyline (4.64%), and total (4.68%).
ESPN BET usually offers 20-cent lines for spreads and totals. So, for an NBA game, you might see odds like -110 on both sides or maybe -115 and -105. While this might seem trivial (something you'd expect every sportsbook to offer), it's actually not a given.
Sure, BetMGM and FanDuel often provide 20-cent lines too, but it's not universal. Take SI Sportsbook, for example. They've been known to offer 28-cent or 30-cent lines, like -110 and -118 or -115 and -115.
ESPN BET takes a low hold for moneyline and prop bets relative to most other sportsbooks. This essentially means you get better odds. This could be because they switched their odds provider from Kambi to TheScore in 2023.
To illustrate ESPN BET's competitive player prop odds, consider an NBA game between the Raptors and the Nets I looked at while reviewing. FanDuel and BetMGM listed Scottie Barnes for under 21.5 points at -122 and -120, respectively. Meanwhile, ESPN BET offered more appealing odds at -115 for the same line.
This theme of competitive odds extends across different player prop categories and moneyline bets as well.
Take, for instance, an NHL game between the Sabres and Canadiens. FanDuel posted moneyline odds of -145 and +125, BetMGM offered -150 and +125, whereas ESPN BET matched FanDuel's -145 and +125. This means ESPN BET had the same odds as FanDuel, but offered better odds than BetMGM for a Canadiens win.
When it comes to futures, the results are mixed. Depending on the futures market you’re interested in, you may find ESPN BET offers the best odds for the team/player you want to bet while FanDuel or DraftKings may offer better odds for others.
Bottom line—make sure ESPN BET is part of your line-shopping routine. They often have odds that are more favorable than what you'll find at other major sportsbooks for specific markets.
ESPN BET earns a solid 19.5 out of 20 in my ranking. There are only 3 other sportsbooks that notch up slightly better scores for having superior odds:
- FanDuel: 21/20 (I gave them a bonus point for having the best odds of all books)
- DraftKings: 19.5/20
- bet365: 19.5/20
ESPN BET Sign-Up Bonus
ODDS ASSIST RATING: 13/15
ESPN BET’s current welcome offer is bet anything, get $100 in bonus bets.
All you have to do is sign up, deposit $10 or more, and place any bet of any amount and you’ll receive five $20 bonus bets within 72 hours.
Once you receive the bonus bets, you have 7 days to use them, after which, they’ll be withdrawn from your account.
The bonus bets only have a 1x playthrough requirement, meaning you can’t withdraw them right away. Instead, you have to bet them at least once before you can withdraw any winnings.
ESPN BET gets a 13/15 in the sign-up bonus category from me. It doesn’t have the same total value as other sportsbook sign-up bonuses but requires very little upfront investment.
Here are three sportsbooks with better sign-up bonuses, according to my ratings:
App & Website User Experience – My Takeaways
ODDS ASSIST RATING: 8/15
ESPN BET is exactly like Barstool Sportsbook was but with different colors and logos.
Since ESPN BET is built on the same platform that PENN used for Barstool Sportsbook, there’s not much of a difference in terms of overall structure and appearance outside of the branding.
Interestingly, they didn't go with ESPN's iconic red. Instead, they chose a navy/aqua blue color scheme, which looks pretty sleek.
Speed-wise, the app is not the best but decent. Opening up different parts of the app is pretty seamless, without any significant delays. However, when it comes to switching between pages—say, from the cashier back to the account menu—it tends to take a bit longer than I'd prefer.
At first, I had a really hard time getting around the app without the hamburger menu that other sportsbook apps use, but I figured out that the “Browse” button in the bottom right serves the same purpose and makes it much easier to navigate.
I'm not a huge fan of how they structure their markets within a game, and this applies to both the mobile and desktop versions. To give you a clearer idea, I'll compare it head-to-head with FanDuel.
FanDuel includes separate tabs for subcategories of player props while ESPN BET just has a single tab including all of them. This makes a big difference because there can be seemingly countless player props for popular games—leading to a lot of scrolling on ESPN BET.
When it comes to data density, which is how many games you can see at once on your mobile screen, ESPN BET shows about 3.5 games. This puts it in the middle range compared to others. FanDuel leads the way here, able to fit 5 games on a single screen, making it easier to survey your options quickly.
The app's biometric features are nice. I find the Face ID login to work smoothly most of the time, something that isn’t always the case with other sportsbook apps.
Here are 3 sportsbooks with better UX, according to my ratings:
- FanDuel: 15/15
- DraftKings: 15/15
- Caesars: 15/15
Sports & Betting Markets
ODDS ASSIST RATING: 7.125/7.5
ESPN BET's market depth is really impressive, both in the range of sports they cover and the variety of bets available for each sport. They've expanded their offerings a lot since the Barstool era.
What Sports You Can Bet On at ESPN BET
ESPN BET covers 20 sports, which puts them right in the middle when you look at what other sportsbooks offer. You'll find odds for all the major sports, plus secondary markets like golf, soccer, and tennis, as well as niche options, including winter sports.
Esports betting is part of their lineup, too, which is fully legal in states like West Virginia, New Jersey, and Tennessee. For now, they're only covering League of Legends, but it's likely they'll expand their esports offerings as betting on video games gains momentum nationwide.
Below is the complete list of sports available for betting on ESPN BET:
- Australian Rules
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Boxing
- Cricket
- Cycling
- Darts
- Football
- Golf
- Hockey
- Lacrosse
- LOL
- MMA
- Motorsports
- Rugby League
- Rugby Union
- Soccer
- Table Tennis
- Tennis
- Volleyball
- Winter Sports
The breadth of competitions they cover within each sport is solid. For example, in basketball, they offer odds on 14 domestic leagues worldwide, plus the NBA, WNBA, college hoops, and even WNCAAB. MMA fans can bet on the UFC and the less mainstream PFL.
For those seeking an even broader selection of sports, check out these three betting sites:
- bet365: 25 sports + virtual sports + esports
- BetMGM: 25 sports
- Caesars: 23 sports + entertainment awards
ESPN BET Market Variety
When I evaluate market variety, the key factors for me are the prop bets and futures on major sports since these are the biggest separation points. ESPN BET has significantly improved in these areas. Right now, I would put them close to the top players like FanDuel and DraftKings.
Let's dive deeper into their betting options for major sports and other leagues, with a special focus on props and futures. I’ll share a few examples to give you a feel for what’s available. As for the rest of the betting types like moneylines, spreads, and totals, ESPN BET offers these for most sports.
Props
Props are a broad category of bets, falling mainly into two buckets: game props and player props. I've scored ESPN BET top marks in these areas. Let's dive into the details:
- NBA props: For game props, you get the usual options like winning margins and races to X points. A standout is the “X team maximum total consecutive points,” something I haven't spotted elsewhere. On the player props side, you can wager on all the key stats (points, assists, turnovers, etc). They even offer unique bets like picking a specific player, say Franz Wagner, to net the first basket for the Orlando Magic.
- NFL props: NFL props at ESPN BET include all the favorites like pass completions, defensive actions (tackles, sacks), TDs, and more. They offer alternate lines for unders on player props, which isn't something you see everywhere (sportsbooks usually offer alt lines for over). Plus, they've got an option to bet “no” on a player scoring a TD. This is the kind of bet you'd usually find on betting exchanges, perfect for those looking to play the arbitrage
- MLB props: ESPN BET goes deep with MLB props, offering a wide selection for every game. From player and game bets, you can get granular, like wagering on a specific player's at-bat outcome or even the result of a particular pitch. Among the choices, you'll find RBIs, strikeouts, and total bases.
- NHL props: They offer more NHL game props than most books. You've got options like betting on the highest-scoring period, race to X goals, or whether there'll be a goal in the first 5 minutes. They're also big on player props, with choices like players scoring 2+ goals, last goalscorer, and power play points. Plus, I found a bunch of special combo bets, such as a team to score in every period and both teams to hit over 2.5 goals.
- Other sports: In soccer, you can bet on things like which team will net the next goal, which half will see the most action, and even the exact number of goals in the first half. Tennis fans have some unique options too, like betting on the game score after 2 points or predicting if a set will go to a tiebreak.
Here are three other books that are also crushing it when it comes to props-offer an even more diverse selection of props:
- FanDuel: 5/5 for player and game props
- bet365: 5/5 for player and game props
- BetMGM: 5/5 for player and game props
Futures
ESPN BET has a solid lineup of futures bets for all sports, though nothing that jumps off the page. They cover all the basics—think championship winners, conference and division champs, and player awards like MVP, Most Improved, and Rookie of the Year.
Where they lack a bit is in getting creative with their futures. That said, they do have some interesting NHL futures, like “Will an Original Six Team win the Stanley Cup?”
For those on the hunt for more out-of-the-box futures options, here are three sportsbooks worth exploring:
Live Betting
ESPN BET's live betting platform is solid. The odds are competitive (though not quite on par with their pre-game bets), and the lines refresh quickly with minimal lag.
Their coverage of in-play sports is top-notch. During peak hours (late afternoon to late night), expect to find odds for over 7 sports.
They've added a Parlay+ feature to their live betting platform, something not many sportsbooks have done.
With its vast sports network, ESPN BET is in a prime position to provide one of the best live-streaming services out there. Right now, it's decent, but I'm looking forward to seeing it improve even more.
Overall, I've rated them 4.5/5 in the live betting category.
Here are three sportsbooks that hit the perfect 5/5 on my rating system:
ESPN BET Reviews from Customers
ODDS ASSIST RATING: 3/5
Though ESPN BET has some pretty solid ratings in the app stores, digging a bit deeper reveals a more complex picture. The high ratings seem a bit inflated and might not fully reflect the sportsbook’s overall quality.
Take the iOS app, for instance, which has a 4.8 rating in the Apple App Store from over 125,000 reviews. If you check out specific reviews, you'll find the feedback isn't as glowing. A lot of users are voicing concerns about how long it takes to withdraw their winnings and the quality of customer support.
Here are some examples:
- Issue 1: A user loves the app's features but is frustrated by the slow withdrawal times (see screenshot).
- Issue 2: Another appreciates the welcome bonus but finds the customer support horrible and experiences app crashes and slow withdrawals (see screenshot).
- Issue 3: This user enjoys using the app but criticizes the slow speed of withdrawals and issues with payouts (see screenshot).
Many are praising the iOS app. Interestingly, one user was all about how great their cashout feature is, pointing out that ESPN BET offers a significantly better deal on cashouts compared to DraftKings.
Over on the Google Play Store, the story is pretty similar. ESPN BET has a 4.3 from about 8k reviews. Users generally agree the app is solid. Yet, even among the praise, there's negative feedback about customer support and withdrawal times:
- Issue 1: Robert enjoys how quick the app is and loves the “build your own parlay” feature. However, he ran into trouble with customer support, claiming it took 5 days just to get a response (see screenshot).
- Issue 2: Rockelle had no love for customer support, pointing out the painfully long wait times (see screenshot).
- Issue 3: Caesar mentioned the verification takes forever, something a bunch of other reviews pointed out too (see screenshot).
I checked out Reddit to get a feel for what people are saying there, and it's a mixed bag for sure. You've got your share of bettors with unrealistic hopes, those feeling bitter about their losses, and some who didn't bother to read the bonus details. There was this one thread where someone was blaming ESPN BET for not releasing their winnings.
But, as you scroll down the comments, you start seeing pretty satisfied users, mentioning they got their payouts within a day.
I stumbled upon a thread from a few months back titled “Is ESPN Bet legit?“. These types of threads are usually where frustrated users let off steam, so I braced for some serious complaints. But interestingly, it was all calm—no one dropped any serious accusations. The thread was surprisingly positive.
Overall, I rated ESPN BET a 3 out of 5 for customer reviews. There's just a bit too much noise about poor customer support and dragging withdrawal times for my liking.
If you're looking for sportsbooks that score higher in this department, here are a few options that stand out for having a “cleaner” reputation in review circles and fewer major gripes:
Deposits, Withdrawals, & Payout Speed
ODDS ASSIST RATING: 3/5
ESPN BET's cashier section is fully loaded, offering as many banking options as any other sportsbook I've used.
Deposits
ESPN BET supports 10 deposit methods (which you can see below) that are all instant.
It's cool to see they've got Apple Pay and Venmo in the mix, which aren't as common elsewhere.
The minimum deposit sits at $10 and there are no fees to deposit.
For a detailed look at all the deposit methods and other essential info you'll need for funding your account, take a peek at the table below.
Deposit Method | Minimum Deposit | Processing Time |
|---|---|---|
| Online Banking via Trustly | $10 | Instant |
| Debit card (Visa or Mastercard) | $10 | Instant |
| PayPal | $10 | Instant |
| Venmo | $10 | Instant |
| Apple Pay | $10 | Instant |
| VIP Preferred | $10 | Instant |
| Skrill | $10 | Instant |
| Credit Card (Visa or Mastercard) | $10 | Instant |
| Cash at Casino Cage | $10 | Instant |
| Wire Transfer | $10 | Instant |
Withdrawal Methods & Payout Speed
ESPN BET also boasts a broad selection of payment methods for cashouts, with a minimum withdrawal amount of $10 for all options. You can choose between 8 different payment methods to pull out your winnings.
When you ask for a withdrawal from ESPN BET, they usually do a thorough check to make sure everything's legit, especially the first time you cash out. They might ask for some ID to confirm it's really you and maybe even proof that the account you're sending money to is yours. It's their way of keeping your account and cash secure.
Like deposits, minimum withdrawals are $10 at ESPN BET and payouts typically take a few hours to 3 business days, though some withdrawal requests may take up to 5 business days.
Take a look at the table below for a comprehensive overview of ESPN BET's payout options, including available methods, how fast they process, and any limits involved.
Deposit Method | Minimum Withdrawal | Payout Speed |
|---|---|---|
| Online Banking via Trustly | $10 | 1-5 banking days |
| Debit card (Visa or Mastercard) | $10 | 1-5 banking days |
| PayPal | $10 | 1-5 banking days |
| Venmo | $10 | 1-5 banking days |
| VIP Preferred | $10 | 1-5 banking days |
| Wells Fargo Check | $10 | 1-5 banking days |
| Cash at Casino Cage | $10 | 1-5 banking days |
| Wire Transfer | $10 | 1-5 banking days |
In my experience, ESPN BET generally sticks to their promised withdrawal timeframe—even if they aren’t one of the fastest paying sportsbooks. I haven't had a same-day cashout myself, but I've noticed a few mentions from others who have.
However, there's a noticeable amount of feedback about ESPN BET taking their time with cashouts, leading me to dock 2 points and rate them 3 out of 5 in the banking category. While their range of payment options is top-notch, the frequent reports of payment delays can't be ignored.
Here are three sportsbooks that outperform ESPN BET in the banking department:
Odds Boosts, Promotions, & Loyalty Program
ODDS ASSIST RATING: 8.5/10
ESPN BET offers awesome incentives for players. They run a wide array of ongoing promos (the most among U.S. books right now), plenty of odds boosts, and a loyalty program that provides extra benefits for consistent players.
Let's take a closer look at what they offer:
Odds Boosts
First off, I'm really into their setup for odds boosts. They organize them with dropdowns for each sport, making it super easy to find exactly what you're looking for. Most places just pile all their odds boosts together on one page, which can be a real hassle to sift through.
Then, there's the sheer volume. While working on this ESPN BET review, I found 22 daily odds boosts. That isn’t just a one-day thing either; I check ESPN BET almost daily and they regularly offer that many. That's well beyond the ballpark figure of 3-10 boosts you see at most sportsbooks.
bet365 and Caesars are the real MVPs in this area, though, regularly dishing out 30+ boosts.
There's genuine value to tap into with the boosts. It's tricky to determine if the boosts are +EV (positive expected value) or not, but the price enhancements are definitely legit.
For example, they boosted an NFL player props combo bet from +450 to +550—that's a 22% increase in price.
I also dig how they scatter odds boosts across various sports, even diving into niches like golf and darts. This could be a huge plus for bettors who are into these less mainstream sports.
They're not just tossing odds boosts on those longshot parlays, either. I've noticed they offer some pretty sweet deals on bets that are much more likely to happen. Like Messi to score and his Inter Miami to win at +130. Just for comparison, BetMGM had the same combo but at -111, albeit as part of their regular lineup.
Similar to Caesars and some other sportsbooks, ESPN BET applies a max bet limit on markets with boosted odds, and it seems to vary by user. In my case, the cap ranged between $85 and $200 for most markets.
Don't miss their “In the News” odds boosts section. It focuses on futures bets tied to top athletes getting major airtime on ESPN and other media outlets. I was seriously tempted by their Quaddy Watch odds boost, which laid out +10,000 odds for any player to hit a quadruple-double during the NBA season. Victor Wembanyama seems like a solid bet for such a feat—if anyone's got a shot, it's definitely him.
Lastly, I appreciate how they've set aside a tab just for their odds boosts, making it super easy to find. It beats having to hunt through the entire betting program where odds boosts are just scattered around.
Here are 3 other sportsbooks where the odds boosts also pack a strong punch:
Promotions
ESPN BET really loads up the promotions for all players. At the time of this writing, there are 9 ongoing promotions, more than I’ve seen with any other sportsbook.
What's cool is the variety in their promos; they've got a little bit of everything, catering to different sports and bet types.
They've really nailed insurance promotions, something you don't often see (it's rare for other books to offer more than one).
Here are a few promos I stumbled upon while exploring ESPN BET, just to give you a taste of the perks available for regulars. Just a heads up, many of these promotions are temporary and switch out often, so they may no longer be available:
- Basketball Parlay Bet & Get: Bet $10 on a 3-leg NBA parlay with cumulative odds of +400 or higher, and you'll snag $5 in bonus bets, win or lose.
- 50 Point Special: Make a single bet on any NBA game. If there's a player who scores 50 points, you get up to $1,000 back if your bet doesn't win. And if your bet does win, you'll earn double your original wager's odds in bonus bets, up to $1,000.
- Shootout Protection: Place an NHL moneyline bet on any game. If your team is edged out in a shootout, you'll get your stake back as bonus bets, up to $100.
- Buzzer Beater Protection: ESPN BET gives you a refund up to $100 on your NBA moneyline bet if your team loses to a buzzer-beater shot.
- First Goalscorer Insurance: For soccer fans, ESPN BET returns your stake on First Goalscorer bets if they don't hit up to $10.
With all the perks ESPN BET has to offer, you might find it surprising I've rated them 3.5/5 in the “Promos” category. This is because they're missing referral bonuses and don't offer freerolls—two types of promotions I value highly.
Here are three sportsbooks that scored higher than ESPN BET in this area:
Loyalty Program
PENN Entertainment has woven their PENN Play loyalty program into ESPN BET, essentially keeping it from the Barstool days. This stands as one of the top rewards systems out there.
What's really cool is that it's a crossover scheme—you rack up points online and then turn those into perks at their physical locations.
Each dollar you wager earns you a Tier Point, setting your place in the program's hierarchy. The more points you earn, the higher you'll climb in the tiers, unlocking more valuable benefits along the way.
The PENN Play loyalty program is organized into 5 distinct tiers. Here’s a breakdown of the benefits associated with each level and the points needed to access them.
PENN Play Loyalty Tier | Points Required to Get In | Benefits (some of them) |
|---|---|---|
| Play | 0-999 | Special offers, PENN Cash (you can use it for casino play at retail casinos), discounts for hotel stays and entertainment tickets |
| Advantage Tier | 1,000-17,999 | Annual Rollover points, Discounts for the Norwegian Cruise Line, Access to Real Time Rewards |
| Preferred Tier | 18,000-49,999 | VIP Lounge perks, annual complimentary stays at high-end resorts |
| Elite Tier | 50,000-199,999 | Companion card, personal host, VIP Lounge access, complimentary stays |
| Owners Club | 200,000+ | Annual luxury gifts, annual travel reimbursements, complimentary rooms at any PENN Play destination |
PENN Play is undoubtedly top-notch, but I’d rank it just a notch below the MGM Rewards Program (BetMGM) and Caesars Rewards (Caesars Sportsbook).
ESPN BET Features
ODDS ASSIST RATING: 3.75/7.5
ESPN BET isn’t as feature-heavy as some of the bigger sportsbooks, but they've got the essentials down:
- Cash Outs: Pretty much a staple at US sportsbooks these days, this feature lets you exit a running bet before the game ends, securing a win or cutting losses.
- Live Streaming: While not as slick as the Watch & Bet service from Caesars, BetRivers, and Fanatics, ESPN BET's unmatched access to sports events means they could potentially outdo others in streaming content down the line.
- Same Game Parlays: Known as Parlay+ here, these are mainly for major sports and specific markets. Just hit the “Parlay +” tab to see what's on offer in terms of same game parlays.
I'd love to see them introduce a parlay editing feature similar to what BetMGM and bet365 have with their Edit My Bet option.
Here are three sportsbooks that score higher in the features category in my ratings:
ESPN BET Background
ESPN BET emerged from a partnership between ESPN and PENN Entertainment in August 2023. However, PENN's venture into sports betting started earlier with Barstool Sportsbook.
Essentially, ESPN BET is Barstool Sportsbook's next evolution—the same foundation but with a new look and some minor updates.
The saga goes back to February 2020 when PENN bought a 36% stake in Barstool Sports for about $163 million. The goal was to combine PENN's gambling expertise with Barstool's large fan base. This move led to the rollout of the Barstool Sportsbook app in Pennsylvania in September 2020.
After launching in more states in subsequent years, PENN bought out the remaining shares of Barstool in February 2023.
They didn’t hold onto 100% of the company for long, however, as they sold Barstool back to founder Dave Portnoy for just $1 in August 2023 after announcing the $1.5 billion ESPN deal. PENN took a $850 million loss but was already onto bigger things.
As a part of the agreement, Barstool could not promote any gambling companies until the end of the Super Bowl and PENN would receive 50% of any proceeds from a future Barstool sale (though Portnoy said he would never sell the company again).
Over the next 10 years, PENN will pay $1.5 billion to leverage ESPN's brand, promotional power, talent, and platforms for betting content. Essentially, it's about harnessing ESPN’s strong brand and wide reach in the sports world—a strategy similar to what they aimed for with Barstool, but now on a significantly grander scale.
The agreement between PENN and ESPN includes a safeguard: if the ESPN BET platform (which will be operated by PENN) doesn't hit specific performance targets within the first 3 years, some clauses allow for an exit from the deal.
ESPN's jump into sports betting was on the horizon for a while, but they held back, mainly because of how it might reflect on their brand (with Disney as the parent company). ESPN BET effectively took over the infrastructure and licenses from the earlier Barstool Sportsbook.
In November 2023, ESPN BET went online in 17 states.
Latest Developments
ESPN BET is opening its first physical betting shop in April 2024. It will be located in the Hollywood Casino at Greektown, owned by PENN Entertainment. The setup includes 40 betting kiosks, a large video wall, and 25 HDTVs.
Hot on the heels of this news, PENN Entertainment acquired WynnBet’s mobile betting license in New York. With regulator approval, they are planning to launch ESPN BET there too.
Customer Support
ODDS ASSIST RATING: 2.5/5
ESPN BET offers comprehensive customer support with various contact options:
- Live Chat: Around the clock, but only if you're a registered user.
- Phone: For a callback, dial +1 (844) 953-2121.
- Email: Reach out at [email protected].
- FAQ: For quick answers check the FAQ page.
- X (formerly Twitter): Follow and message @ESPNBetSupport.
I've rated ESPN BET's customer service 3 out of 5. They missed out on a higher score because there's no option for state-specific emails, and their FAQ section isn’t as beefed up as what you see at other places.
Here are three betting sites with better support scores than ESPN BET in my evaluation:
ESPN BET FAQs
When did ESPN BET launch?
ESPN BET went live on November 14, 2023.
Who owns ESPN BET?
ESPN BET is a partnership between PENN Entertainment and ESPN. PENN handles the operational side, while ESPN provides branding and marketing.
Where is ESPN BET legal?
ESPN BET is currently legal in 17 U.S. states.
What is the minimum deposit at ESPN BET?
The minimum deposit at ESPN BET is $10.
Does ESPN process payouts during weekends?
No, they don't process withdrawals over the weekend. The average turnaround for withdrawals is 1 to 3 days.
What is ESPN's welcome bonus?
ESPN BET’s sign-up bonus is bet anything, get $100 in bonus bets.
Does ESPN BET offer cash out feature?
Yes, ESPN BET offers early cashouts for a wide range of markets.
Other ESPN BET Guides
73/100
