PointsBet Sportsbook Review Nov 2024

PointsBet arrived on the sports betting scene in January 2019 when it launched in New Jersey. But it didn't stop there, quickly adding licenses for online sportsbooks in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Iowa, Colorado, West Virginia, Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania, Arizona Kansas, Maryland, and Ohio. PointsBet focuses all its time and energy into its sportsbook, though PointsBet Michigan recently dipped its toes into the casino space.

PointsBet users will immediately notice a local flare to the sportsbook. PointsBet does a great job of pumping local markets, whether it's featuring those teams on the front of its home page, boosting local teams' odds or featuring those teams' games on the left rail of the available markets. PointsBet has a commitment to state-specific teams, going so far as using former professional athletes from the state as spokespersons.

The PointsBet sportsbook has something for everyone. With more than a dozen different sports to choose from, hundreds of leagues and thousands of betting options within those markets, players will have no shortage of betting options when they sign up and play on this sportsbook. Odds are fairly competitive with some of the other major players, the website and app function properly to make placing bets a breeze, and the customer service is among the best we have reviewed. If you're looking for a sportsbook to call home, PointsBet USA should be considered. Our PointsBet review covers what we like, what we think could be improved and how you can make the most of your betting experience at one of the premier sportsbooks available.

PointsBet offers more than a dozen sports to bet on, including the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL. Less popular sports offered include golf, soccer, boxing, tennis, UFC and even darts. What's more, PointsBet also offers a number of different leagues within all sports that make the betting experience one that can be enjoyed at any time of the day or night. Where there's a market or game, there's a PointsBet bet to be placed. PointsBet also provides countless bets for the biggest sporting events of the year, like the 2022 Super Bowl and World Series. For example, PointsBet might offer boosted 2022 Super Bowl odds in an attempt to pull customers away from competitors.

There are also dozens, if not hundreds, of player prop bets available for major market game. The breadth of player props, team props and alternate spreads and totals at PointsBet is on par with or better than any of the other top US sportsbooks we've reviewed.

The first thing bettors will notice on the PointsBet website are current promotions. PointsBet routinely has graphics attached to each promotion that make the website more welcoming and interactive. The home page also features the most popular sports and leagues in play, so users won't need to dig to find the market they want to bet on. Additional tabs next to the featured leagues are the in-play games, so members will have access to the most popular live events happening at any given time.

PointsBet makes all available markets accessible through a dropdown menu, with featured markets listed at the top, followed by an A-Z list for easy navigating. PointsBet also recently added a search bar to its dropdown main menu, though the website is structured so well that most players won't have any need for it.

Within each market, league, and/or sport, PointsBet features tabs at the top of each page with access to the featured, live and upcoming games in that market. Whether you're looking to make a fixed-odds bet, a live bet, or a futures bet, everything is accessible on a single page.

PointsBet also makes it easy for its players to understand their accounts. A dropdown on the right side of the screen gives customers access to their balance, pending bets, settled bets, deposit and withdrawal options, bonus bet options and other rewards. The best part is all that information is in a dropdown menu, so members can continue betting while looking at that info in real time.

Last but certainly not least, the live chat customer support on PointsBet is one of the best features we uncovered when reviewing the sportsbook. It's accessible and easy to utilize on both the desktop and PointsBet mobile app, the 24/7 function is real and the PointsBet team members are friendly, quick to respond and almost always able to answer questions. Like the dropdown menus for accounts, the live chat is a pop-up app. so members will be able to continue playing while getting their questions answered.

No PointsBet review would be complete without analyzing the PointsBet sportsbook app. And there's good news: If you're a fan of the PointsBet desktop, you're going to enjoy the app. Everything from the ode to local teams to the memorable red and black color blocking, the PointsBet app is a miniature version of the desktop website. Additionally, it functions well, has easy navigation tools and is available for both iOS and Android.

Bettors can download the PointsBet app through the Google Play store or Apple's App store. It's also linked at the bottom of the PointsBet home page and is a simple download for mobile or tablet.

The first, and perhaps best, feature you'll notice on the PointsBet app is the navigation bar at the bottom of each page. This bar includes the following buttons: "Menu," which populates all available betting markets on the left rail of the screen; "Sports," which shows all available sports markets with live and upcoming events featured at the top; "Live," with a notification button for how many different live events are available; "Quick Parlay," which brings users to a screen with all major leagues with games that are available to be parlayed; "My Bets," which brings users to their current bet slip, pending bets and settled bets. While there are other navigation tools on the PointsBet app, that bottom bar is all you'll really need.

Players can also access their account information on the right side of the PointsBet app by clicking on the dropdown menu. Like the desktop, that dropdown will give players access to their balance, bet credits, rewards, available booster parlays and single-game parlays, pending bets, deposit options, withdrawal options, and account history. There's also a not-so-subtle "deposit funds" button within that dropdown for users to add funds to their account.

Users can also access PointsBet's responsible gaming page and a search bar function within the app. Players also can configure a PIN or enable Face ID for logging in on mobile devices for additional security.

PointsBet's odds are like what you'll find at other major sportsbooks such as FanDuel and DraftKings. It's always advisable to shop lines, like for example NFL lines, to see if you can find an extra half-point on a spread or lower juice on a moneyline bet.

In our review of PointsBet, we didn't notice any significant differences in odds, when they're released or whether bettors can take advantage of early lines. It's pretty straightforward and standard on all major markets. The one caveat is that PointsBet is more likely to boost local teams' odds (the Cubs' runline on PointsBet Illinois, for example) than other major sportsbooks. Local teams is one area where bettors can take advantage of superior odds, specific payout boosts or lower juice. While odds are different for every sportsbook, PointsBet is influenced the same by the NFL consensus and you can take advantage.

PointsBet has you covered on all the standard features of an online sportsbook. That includes point spreads, totals, moneylines, player props, team props, and futures bets. For all major markets, there will be hundreds of different available bets for users to choose from.

Before we dive into some of the additional features that bettors will have access to, we want to discuss the most unique feature that PointsBet offers. It's called PointsBetting, a type of bet that rewards players the more they're right (while also penalizing them the more they're wrong).

PointsBetting

Here's how PointsBetting works. For example, a $10 PointsBetting bet on the Denver Nuggets -4 would yield $100 if the Nuggets were to win by 14 points ($10 x the Nuggets winning by 10 more points than the spread). Likewise, a six-point Nuggets loss would result in a $100 loss ($10 bet x the Nuggets losing by 10 more points than the spread).

This PointsBetting option is available for game spreads, game totals and a number of player props. Sports bettors can cap their max PointsBetting winnings and max losses to avoid a significant loss. PointsBetting is as unique a feature as any major sportsbook has, but it does take some getting used to, so make sure you understand what your bet is, how much it could potentially win or lose is, before placing it. PointsBetting is a fun, unique feature that PointsBet provides to all its users.

Cash Out option

Worried about a backdoor cover? Does your bet realistically have no shot of winning? Or do you simply want to take some of your old bets and reallocate them to new ones? PoinstBet offers an option for users to cash out their unsettled, live bets while the event is still ongoing. It won't always be available, and the amount able to be withdrawn changes in real-time, but it's a nice option for bettors who are analyzing their potential of winning (or losing) a bet as it's happening.

Live betting

The betting doesn't stop when the game starts. PointsBet offers hundreds of different live betting options in just about every market. PointsBet's quick response time allows bettors to make quick live bets in real-time, which can make a significant impact based on how quickly odds change during events.

Odds boost

Different sportsbooks offer different odds that, over time, can make a real difference. PointsBet routinely offers odds boosts, specifically to local teams, while also offering parlay boosters, reduced juice, and other promotions to give users a better betting experience.

Same-Game parlays

Our one real knock on PointsBet is that they're still lacking in the same-game parlay department. They offer it in some markets, referred to as single-game parlays, but players don't have much flexibility to create their own single-game parlays. This may change in the future, but for now, it's just an average feature on PointsBet.

Minimum Bet

A minimum bet is the lowest amount of money a bettor can place on a single event or game. At the PointsBet sportsbook, this amount is $0.50.

Maximum Bet

The maximum bet is the largest amount of money a bettor can place on a single event or game. At the PointsBet sportsbook, this number varies between sports and markets with max daily payouts ranging from $100,000 to $500,000. PointsBet will flag a bet if it exceeds their set limits for a particular market and users will have the ability to lower the bet until it's accepted. Prop bets typically have lower maximums.

Reduced Juice

Juice refers to the commission that sportsbooks take on every game. It's why a standard point spread or total has -110 odds, meaning bettors would need to bet $110 to win $100. PointsBet has in the past reduced its juice on NBA and NFL games from -110 to -105, meaning bettors would only need to wager $105 to win $100, and they'll give daily boosts like that to local teams from time to time.

PointsBet lists Mastercard as its preferred payment method because customers can use their bank card to transfer funds to their PointsBet Mastercard, which will immediately be available for play. Withdrawal is made available immediately for players with this specific Mastercard, and they're able to withdraw funds from that card from anywhere that accepts Mastercard. It's one of the most unique features we've seen from any sportsbook.

PointsBet typically pays out quickly after a brief processing period, with the most common methods available being via online bank accounts, PayPal and the PointsBet MasterCard for fast withdrawals.

PointsBet has built a sportsbook that can compete with any of the other major players in the United States, but it knows that problems are going to arise. Whether it's an issue with the PointsBet sportsbook itself, a question about one of your bets, or you need help with something regarding responsible gaming, this operator has you covered.

Of all the sportsbooks we've reviewed, PointsBet customer service tops the list. They've earned that title thanks to a live chat function and an email inbox monitored by and run by a group of helpful, well-trained staff. While a solid customer service function may not feel like a big deal, users will easily notice the difference between a good one and a bad one as soon as they need one.

The live chat function is simple to use. The chat populates as a pop-up on any page so users can continue to use the PointsBet sportsbook while they're getting their issue resolved. Users open the chat and are automatically entered into a queue, which can fluctuate between 5 and 10 users being in front of them during off-hours to more than 30 users in front of them during busy hours. The line moves quickly, and users will receive a notification when it's their turn. Users can expedite the process by entering their name, date of birth and username for verification purposes.

Once connected with a live customer service representative, players receive thorough answers and explanations for whatever concerns or questions they have. These aren't automated responses or reps reading off a script. It's an actual conversation, and it goes a long way.

PointsBet's email inbox functions in a similar manner, with responses, usually coming in a few business days. Users can also contact PointsBet on social media on state-specific Twitter accounts, Instagram account, or Facebook account.

There's also a customer service function called the Karma Kommittee that analyzes bad beats or poor officiating that dictated the outcome of a bet. PointsBet users can submit these outcomes for the Karma Kommittee to analyze, and in certain circumstances, it will refund the losing side of the bet. While it's uncommon and isn't applicable to everyone, it's a nice customer service feature that shouldn't go unnoticed.

Lastly, there's also a FAQ page for users who have questions but do not want to directly contact PointsBet. Under its "Help" section, PointsBet provides general information on deposits/withdrawals, features and promotions, house rules, responsible gaming, and troubleshooting.

PointsBet has a clean interface, quick response times, competitive odds and good customer support. Fans of particular sports and leagues will find the website appealing, while local fans will find the added bonus of the commitment PointsBet makes to state-specific teams. Features are routinely being added, so we won't hold it against them that the app can lag at times or that contests are few and far between. Also, the welcome bonus is not great compared to other sportsbooks. PointsBet is a good site, but it still has room to grow.