PointsBet Review ‌

FAQ

PointsBet Sportsbook Review Details - How the test was conducted

In online gambling platform terms, PointsBet has been around for a while. It recently started offering sports betting services in the US throughout several states. Even though the PointsBet website is legal in 14 states, only four of them can offer casino gambling to players.

To gain a better understanding of the platform, we had our team of experts sign up for an account. We spent hours betting on different sports and enjoying everything the casino had to offer.

We visited the PointsBet website in September 2023 to obtain information about the platform. As a result, we created this in-depth PointsBet review that examines the sportsbook and casino aspects of the site. We have broken down our review in 8 sections.

Each section deals with a pertinent aspect of an online gambling site, from trustworthiness to the bonuses you can expect. We have rated each part out of 5 and provided you with the reasons for the rating and the information that you may need.

At the end of this PointsBet review, we will offer our verdict and final rating. You can use our PointsBet test and experience as a determining factor if you’re considering creating an account on this platform. 

Rating summarized per category

High-Level Facts & Details about PointsBet

PointsBet Trustworthiness Rating

With every review we do, we always place trustworthiness at the forefront because if you can’t trust the gambling site, it’s pointless to sign up for an account. The good news is that the PointsBet Sportsbook is indeed trustworthy.

The site has the necessary licenses in place to offer its services in the allowed states. We can confidently inform you that PointsBet is legit, so you don’t have to feel apprehensive about using the site for gambling. Our rating for the site’s trustworthiness is 5 out of 5.

Is PointsBet Sportsbook Licensed and Certified in the USA?

Yes, Pointsbet Sportsbook is licensed and certified in the US.

List of US states where PointsBet holds a license

1. Colorado
2. Indiana
3. Illinois
4. Iowa
5. Kansas
6. Louisiana
7. Maryland
8. Michigan (including online casino)
9. New Jersey (including online casino)
10. New York
11. Ohio
12. Pennsylvania (including online casino)
13. Virginia
14. West Virginia (including online casino)

When Was PointsBet Launched?

PointsBet came about in 2015 as a company and launched its sportsbook in Australia in 2017. Two years later, PointsBet announced that it would be expanding its operations into the US. The sports betting site has been around in the country since 2019 and has been adding more states over the years.

Does PointsBet Have a Good Reputation?

Yes, since its launch, the site developed a reputation for being one of the best sportsbooks in the world. Even though it was an Australian product, other countries had access to the betting options on the PointsBet app. Since then, there haven’t been any considerable PointsBet complaints to dent its reputation.

The growth that it has experienced since then is a testament to its positive reputation among bettors. Additionally, it’s due to the excellent legacy of the site that US companies were recently locked in a bidding war to purchase the local version of the site.

How Popular Is PointsBet?

As the old saying goes, “The proof is in the pudding”. However, in this case, it’s in the immense growth and development that PointsBet has experienced. The site is unashamedly about sports betting first, resulting in more sports enthusiasts trusting it for their attractive options.

The inclusion of the casino gaming aspect has only helped the platform increase in popularity.

Is PointsBet a Listed Company?

Yes, PointsBet Holdings is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). The company trades as OTCMKTS: PBTHF.

Brands Associated with PointsBet

While there aren’t any other sportsbooks or casinos under the PointsBet banner, the site has associations with some reputable organizations across the world. Here in the US, PointsBet landed several deals with celebrities.

One of the first signings the company made was with NBA legend Allen Iverson. He agreed to appear in adverts and across the site. In 2021, PointsBet added to its celebrity portfolio by signing the NFL’s all-time passing leader and the MVP of Super Bowl XLIV, Drew Brees. 

It didn’t stop there because female golfing personality, Paige Spiranac, with her 3 million Instagram followers, was next. She also features as the queen of flipping coins to pick winners.

Additionally, PointsBet is the official partner of several sports leagues and teams, including:

• NBA
• WNBA
• NHL
• MLB
• PGA
• La Liga
• Newcastle United

Local presence establishments to visit

These are the physical locations where you can visit the PointsBet Sportsbooks.

• Maryland - Riverboat on the Potomac - https://join.pointsbet.com/md-sportsbook-locations-1/
• Iowa - Catfish Bend Casino - https://join.pointsbet.com/ia-sportsbook-locations/
• Illinois - Crazy Pour Sportsbar - https://join.pointsbet.com/il-sportsbook-locations-1/

PointsBet’s Responsible Gambling Policies

As a licensed operator, PointsBet offers US players a range of responsible gambling tools. This aspect of the site is important, and you’ll notice the Responsible Gambling icon at the top-right corner of the page, indicating its importance to the sportsbook and you. These are some of the tools you can access when you’re combating an addiction to gambling.

Responsible Gambling Measures in place

PointsBet’s Owner & Ownership

PointsBet Sportsbook was created in Australia by Sam Swanell, Nick Fahey, and Andrew Fahey in 2015. They launched the PointsBet Sportsbook as we know it in 2017. It received immense support and grew rapidly, leading to the company expanding into the US just two years later.

At the helm of PointsBet Holdings Limited is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Sam Swanell. He is supported by the Chief Executive Officer in the USA, Johnny Aitken; the Chief Executive Officer in Australia, Andrew Catterall, the CEO in Canada, Scott Vanderwel; and the Group Chief Financial Officer, Andrew Mellor.

It’s important to note that the company has been in talks to sell the US arm of the business. Earlier in 2023, it seemed as if US business Fanatics Betting and Gaming were about to purchase PointsBet for a reported $150 million. However, DraftKings submitted a late bid of $195 million only to be beaten by another Fanatics Betting and Gaming offer of $225 million.

From our research, it seems that Fanatics Betting and Gaming (FBG) has secured the business and has already paid an initial installment of $175 million as of the 1st of September 2023.

PointsBet’s Safety Certifications

Our research found no information that the PointsBet site had an ISO certificate.

PointsBet’s Creating an Account Rating

Whether you’re on the website or the PointsBet iOS app, the registration process is simple. You can set up your account from start to completion in a matter of a few minutes. For this reason, we gave PointsBet a 5 out of 5 rating for this section of our review.

Information You’ll Need to Sign Up

When you’re ready to join PointsBet, you’ll have to follow the registration steps on the site or dedicated app. This information will be required by the PointsBet platform.

• First Name and Last Name
• Email
• Password
• Phone Number
• Address
• Date of Birth
• The last four numbers of your Social Security Number
• PointsBet Promo Code (if applicable at the time of registration)

How Easy Is It to Create an Account?

Naturally, PointsBet offers a quick and easy way to sign up for your account. When you’re on the PointsBet website, you will find the colored “Sign Up” button at the top-right of the screen. When you touch that or click on it, there will be a form that pops up on the screen.

Enter your relevant details and agree to the terms and conditions of the site. Once you’re done, you’re ready to enjoy PointsBet.

How PointsBet Verifies Your Documents

PointsBet will require a copy of your ID and the last four digits of your Social Security Number. They use an external agency that deals with credit applications from financial institutions. If the documents you submit correspond with the information that exists on their system, you are verified and can continue enjoying full use of the PointsBet mobile app.

How Quickly Can I Start Playing?

You can get straight to sports betting and casino gaming as soon as you’ve completed the registration process. Simply deposit funds into your account and enjoy the products that PointsBet offers.

PointsBet Withdrawals and Deposits Rating

When you join PointsBet, you want to know that there are enough ways for you to fund your gaming. Additionally, when you’re ready to claim your winnings, it should be a smooth, fast process. While the administrative duties from a PointsBet perspective are excellent, we thought that there were too few available payment methods.

As online casino reviewers and experts, we know what a decent number of options are, and PointsBet falls well short of that mark. However, it’s not an indictment of their processing speeds. Considering the positives and negatives here, we’ve decided to rate the site 4 out of 5 for its PointsBet deposit and withdrawal methods.

Deposit Methods

When you’re ready to make a PointsBet deposit, these are the common methods to use.

How to Withdraw Your Earnings

Unfortunately, there aren’t many ways in which you can withdraw your winnings from PointsBet. The table below illustrates how you can initiate withdrawals from the sportsbook and casino.

Do I Need to Provide Any Documents to Withdraw Earnings?

Yes, you’d have to verify your profile before the platform can process any winnings. Online casinos and betting sites follow this process to ensure that you’re off the legal age for gambling to prevent fraudulent activity from occurring on the site.

PointsBet Sportsbook Bonuses & Campaigns Rating

There was not much to write home about on the PointsBet bonus and promotions front. While there were welcome packages for both casino and sportsbook players, that was pretty much where the excitement ended. Consequently, we gave pointsbet.com a rating of 3 out of 5 for this part of our review.

Introducing Bonuses

Thankfully, there’s a PointsBet promotion available to new players in the casino and sportsbook section. For the sportsbook, new users get up to $1,000 in bonus bets with PointsBet second chance.

After your registration, enter the PointsBet bonus code, WELCOME. Then, you must place a fixed odd cash bet every day for ten days. For each day, if your first cash bet doesn’t win, PointsBet will give you up to $100 back. It’s important to remember that if your first cash bet of the day is successful, then you don’t qualify for the bonus bet.

For casino games, you can get up to 400 free spins in the Cash Eruption slots game. The spins you get are based on your cumulative spend for the first day on PointsBet. There’s no PointsBet promo code for this bonus. The number of spins is determined by your tier level as follows.

• Tier 1: Wager $.01 - $49, Get 10 Free Spins.
• Tier 2: Wager $50 - $199, Get 50 Free Spins.
• Tier 3: Wager $200 - $499, Get 100 Free Spins.
• Tier 4: Wager $500 - $999, Get 200 Free Spins.
• Tier 5: Wager $1000+, Get 400 Free Spins

Another disappointing clause is that you can’t take advantage of both the sports and casino bonuses; you must select either one. Remember to use the PointsBet promo code when claiming the sportsbook bonus.

Current PointsBet Campaigns

Unfortunately, at the time of our visit, there weren’t any ongoing promotions for existing players.

VIP Program at PointsBet

The rewards and VIP program at PointsBet go hand in hand. As soon as you register an account, you’re automatically entered into the program. Essentially, you’re rewarded for every wager you make on the site or the PointsBet app. This breakdown explains how you earn points.

• Fixed-odds wagering: 1 Reward Point for every $5 wagered.
• Parlay wagers: 1 Reward Point for every $1 wagered.
• PointsBetting wagers: 1 Reward Point for every $1 won or lost.

When you’ve accumulated enough rewards points, you can visit the rewards section to claim additional bet credits. PointsBet operates the rewards section with the following intervals: 

The VIP tiers add another dimension to the rewards program. The top two levels - Platinum and Diamond are invite-only. The higher up on the VIP level you are, the more you can enjoy different benefits such as bonus bets, dedicated support, and birthday gifts, amongst others.

PointsBet Game & Products Rating

The gaming catalog at PointsBet is much smaller than some of its competitors. However, the PointsBet Sportsbook is the main attraction here. It makes perfect sense that the sportsbook is filled with a wide range of sports and different markets.

However, we’ve come to expect more from online gambling sites, especially the ones operating in NJ, WV, MI, and PA. Due to the lack of more gaming options, we gave the site a  4 out of 5 for this section in our PointsBet USA review.

What Products Can I Play at PointsBet?

On the casino front, you will have access to some of the popular slots and tables. Additionally, there is a small live casino section to give you the realistic feeling of being present at a casino table. There’s also a video poker section on the site that features seven titles.

Casino Games available

Since there are only two software providers, the casino gaming options are limited. Having said that, you will find some popular slots, such as:

• Divine Fortune Megaways
• Cleopatra
• 88 Fortunes
• DaVinci Diamonds
• Wheel of Fortune Power Wedges
• Golden Goddess
• Siberian Storm
• Lobstermania 2

If slots don’t do it for you, you can try your hand at table games where you battle it out with the software. Online Blackjack, Online Baccarat, 3 Card Stud Roulette, and Mississippi Stud are some of the tables and card games you’d find. In total, there were only 15 tables and card games at PointsBet. These are the other games you can find in the tables section:

• Blackjack
• Roulette
• Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em
• Three Card Poker
• Four Card Poker
• Baccarat
• 3-Card Stud
• Mississippi Stud
• Multihand Blackjack
• Blazing Blackjack

The live casino transports you to the casino floor where a live dealer controls the game. You have to play at their pace and be quick on the draw. It also includes a game show to offer a different experience. These are the titles in the live casino.

• Blackjack
• Speed Baccarat
• Lightning Roulette
• American Roulette
• Dream Catcher
• Three Card Poker
• Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em

Available sports to bet on

The PointsBet Sportsbook is much better than the casino section. There’s live betting or in-play betting available, which offers players better odds based on the actual status of the game. Lightning bets are also popular, offering you the opportunity to bet on every play in the NFL, NBA, college basketball, soccer, and PointsBet cricket, amongst others. These are some of the sports and markets you can bet on at PointsBet.

• Aussie RulesFootball - Moneyline, props, parlays, round robins, teasers.
• Baseball - Moneyline, run line, totals, props, futures, same game parlays, parlays and round robins, PointsBetting.
• Basketball - Moneyline, point spread, totals, props, futures, same game parlays, parlays and round robins, PointsBetting, teasers.
• Boxing - Outright winner, props.
• Cricket - Outright winner.
• Darts - Outright winner, props.
• Football - Moneyline, point spread, totals, props, futures, same game parlays, parlays and round robins, PointsBetting, teasers.
• Golf - Outright winner.
• Hockey - Moneyline, puck line, totals, props, futures, same game parlays, parlays, and round.
• MMA- Outright winner.
• Motor Racing - Outright winner.
• Soccer- Moneyline, parlay, round robins, futures, and props.
• Tennis - Moneyline, props, parlay, and round robins.
• Table Tennis - Outright winner.

Software providers used

Currently, there are only two software providers at PointsBet. IGT is the main company supplying the site with slots, while Evolution Gaming is responsible for the live casino section.

PointsBet Usability Rating

During our test, we used our smartphone for the app and a laptop for the desktop site. Both worked without any faults, which could be because there was not much loading for the platform to perform. However, the experience was seamless, which is why we’ve rated the site 5 out of 5 for this section of the PointsBet review.

PointsBet – Compatible Devices

Whether you’re using the app or the desktop site, you can access the platform with a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop. You won’t lose any quality when switching from a larger screen to a mobile one.

PointsBet – App (Android & iOS)

The PointsBet mobile app is cross-platform. That means that you can access the sportsbook and casino through one app, so there is no need to download separate apps. You can log onto the site to download the PointsBet apk file to load the app onto your device. The app is quite responsive and displays the games and information without any lag.

What We Think about the Feel of PointsBet

The interface is simplistic and yet effective. We enjoyed the layout of the site as well as the overall design. Navigating between different menus was easy, and games didn’t take long to load.

Updates, releases, and improvements to the product

Since PointsBet is new in the USA, there haven’t yet been any changes to the design or the product offering. However, if the site wants to remain competitive, it will have to make adjustments according to the demands of the players.

PointsBet Customer Support Rating

Customer support is a major component of an online casino. We believe that the platform must try to include as many avenues as possible for players to reach out to their teams. We were impressed with the customer support channels at PointsBet and gave it a rating of 5 out of 5 for this section.

How Can I Reach Out to PointsBet?

These are the ways you can contact the team at PointsBet Sportsbook.

• Live Chat (24 Hours)
• Live Chat (Pennsylvania is between 10 AM - 10 PM EST daily)
• Email (service@pointsbet.com)
• Telephone ((312)-800-8716) The team is available 8 AM - 8 PM MST 7 days a week

PointsBet Features & Uniqueness Rating

This site doesn’t try to disguise what it is at its core - a comprehensive sportsbook. The casino products are secondary, so if you’re gambling on this platform, you have to simply accept it for now. However, the site does attempt to be different by introducing its points betting system for sports bettors. As a result, we gave PointsBet 5 out of 5 for this section. 

How Is PointsBet Different from Other Online Casino Sites?

The difference is in the name. The points betting system is unique to this platform and something you won’t find anywhere else in the US. It’s a high-risk, high-reward option for sports betting where you can win or lose big depending on the result of the game.

Additionally, the $5 minimum deposit and withdrawal amount is certainly a PointsBet feature that impressed our team.

What type of Player is PointsBet best suited for?

You should join PointsBet if you:

• Want to have a large selection of sports.
• Are a high-risk player who wants to explore the points bet system.
• Consider yourself a high-roller to capitalize on the VIP program.

PointsBet – Our Verdict

After spending considerable time on the site and app, we would recommend PointsBet to sports fans who are targeting sports betting. The sportsbook is one of a kind, and you’ll find everything you need on this platform. However, if you’re solely after the casino experience, you may want to check out one of the other casino sites.

If you’re asking yourself, “Is PointsBet legal in the USA?” or “Is PointsBet legit?”, we can confirm that it is. As a result, you don’t have to worry about being scammed by cybercriminals.

What We Love About PointsBet

We did enjoy some elements of PointsBet, and they were:

• The tremendous sportsbook with various markets and types of bets.
• The minimum deposit and withdrawal amounts.

Drawbacks - How PointsBet Could Improve

If PointsBet wants to continue its upward trajectory, it needs to:

• Include more casino games from other software providers.
• Offer existing players incentives to remain loyal to the site.

Our Final PointsBet Review Rating

We spent significant time on PointsBet to obtain the information we’ve provided throughout this PointsBet review. Our experience on the site was excellent for the most part. Considering our scoring for each of the 8 sections in the review, our final PointsBet rating is 5 out of 5 stars.