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ESPN Bet Review: Pros and Cons for the New Sportsbook App from ESPN

Mike Noblin
Written by: | Fact checked by: Chris Lollis
Last Updated: October 1st, 2024

ESPN Bet is now live and our team has spent the past few months testing every feature available in the new app! Get all the ins and outs of the hottest new sportsbook app in the industry in this review. We’ll cover ESPN Bet’s mobile app, customer support and cashier options, bonus offers, and share our overall rating for the sportsbook product.

ESPN Bet Sportsbook Review Summary

Final Verdict:
ESPN Bet is rapidly increasing in both popularity and usage. With a lucrative signup bonus of up to $100 in bonus bets, a lightning-fast app, and a household brand, the sky is the limit for this new sportsbook.

EatWatchBet Rating:
4.8 out of 5
Website and Mobile App
4.9
Odds and Payouts
4.7
Betting Options
4.9
Bonus Offers
4.9
Rewards Program
4.7
Customer Support
4.8
Welcome Offer:
Get $100 in Bonus Bets

21+. Please Gamble Responsibly. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

ESPN Bet Sportsbook Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Sleek mobile app and a website that’s incredibly easy to navigate.
  • One of the best bonus offers in the industry for new players.
  • The registration process is smooth and headache-free.
  • Plenty of fun odds boosts each day for players.

Cons

  • Odds aren’t great for moneyline sports like NHL and MLB.
  • Buying points is super expensive in football.

ESPN Bet Overview

Well, it’s officially official: ESPN, the world’s largest sports media conglomerate, now has its own sportsbook. Just a few months after inking a $2 billion dollar deal with PENN Entertainment, ESPN Bet is now alive and well.

The launch of ESPN Bet went off without a hitch, with the app replacing Penn's Barstool Sportsbook in every state where it was available. The ESPN Bet app is now live in 17 states: Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

If you are a sports bettor located in one of the states where ESPN Bet is available, what are you waiting for? Sign up for an account to take advantage of the $100 in bonus bets that ESPN Bet is offering new players. There’s nothing better than growing your bankroll right off the bat.

ESPN Bet App Screenshots

ESPN Bet Website and Mobile App Review

4.9 out of 5

This is where ESPN Bet’s investment in Barstool Sportsbook really paid nice dividends. Barstool already had a stellar mobile app and a website that was easy to navigate. Because of this, ESPN Bet had to change very little during its rebrand.

Whether you’re on the app or the website, you’ll be able to quickly switch between the odds for different sports. Every page loads quickly, which as we said before is a must for live betting. All sports are conveniently laid out to the left of the home page, so bettors are able to quickly find which one they’re looking for.

Building a Bet Slip and Same Game Parlay Options

If you have bet with any of the popular U.S. sportsbooks, the process of building a bet slip with ESPN Bet will feel very familiar. Selecting wagers from the sportsbook will add them to your bet slip, where you can quickly move between straight bets, parlays, and teasers.

If you prefer to bet same game parlays, ESPN Bet has plenty of options for most events. Simply navigate to Parlay+ to browse all of the same game parlay odds available for the event. From here, add wagers to your bet slip to build your SGP.

ESPN Bet App Rating from Current Users

So, what are other people saying about ESPN Bet? Lots of good things! The app currently has a 4.8 rating on the App Store at the moment. Nearly 119,000 people have rated it and they’ve only been live for a couple of months!

The app ratings are a little bit lower with Android users (4.2 on Google Play), but that’s still very respectable. So far, only around 7,500 players have rated ESPN Bet on the Play Store.

So, how does the ESPN Bet app compare to industry leaders like FanDuel and DraftKings? Quite favorably in our opinion. The app is well laid out, loads quickly, is easy to use, and was completely void of issues throughout our testing.

Betting Options, Odds, and Juice at ESPN Bet

4.9 out of 5

Sports fans and bettors alike will be pleased to know that ESPN Bet is doling out a whole slew of betting options. No matter what your favorite sports is, you’ll be able to get action down on it with ESPN Bet.

They offer betting options for football, baseball, basketball, hockey, tennis, and soccer. They also provide odds for niche sports like cricket, auto racing, MMA, and rugby. To sum things up plainly: if there’s a game going on anywhere in the world, ESPN Bet will probably allow you to bet on it.

As for those odds that we talked about, just how competitive are they? Well, that’s what we’ll dive into next. For popular sports like NBA, NFL, and college football, ESPN Bet gives out standard odds that are comparable to other big-name sportsbooks like DraftKings and FanDuel.

How Does ESPN Bet Juice Compare to Top Sportsbooks?

The juice is also the standard -110 on point spread sports at ESPN Bet. However, if you bet on moneyline sports like hockey or baseball, you may be a bit disappointed in the juice.

For example, most of the US sportsbooks offer a 20-cent juice on NHL games. That means if the Toronto Maples are playing the Florida Panthers, most US books will offer -160 on the Leafs and +140 on the Panthers.

Unfortunately, that is not the case with ESPN Bet, as they offer 25-cent juice instead of 20-cent juice. So in our example above, ESPN Bet would offer the Leafs at -160 but the Panthers at just +135. That 5-cent difference may not sound like a lot, but it adds up to a huge deficit for the player over a full season.

Live Betting With ESPN Bet

Here’s another area that ESPN Bet shines in! They offer plenty of in-game wagering options for gamblers who like to bet on games as they’re happening. The live-action is easy to find too, as all you have to do is click the LIVE button at the top of the screen to see what is currently being offered.

Speed is the most important feature when it comes to live betting. The last thing anyone wants is to have their wager not go through because of a slow betting ticket. What a bummer!

Thankfully, that will not happen with ESPN Bet. Whether you’re on their app or website, there is never any lagging. Once you click a live wagering option, it immediately populates to the betting slip for quick processing.

ESPNBetGet100

ESPN Bet Bonus Offers and Promotions

4.9 out of 5

Signup bonuses are an integral part of a sportsbook’s success. The sports betting industry has grown increasingly more competitive in recent years. Because of that, sportsbooks know that they have to offer prospective players a little more “skin in the game” to earn their business.

ESPN Bet understands this, which is why they’re sparing no expense when it comes to bonus offers. New players in most states can bet $1+ to get $100 in bonus bets.

It’s pretty neat that ESPN Bet has a solid offer for new players. Sports bettors will love getting $200 in bonus bets with any $1+ bet. It's a fantastic way to beef up the bankroll!

Be sure to track every ESPN Bet promo code offer available, as they are likely to change frequently.

Daily Bet Boost Promotions

Bet Boost promotions are all the rage amongst gamblers these days, and this is another strength of ESPN Bet. What is an odds boost? We thought you’d never ask!

A bet boost refers to a sportsbook adjusting the normal odds for a game or player prop and increasing them in the favor of bettors. This results in a higher payout for the player, which is something every gambler will appreciate.

While some sportsbooks may only offer 2 or 3 odds boosts per day, ESPN Bet will often give out 10x that amount. For example, even though this is a slower sports Tuesday, ESPN has 18 odds boosts currently available on their website. That’s pretty sweet!

Deposit and Payout Options at ESPN Bet

4.8 out of 5

We all know that being able to fund your sports betting account in an easy manner is critical to having a nice, pleasant wagering experience. The same is also true for when you need to withdraw some funds. Thankfully, both depositing and withdrawing are a breeze with ESPN Bet. Keep in mind that you must deposit at least $10 when signing up.

Each account on the app has a Wallet section. Simply click that button to get the depositing or withdrawal process started. Deposits are accepted via PayPal, Credit/Debit Card, ACH, eCheck, or Wire Transfer. Withdrawals can be made with any of those same methods or you can choose to receive a paper check in the mail.

When it comes to cashier options, we highly recommend PayPal. It’s fast, easy, and allows you to transfer and receive money without having to enter personal details on each transaction.

Customer Service

4.8 out of 5

Here’s another area where ESPN knocks it out of the proverbial park. No matter what type of issue you have, ESPN Bet has a customer support team that can help you get what you need quickly. Customers can use the Live Chat function, email the support team, or request a callback.

The live chat feature is probably the most efficient way to go. Once you click the support button, a warning pops up saying that it may take up to 24 hours to receive a callback via phone. This makes sense because the app is adding so many new customers each day.

The Live Chat feature is available 24 hours a day, giving players a direct line to the support team. Should you choose to call customer support, the phone number is 844-953-2121. Email support is also an option for players who prefer to create a support ticket. Simply email [email protected] to create a submit a support request.

ESPN Bet Review Summary

ESPN Bet Review Summary

With an easy-to-use app, a plethora of betting options, a headache-free registration process, and a bonus offer that’s second to none, ESPN Bet is poised to make a major splash in the US sportsbook marketplace.

The majority of the initial customer reviews the app has received have been remarkably positive, so the company should enjoy a large amount of success. Here are some of the highlights from our hands-on testing of the app:

  • Fast and easy registration process.
  • Lucrative bonus offer that is put into your account immediately after satisfying the requirements.
  • Tons of live betting options and daily Odds Boosts.
  • Plenty of ways to fund your account and make withdraws.
  • Decent odds on point spread sports.
  • Easy transition for previous Barstool Sportsbook customers.
  • A highly-rated app that is always fast and easy to navigate.

While those highlights are impressive, no sports betting app is perfect. In the famous words of Rocky Balboa, “It ain’t all sunshine and rainbows!” With that being said, here are some areas that ESPN Bet can improve in:

  • Pretty unfavorable juice (25-cent) for moneyline sports like hockey and baseball.
  • Extra juice is charged when buying points in the NFL and college football.
  • Not as many player prop options as competing sportsbooks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Obviously, the ESPN name has been around for quite some time. They’re the premier media company for sports news and highlights. That being said, ESPN Bet is brand new to the sportsbook industry, so bettors will have plenty of questions as they start using the new app. Find the answers to the most popular ESPN Bet FAQs below.

How do ESPN Bet’s bonus offers compare with others in the industry?

ESPN Bet has a very nice bonus offer! However, it’s currently behind industry giants like FanDuel and DraftKings. Both of the “big boys” are offering up to $150 and $200 in Bonus Bets. ESPN Bet is offering $100 in Bonus Bets in most markets. That’s a great deal!

Is ESPN Bet legit?

Most definitely! ESPN Bet is a subsidiary of ESPN, which is owned by Disney. These companies are held to very strict rules and regulations. This means that you can make deposits without any type of concern.

How good is the ESPN Bet app?

While it may be too early to tell, the initial reviews for ESPN Bet’s app have been incredibly positive. ESPN Bet is currently enjoying a 4.8 rating on the App Store (iOS) and a 4.2 rating on the Play Store (Android). We’ve been able to use the app without any issues at all so far!

Can I bet on live sports with ESPN Bet?

Absolutely! Live betting is one of ESPN Bet’s best features. The app is super fast and it processes live wagers without any type of lagging. You’ll be impressed by how many games you can live-bet with ESPN Bet.

I used to have a Barstool Sportsbook account. Can I still get the bonus bets?

Yes! We were pleasantly surprised to find that we still received bonus bets in our new ESPN Bet account, even though we’d been prior customers of Barstool Sportsbook. The other nice thing is that your personal login information will automatically transfer from Barstool to ESPN Bet.

21+ to wager. Please Gamble Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-877-770-7867(CO), 1-800-522-4700 (KS, NV), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), Call 1-800-327-5050 (MA), Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help (MI). Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), 1-888-532-3500 (VA).

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I've Been Impressed So Far!

April 4, 2024

I was shocked when the mothership decided to offer a sportsbook product, but I must say I've been pleasantly surprised. My favorite feature of ESPN Bet is their daily odds boosts in each sport!

Victor Velasquez
Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He played college baseball and has been betting on sports for more than 20 years. He has a degree in Sports Psychology and covers the NFL, CFB, NBA, and MLB for EatWatchBet.

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