ESPN Bet is one of the newest entrants in the crowded online sportsbooks market, but it has already proven to have all the makings to stand out from the competition.
As I outline on this ESPN Bet review, the platform already made a name for itself thanks to a handy sportsbook app, a wide range of markets, a solid range of promotions, and much more. Available in 17 states, ESPN Bet is now offering an unmissable welcome bonus of 100$ in bonus bets.
ESPN Bet rolls out the red carpet for new bettors with a generous sign up bonus offering $100 in bonus bets. Claiming the bonus is really straightforward, as no opt-in or ESPN Bet promo code is needed.
New bettors simply need to create an account on the platform, make a deposit of at least $10, and place a single sports bet during the promotion period. Once your initial bet has settled, ESPN Bet will automatically issue the bonus bets within 72 hours, which you’ll receive as five separate bonus bets of $20 which you must use within seven days.
The intuitiveness of the platform makes registration on ESPN Bet a breeze, but for the sake of clarity I’ve broken down the process step by step for you:
At first glance, the ESPN Bet website looks rather simple, with a plain white background and no fancy frills. However, the layout is clean and uncluttered, which allows bettors to easily navigate the site and find what they are looking for.
All sports and leagues are well organized in a dedicated menu on the left side, while the top of the page features a general menu, with the live section, promotions, and a handy search bar. While browsing the platform for this ESPN Bet sportsbook review, I was happy to discover that the site also features a “responsible gaming” button at the top of the page to ensure quick and easy access to a section where you can place limits on your account should you wish.
In this part of my ESPN Bet betting guide, I have outlined several notable features of the platform which I think will enhance your betting experience:
Live betting is one of ESPN Bet’s main focuses, covering plenty of sports betting markets such as basketball, baseball, hockey, football, soccer, tennis and many more. You can easily access the Live section from the menu at top of the page, where you will find the selection of live events currently available. Furthermore, ESPN Bet offers a “Quick Bet” feature, which offers the ability to place bets rapidly during live sporting events.Â
ESPN Bet also offers a remarkable variety of live streaming options, covering all the most important events across numerous sports, but with a particular emphasis on major league basketball, baseball, football and hockey. In addition, the live streaming feature is also available from the mobile app, allowing you to place your bets while the match is unfolding, in any location where ESPN Bet is legal.
The early cashout option allows you to close your open bets and receive a payout before the match you have wagered on reaches its conclusion. On ESPN Bet, the early cash out feature is available for a variety of sports markets, and can be selected directly and easily from your bet slip.
Not only does the ESPN Bet app offer all the options that can be found on the desktop version, but it also has some handy additional features, such as custom notifications. This option gives you the ability to set notifications for upcoming events you don’t want to miss, or to inform you of the outcome of your bets.
I found it of great interest that EXPN Bet includes Teaser betting, which is quite a rarity. Teasers are a type of parlay bet that allow you to adjust the spread for each of the games selected, by a certain number of points. Like a parlay, all of the legs must be successful for a teaser bet to pay out and the cashout amount will be less than for a standard parlay due to the increased likelihood of success. I have mentioned this here, as teasers are perfect for basketball betting.Â
ESPN Bet is owned and operated by Penn entertainment, a company that was founded in 1972 under the name “Penn National Race Course” at which time it was solely engaged with the horse racing business. In more than 50 years of activity, the company has changed a great deal, transitioning to being a more diversified enterprise by acquiring several other companies and incorporating casino operations in addition to its sportsbook business.
To date, the company is one of the best established companies in the gaming and entertainment industry, and has more than 27 million loyalty program members.
ESPN Bet sportsbook is a relatively new platform, having been launched in 2023, so it has yet to build a recognizable brand and build audience trust. However, as I mentioned, the brand owner, Penn Entertainment, is a reputable and fully licensed company that has been in the entertainment industry for more than 50 years, and is trusted by millions of users.
During this ESPN Bet review, navigating the platform was a breeze, thanks to an intuitive and well-organized layout. The betslip can be easily accessed on the right side of the screen, and the login process is straightforward, requiring you to just enter your email address and password. Overall, the site loads quickly and runs smoothly, and all the links to relevant sections such as Terms and Conditions and FAQs are easily accessible from the bottom of each page.
Unfortunately, we cannot always access a computer when there is a live event we want to follow, or when we have downtime; and that is where a mobile sportsbook app comes in handy. I was therefore pleased to discover during this ESPN Bet review that the platform features a dedicated mobile app. The ESPN Bet betting app is available for both iOS and Android devices and can be downloaded directly from the official ESPN Bet website, Apple App Store, or the Google Play Store.
The app is compatible with both mobile phones and tablets and enables a seamless betting experience on all devices, allowing you to place bets from any location where ESPN Bet is legally able to offer its services. In all other ways the app replicates the website in terms of sports, events, markets, bonuses and betting limits.
As for all the best sports betting sites, ESPN Bet features a wide range of reliable payment options, to ensure smooth and safe transactions. For deposits, ESPN Bet supports several solid payment methods, including Visa and Mastercard credit or debit cards, wire transfer, and also various ewallets including Skrill and PayPal. Most of the deposit methods allow you to deposit funds instantly and have a minimum deposit limit of $10.
When it comes to withdrawals, the same payment methods available for deposit are supported, but you can only withdraw to a payment method that has been previously been used to make a deposit. Depending on the payment method, withdrawal processing times can vary, from instant for PayPal and Skrill, up to 2-3 business days for ACH transfers.
Regardless of the payment method you choose for deposits and withdrawals, ESPN Bet will never charge transaction fees, but your payment provider may do so, so it is advisable to check the T&Cs of your financial institution to see if that is the case.
I will never tire of repeating that good customer service makes all the difference in terms of user experience, so this review of ESPN Bet would not be complete without mentioning its customer support. When we have a problem, we simply want it resolved quickly and smoothly, and a timely support team is crucial in this regard. Fortunately, ESPN Bet’s friendly customer support is available 24/7 and responds in a timely manner.
There are several options, with the 24/7 live chat offering the fastest response time. You can also contact support via email, with an average wait time of about 12 hours. Although there is no phone line to call directly, you can request a callback, and a customer support representative will get in touch with you within 24 hours, depending on their availability. You can also contact the support team through ESPN Bet’s official X (formerly Twitter) channel.
ESPN Bet is operated by Penn Sports Interactive, LLC, a licensed and regulated sportsbook operator. ESPN Bet is therefore a fully regulated sports betting site that is currently legal and licensed in 17 US states.
The platform complies with all relevant laws governing sports betting, so players must be at least 21 years old and physically located in one of these 17 states in order to access ESPN Bet’s services. In addition, ESPN Bet offers the security of SSL encryption and enables two-factor authentication to further protect financial transactions.
At the time of writing my ESPN Bet review, the sportsbook is legally available to residents in 17 US states:
Arizona | Kentucky | Ohio |
Colorado | Louisiana | Pennsylvania |
Illinois | Maryland | Tennessee |
Indiana | Massachusetts | Virginia |
Iowa | Michigan | West Virginia |
Kansas | New Jersey |
All other states are restricted from accessing ESPN Bet currently, but I will promptly post updates if changes occur.
During this ESPN Bet review I was able to confirm that bettors have access to a loyalty program known as the Penn Play Program, which is operated by the brand’s owner. The program is free to join, and it only requires you to sign in and download the Penn Play app, which will allow you to easily keep track of your status and benefits.
PPP Members can enjoy several perks, with the best rewards available at the top levels, but the benefits can include special offers and promotions, the possibility to earn and redeem PENN Cash, cruise discounts with Norwegian Cruise Line, access to the VIP lounge, and much more. The program is structured in the following tiers:
To level up you simply need to place bets at ESPN Bet, which will earn you Tier Points; the more Tier Points you gain, the faster you level up. Tier Points also earn you Penn Cash, that can be used for shopping, hotel stays or dining experiences with Penn partners. Alternatively, you can also redeem Penn Cash as bonus bets to use on the ESPN Bet sportsbook.
Although I’m not suggesting you won’t be satisfied with your experience at ESPN Bet, you may want to compare with what similar providers have to offer. To give you an idea of what’s out there, some good alternatives to ESPN Bet include
All three of these solid sportsbooks offer live betting, live streaming, early cash out options, same-game parlays, a mobile app, and of course some of the best sportsbook promotions in the business. They are all widely available in the US, which makes them viable option in US states where ESPN Bet is not currently licensed to operate.
If sports betting is available in your region, you’ll see a comparison table below. Check it out to see how ESPN Bet’s offer compares to its closest rivals. Please note that if sports betting is not legal in your state, you may be able to find a suitable Daily Fantasy Sports site instead.
The selection of ESPN Bet betting market is quite wide, and includes both pre-game and in-play options. The main focus is obviously on popular pro sports, such as basketball, baseball, football, soccer, hockey, and tennis, and all the main events and championships for these sports are covered. However, less mainstream sports markets are also available, including sports such as darts, lacrosse, MMA, winter sports, and more, as well as championships and events in different parts of the globe.
The odds at the ESPN Bet sportsbook are overall very competitive when compared with rival sportsbook brands especially for certain sports such as basketball and football. By default, odds on this platform are displayed in American format, but they can easily be toggled to show Fractional or Decimal odds if preferred.
Live betting is one of the focal points of ESPN Bet, which allows in-game betting on a wide range of sports, events, and markets. The platform also offers some convenient features dedicated to live betting, such as the Quick Bet option, which allows bettors to place a bet quickly and easily with one click, by choosing one of the pre-set betting options displayed. To further enhance the in-game betting experience, the platform also offers top-notch streaming for all major sporting events.
There is no single fixed limit applied in the platform. Instead, ESPN Bet attaches limits to individual betting markets. But as a rule of thumb, the more popular a sport or event is, the higher the limits tend to be. Generally speaking at ESPN Bet you will be able to place high limit bets on mainstream markets, while limits for niche options tend to be lower.
In conclusion, ESPN Bet is an excellent betting site for all sports enthusiasts who live in one of the 17 states where it is accessible. The market selection is impressive, and the variety of sports covered guarantees that every sports fan will find something to suit them. Furthermore, the live betting options and the quality of the streaming service make this betting platform and its convenient mobile app definitely worth your while.
At the time of curating my ESPN Bet review, the platform is available and legally accessible for residents of 17 US states: Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. You must be physically located within the borders of one of those legal states to use ESPN Bet.
ESPN Bet is a fully regulated and legit online sportsbook, operated by Penn Sports Interactive, LLC, a company active in the entertainment industry for more than 50 years. ESPN Bet is licensed to operate in 17 US states and keeps user data and transactions secure using SSL encryption and 2-factor authentication, as is the standard in the industry nowadays.
Along with the desktop version, ESPN Bet also features a convenient mobile app. The ESPN Bet app offers all the options of the website plus some exclusive features, such as the possibility to set up custom notifications. To find out more about this mobile app, don’t miss my ESPN Bet review!
ESPN Bet currently welcomes new bettors with a sign up bonus of $100 in bonus bets. To claim the bonus, new subscribers simply need to create an account, make a first deposit of at least $10 and then place a single sports bet. Once settled bettors receive their bonus bet credits within 72 hrs, divided into five separate $20 bonus bets
Overall, the ESPN Bet sportsbook offers a top-notch betting experience to all sport enthusiasts across the 17 states in which it operates. Beside its generous welcome bonus, this sportsbook offers you plenty of markets to bet on and flexible parlays, covering all the most popular sports, such as basketball, baseball, football and soccer, plus several other niche options.
In addition, the mobile app is packed with handy features, including access to live betting and/or streaming, which allows you to be in the middle of the action at all times. The verdict of my ESPN Bet review is overwhelmingly positive; Whether you are into basketball, baseball, soccer or other sports, ESPN Bet is a great platform to use.
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