PointsBet Overview
PointsBet has been a mainstay in the world of US sports betting for a long time and at one point could have been considered among the best sportsbooks in the country.
However in 2023, the company was acquired by Fanatics Inc. and will eventually stop supporting the platform.
We have left this review up, but we recommend users interested in PointsBet check out our Fanatics Sportsbook review to learn more about that product.
PointsBet score
- Great live betting tools like SGP & Lightning Bets
- Unique betting features like PointsBetting
- Sleek website and app
- No longer offering a sign up bonus
- Casino is very limited
- PayPal is only e-wallet supported
Bonus offer | 5/10 | |
Betting variety | 10/10 | |
Mobile experience | 10/10 | |
Payment options | 9/10 | |
Betting experience | 10/10 | |
Support | 8/10 | |
Summary | 8/10 |
PointsBet mobile screenshots
Website | pointsbet.com |
Game Types | Sportsbook & Casino |
Deposit methods | Visa & MasterCard, PayPal, Online Banking, PayNearMe, ACH, PointsBet MasterCard, In-person (where available) |
Withdrawal methods | PayPal, Online Banking, PayNearMe, ACH, PointsBet MasterCard, In-person (where available) |
Apps | iPhone, Android |
Support | 24/7 Live Chat, Email |
Owner | PointsBet Holdings Ltd. |
Founded Year | 2015 |
Headquarter | Denver, CO |
Bonus Code | N/A |
PointsBet Review
Sports betting options have exploded in the past few years, leading many sportsbooks to try and make their mark. Few have been as innovative and creative as PointsBet.
Their website is supremely easy to use, displaying top betting markets, daily odds boosts, and promotions prominently. Their mobile app meets the standard set by the site and is great at updating live odds.
The sign up offer for new users and easy-to-use functionality make this a great site for beginners, while the innovative PointsBetting system and great live betting features are refreshing changes-of-pace for longtime sharps. PointsBet has something for everybody!
One of the best sportsbooks in the US
PointsBet entered the US market at a bit of a competitive disadvantage due to a lack of brand awareness. However, the Aussie-based sportsbook has intelligently utilized high-profile partnerships with NBC Sports, numerous leagues and teams, and legendary athletes like Allen Iverson and Drew Brees to quickly establish themselves as one of the best and biggest brands in US online sports betting
The official gaming partner of the NFL, NBA, MLB, and PGA Tour is here to stay and is one of America's best online sportsbooks. Available in a growing number of states, PointsBet is more than worthy of your time.
Try PointsBet if... 👍
- 🏈 You Want Unique Betting Features
PointsBet has made its name by innovating and offering users new and interesting ways to play. For example, their signature PointsBetting system allows users to engage in a high-risk, high-reward style of spread betting that can't be found anywhere else.
Looking for a bet that's not currently offered on PointsBet? You can use their Name A Bet feature to suggest a bet to the sportsbook. If they accept the wager, then they will price it with odds and you will be able to wager on your suggestion.
When you combine that with the already great basic betting features like thorough Same Game Parlays, elite odds, and lightning-fast live betting, then PointsBet offers users a remarkably well-rounded sportsbook.
- ⏰ You Want a Top-Notch Live Betting Experience
Speaking of, PointsBet's live betting can stand among the very best in the business.
With some of the quickest-updating live odds, and betting features like live same game parlay and their Lightning Bets micro-betting infrastructure, PointsBet is one of the best sportsbooks for live betting out there.
The only thing holding PointsBet's live betting back right now is the limited live streaming options. They currently only offer very niche sports for streaming, while some competitors offer streams of the NHL, MLB, and even NFL now.
But once the live streaming options improve, PointsBet very well may have the best live betting in the US.
- 📱 You Want to Bet on the Go
Of course, the vast majority of bets are placed via mobile apps in this day and age.
Luckily, PointsBet's app is extremely well-designed and one of the best you will find.
Available on both iPhone and Android, the PointsBet app flows smoothly, has very little lag, and is designed in a way that makes it easy for players to wager straight from their phone.
Avoid PointsBet if... 👎
- 🎰 You Want an Elite Online Casino
While PointsBet introduced its online casino in early 2022, it marked a new venture for the previously sports-exclusive gambling brand.
While it's a promising start, the casino element of PointsBet is still fairly barebones.
If you want to take advantage of a great online casino, you may be better off choosing a sportsbook with a more developed casino shingle, such as BetMGM.
- 💳 You Want to Use Venmo for Deposits & Withdrawals
This may seem a bit nitpicky, but PayPal is currently the only e-wallet supported by PointsBet.
This doesn't really mark a big strike against it, but now that FanDuel Sportsbook has allowed users to use Venmo for deposits and withdrawals, we hope that other elite sportsbooks will follow suit.
Adding Venmo as a banking option would be really nice, but it's not too big of a blackmark on PointsBet's name at this point.
Comparing PointsBet to the Competition
While PointsBet may not have the name-brand and national advertising budget of DraftKings or FanDuel Sportsbook, it can certainly stand on its own two feet among the biggest names in the business.
Here's how the experts at Sportsbooks Online have rated PointsBet next to the two biggest brands in betting.
PointsBet Comparison | |||
---|---|---|---|
Bonus offer | 5/10 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 |
Betting variety | 10/10 | 5/5 | 5/5 |
Mobile experience | 10/10 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 |
Payment Options | 9/10 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 |
Betting experience | 10/10 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 |
Support | 8/10 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 |
Summary | 8/10 | 4.6/5 | 4.7/5 |
Read More on PointsBet
PointsBet Promo Code
PointsBet Second Chance Bets
Need some insurance with your new bookie? PointsBet is currently offering new users 5 second chance bets worth up to $500 total over the course of your first five days.
You should note there are some caveats to this promotion. The $500 must be split between five different wagers - your first five real money bets on the platform on each of your first five days, each protected up to $50 in second chance bets.
You will only receive your money back if your bet loses, so this is a win-win proposition for first-time users! The amount of times you can bet with a second chance is great and really allows users to get a feel for PointsBet and decide if they want to make it their long-term betting home.
The repayment your account receives is not withdrawable as cash so choose wisely.
PointsBet Promo Code Quick Facts
Total Bonus Amount | $500 |
Minimum Deposit | $10 |
Minimum Odds | N/A |
Turnover Requirement | 1x |
Expiration Time | 7 Days |
How to Claim PointsBet Promo Code
- Register with PointsBet
- Select your state
- Create an account
- Deposit
- Bet away
PointsBet Promotions
One thing that PointsBet is great at is incentivizing returning bettors. Too many sportsbooks offer users a sweetener to join up and then don't offer you much to come back once you've made your initial deposit and started betting. PointsBet rises above the competition in this regard.
PointsBet existing customer promotions include:
- Parlay Boosts - Receive juiced odds and higher profits on parlays if 3 legs or more once a day
- Same Game Parlay Insurance - Get money back on Same Game Parlays up to $25 once per day
These promotions are great ways to keep users invested in the platform and rewarded for coming back to this sportsbook.
As always, these individual promotions will have their own terms and conditions, so check each offer's T's & C's to prevent unpleasant surprises.
PointsBet States: Where is PointsBet Legal?
PointsBet is currently available in the following states:
- Colorado (Sportsbook)
- Illinois (Sportsbook)
- Indiana (Sportsbook)
- Iowa (Sportsbook)
- Kansas (Sportsbook)
- Maryland (Sportsbook)
- Louisiana (Sportsbook)
- Michigan (Sportsbook & Casino)
- New Jersey (Sportsbook & Casino)
- New York (Sportsbook)
- Ohio (Sportsbook)
- Pennsylvania (Sportsbook)
- Virginia (Sportsbook)
- West Virginia (Sportsbook & Casino)
You do not need to be a resident of one of these states to make an account but you do need to be physically located in the state to place bets.
Users can sign-up and wager on the web or via the PointsBet mobile app. PointsBet also offers in-person betting sites in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and New Jersey.
We expect the burgeoning sportsbook to expand further in the future as more online sports betting legislation is passed nationwide.
What You need to sign up with PointsBet
- Full name
- Date of Birth
- Address
- Email
- Last 4 digits of Social Security Number
*In Iowa you also need to submit a valid ID and recent proof of address to ID@pointsbet.com
PointsBet Sportsbook
As you might expect, PointsBet’s slate of available sports runs the gamut. Over 20 professional and college sports available including:
- Football
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Boxing
- Cycling
- Golf
- Hockey
- MMA
- Motor Sports
- Soccer
- Tennis
PointsBet allows users to place wagers on these sports and more in a variety of ways including pre-game bets, player props, and live in-play bets.
My favorite sport to bet on with PointsBet
While it may not be a huge sport in the US, darts has an intense fanbase in my home country of England. On some mornings, I'll even get up early just to watch some of my favorite throwers back across the pond with my cuppa.
PointsBet's recent addition of live streaming darts competitions has made it my favorite sport to wager on with the sportsbook. The ability to place live bets and watch the match directly on PointsBet has been an absolute godsend and makes me feel like I'm back at home for a brief moment.
PointsBet Live Betting
PointsBet features a wide variety of live betting options on niche sports and leagues, such as the NPB in Japan
PointsBet features an extensive array of live betting on a wide variety of sports. The diversity of sports offered is nice, and the betting features available to place live bets make the whole thing a remarkably smooth live betting experience
Live odds are updated incredibly quickly, with little interruption via betting suspension. Other features like Lightning Bets and live same game parlay make PointsBet stand out as one of the best bookies for live betting.
There is a distinct lack of live game tracking, especially for more niche sports. Compared to a site like Bet365, which has very in-depth game tracking, PointsBet could do a bit more in this regard.
PointsBet Lightning Bets
"It pays to be fast," as PointsBet's old slogan says, and they've taken that lesson to heart with their Lightning Bets. A form of micro betting, Pointsbet Lightning Bets allow users to bet on the outcome of every play, minute by minute, in sports like football, basketball, and soccer.
Micro betting is becoming more and more popular in the industry, but the speed at which PointsBet updates its live odds makes it an elite offering for this specialized kind of wager.
An elite feature of PointsBet's live betting is the ability to create same game parlays during live games in the NBA, NFL, and more
PointsBet Live Same Game Parlay
Same Game Parlays have become the most sought-after pre-game betting feature in recent years. With the simultaneous rise in live betting, it was only a matter of time before a sportsbook added the ability for a user to create live same game parlays.
PointsBet was there first and currently offers users the chance to create live same game parlays for the NBA, NFL, college basketball, and recently the World Cup.
This is a feature that PointsBet currently owns and truly makes them one of the best sportsbooks for live betting in the US. In the future, we hope to see this functionality expanded to MLB, college football, and more.
PointsBet Live Streaming
One recently added feature that will certainly improve PointsBet's live experience is live streaming.
While it's still a new addition, PointsBet allows users to live stream and wager on niche sports like competitive darts and table tennis. These options make sense for now - it's not like these sports would have a very large audience without bettors! Plus, It's still early days, but I foresee PointsBet branching out a bit in the future in an attempt to really make this feature a key part of their offerings.
The bad news is that PointsBet requires the user to have a minimum of $10 in their account in order to live stream. On the other hand, Bet365 only requires users to have a positive balance on their account in order to live stream a better variety of events and Caesars Sportsbook has even lower requirements to stream NFL games. This is a rare instance where PointsBet is a bit less user-friendly than some of its competitors.
PointsBetting
PointsBet is innovating how Americans can bet on sports. Their PointsBetting system is a high-risk, high-reward weighted alternative to the traditional fixed-odds system.
PointsBetting is a gamechanger
This method rewards winning or penalizes losing on a per-point basis. It may sound complicated, but the way it works is straightforward and easy to understand. Once you place your wager, the amount of money you win or lose is based on how right or wrong you were.
PointsBetting Explained
For example, say you bet $10 on the Philadelphia Eagles to beat the Dallas Cowboys by 5 points. If the Eagles win by 10 points, your bet would pay out $50! However, if the Cowboys won by 3 points, you would lose $80! It’s a system that rewards big if you win big but also multiplies your losses so bet responsibly!
More on PointsBetting
Aussie import PointsBet has taken the US sports betting market by storm in the past few years by bringing fun and creative ideas to the forefront. Their crown jewel? PointsBetting.
PointsBet Betting Features
- PointsBet Name A Bet
Another unique feature of PointsBet is the ‘Name A Bet’ feature. Don’t see a wager listed that you were looking for? Simply use this function on the site or mobile app or tweet @PointsBetUSA with the hashtag #nameabet and PointsBet will generate a market for you.
- PointsBet Same Game Parlay
Same game parlays allow you to combine multiple wagers from one game into a single enhanced-odds wager. This is a type of bet that has been getting more and more popular in recent years, especially for NFL and NBA bettors, so it is great that PointsBet offers this while some competitors still lag a bit behind.
- PointsBet Cash Out
A feature borrowed from many European sportsbooks, PointsBet offers Partial Cash Out for users. This means that you can react to odds changes in real-time and lock in a portion of your profits early. This is a fantastic feature for hedging your bets and limiting the pain that bad beats can cause.
- PointsBet Odds
PointsBet features some of the best odds on the market, even beating out bigger competitors like DraftKings Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook. As a company, PointsBet owns all of its own betting technology, meaning you will never see PointsBet's odds on a competing sportsbook. This differentiates them from the rest of the market, many of whom outsource their odds from a third-party provider, such as Kambi.
PointsBet App
PointsBet boasts one of the strongest mobile experiences on the market. A fantastic facsimile of their desktop experience, the app is easy to navigate and fun to use.
Personally, my favorite feature is the ‘Quick Parlay’ tab. This feature shows you some of the top events of the day and allows you to quickly make parlays at a glance. It’s fast, seamless, and perfect for mobile betting!
Compared to other sports betting apps in the US, this commitment to giving users an experience unique to mobile betting puts PointsBet a step ahead.
Even compared to competitors with great apps, like FanDuel Sportsbook and DraftKings Sportsbook, PointsBet sets a new standard.
The PointsBet app is available on the App Store for iPhone users and Google Play for Android users.
PointsBet iPhone App - 4.8/5 rating based on 31.4k reviews
PointsBet Android App - 4.7/5 rating based on 8.86k reviews
- How to Download the PointsBet App
- Register with PointsBet
- Open the App Store/Google Play on your device
- Search 'PointsBet'
- Download the PointsBet Sports Betting app
- Log in and bet
PointsBet Payment Options
PointsBet accepts a wide variety of deposit and withdrawal methods. Users can pay via their Visa or MasterCard and directly from their bank account. Additionally, cash deposits using Paynearme stations and ACH payments are accepted.
PointsBet MasterCard
One unique aspect of PointsBet’s banking services is the PointsBet MasterCard. Once requested, users can pre-load their cards to regulate their spending on the site. This service also allows instant withdrawals. After you withdraw, simply take your card to an ATM and take out your cash.
The PointsBet MasterCard is currently only available in New Jersey.
PointsBet Deposits
For deposits, users can take advantage of the following payment options:
- Visa & MasterCard Credit/Debit Card (Iowa only Debit Card)
- PayPal
- Online Banking
- PayNearMe (Not available in Michigan)
- ACH
- PointsBet MasterCard
- Cash In-person (where available)
This is a fairly wide variety, and surely satisfies a wide array of users who prefer to utilize differing payment options.
Even better news for users is the minimum deposit requirement - PointsBet's minimum deposit is just $5. This is the lowest minimum deposit amount on the market, which allows you to control how much money you are spending on the betting site.
PointsBet Withdrawals
To withdraw your money, PointsBet provides the following solutions:
- PayPal
- Online Banking
- PayNearMe
- ACH
- PointsBet MasterCard (NJ only)
- Cash In-person (where available)
Just like with deposits, PointsBet sets the standard for minimum withdrawals. PointsBet only requires a minimum withdrawal of $5. Compared to competitors like DraftKings Sportsbook and BetMGM, both of whom require $20 minimum withdrawals, this is much more user-friendly and allows users easier access to their money.
PointsBet also offers some of the quickest payouts on the market, with withdrawals only taking up to 2 days. This speed makes PointsBet stand out from the pack.
PointsBet PayPal
Crucially, PointsBet offers PayPal support for users looking for a convenient and fast banking experience.
PayPal is one of the best payment options on PointsBet due to its incredibly fast processing times. Withdrawals using PayPal typically process within 30 minutes. Getting cash back into your digital wallet makes PointsBet PayPal a premium payment method.
Unfortunately, other e-wallets such as Skrill are not supported.
Overall, PointsBet offers a solid suite of payment options, but we would love to see more e-wallets included in the future!
PointsBet Casino
If you're interested in taking your winnings from the Lakers' game and trying out the table games, you now have that option. In 2021, PointsBet finally launched the PointsBet Casino. Currently only available in New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, the PointsBet Casino will surely roll out in even more states as soon as the company can get authorization.
PointsBet Casino is now offering various casino games, including Slots, Blackjack, and Video Poker.
You can sign up and play on the casino platform, all while using your sports betting account. PointsBet offers a shared wallet functionality that allows you to seamlessly use both platforms.
Since the casino's launch, both the availability and the game types offered are a bit limited compared to the competition. We would have expected this to have changed in the time since the PointsBet Casino went live, so it's a little disappointing that it hasn't evolved yet.
Still, it's a decent enough add-on to one of the best sports betting experiences you will find anywhere.
PointsBet Customer Service
PointsBet offers a solid suite of support options for users. If you have any issues you can email their service center or start a live chat with a customer service agent. Both of these functions are easily accessible at the bottom of the site.
There is also a dedicated Support Center page on the site that features some frequently asked questions that could be useful to users having issues. However, some of these pages need to be updated with more current information or expanded upon. For example, the ‘Where is PointsBet Currently Available?’ page has not been updated to include details about Colorado and Michigan. Small tweaks and expansions to this section would make it a great tool for users, but as it stands this aspect is somewhat of a missed opportunity.
PointsBet Review FAQ
Yes. PointsBet is perfectly legit, legal, and licensed to operate in several states. Provided you are physically located in one of these states and at least 21 years old, you should have no problem wagering with PointsBet.
PointsBet is legal in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Yes. Everyday PointsBet offers odds boosts on select games as well as other promotions updated daily.
Yes. If you’re worried about your team blowing a lead late in the game and losing your bet PointsBet has you covered. You can cash-out early and receive a prorated portion of your winnings without risk.
Yes. PointsBet users in Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia have access to the PointsBet Casino online.
The minimum bet amount on PointsBet is $0.50.
Yes. As of January 2022, PointsBet is legal, live, and fully operational in the state of New York.
PointsBet is an online sportsbook founded in Australia and currently expanding in the United States. PointsBet is active in over a dozen states and is considered one of the best online sportsbooks in the US.