What To Expect From The New ESPN Sportsbook
As the self-proclaimed worldwide leader in sports, it was only a matter of time until ESPN got into the sports betting industry. That happened on November 14, 2023, with the official launch of ESPN Bet.
Author:Suleman ShahReviewer:Han JuDec 15, 20232.1K Shares68.7K Views
As the self-proclaimed worldwide leader in sports, it was only a matter of time until ESPNgot into the sports bettingindustry. That happened on November 14, 2023, with the official launch ofESPN Bet. Through an agreement with PENN Entertainment, ESPN was able to take over the betting platform that was previously used by Barstool Sports. Of course, with so many other sportsbooks already operating, how is ESPN going to differentiate from the pack and win over users? Let’s take a closer look at what ESPN’s new sportsbook brings to the table and what fans can expect from ESPN Bet.
Where is ESPN Bet Available?
At its launch, ESPN Bet became available in over a dozen states. Those states are Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. It’s possible that ESPN Bet will expand into other states thatallow legalized sports betting, but nothing is official yet and we advise you to keep track of all changes in this ESPN Bet review right here.
Is There a Signup Bonus?
Upon signing up, new users to ESPN Bet will be eligible to receive $200 worth of bonus bets. These bonus bets will come in the form of four different $50 bonus bets. There is also the option of receiving a 100% deposit bonus of up to $1,000. With this offer, rather than getting $200 in bonus bets, new users can choose to receive 5% cash back on all of the bets they make for their initial deposit.
What Other Bonuses/Rewards Are Available?
Like most sportsbooks, ESPN Bet will have ongoing promos beyond the welcome offer for new users. These promos will vary from one day to the next and depend on what sports leagues are in season at the time. They are likely to include friend referral bonuses, profit boosts, and parlay insurance, among other types of bonuses that other sportsbooks like to use.
What Do the Betting Markets Look Like?
To compete with more established sportsbooks, ESPN Bet knows that it will have to offer a wide range of betting markets. All of the major sports like baseball, football, basketball, and hockey are well covered. But ESPN Bet’s offerings go far beyond the major leagues and include sports like beach volleyball, boxing, cricket, cycling, golf, lacrosse, MMA, rugby union, table tennis, and volleyball. ESPN Bet also has soccer markets from all over the world and several esports, including CS: Go, DOTA2, and League of Legends.
At the same time, ESPN Bet is missing some elements of betting that might be found elsewhere. For instance, ESPN Bet doesn’t currently offer wagers on horse racing. ESPN is also lacking a Daily Fantasy Sports platform.
Will the Odds Be Competitive?
The initial assessment of ESPN Bet is that it will have odds that are competitive with other sportsbooks. Since ESPN is a little late to join the sports betting industry in most states, they should understand the importance of offering competitive odds. In fact, ESPN Bet is trying to go above and beyond in some areas by offering betting options that aren’t available at competing sportsbooks. For example, rather than only offering affirmative player props for a football player scoring a touchdown, ESPN Bet is giving bettors a yes/no option for whether a specific player will score a touchdown in a game.
What is the User Experience Like?
Just like most sportsbooks, ESPN Bet offers users both a desktop and mobile platform to use. The desktop version tries to keep things as simple as possible with links to the home page, betting history, promotions, live betting, and a search bar. There is also a long list of sports available on the left side of the page, making it easy to locate a specific betting market. ESPN Bet also makes the bet slip easy to use, even for parlays, teasers, and more advanced types of bets.
The ESPN Bet mobile platform is similar despite trying to fit just as much onto a smaller screen. The main menu makes it easy to find boosts and featured bets, as well as promos and links to ESPN’s Responsible Gaming page. The main difference is that the bottom of the screen is where users will find links to live betting, betting history, and the search bar. While there are some differences in the design between the desktop and mobile platforms, everything that can be found can also be found at the other.
What Key Features Are Present or Missing?
As a new sportsbook, it might take a little time for ESPN Bet to catch up with everything that other sportsbooks are doing. However, ESPN Bet is off to a strong start and has most of the basics covered. For instance, ESPN Bet offers early cash out on most wagers and has an extensive live betting market. As mentioned, they are distinguishing themselves with the yes/no option for touchdown player props.
However, one area where ESPN Bet still needs to catch up is with support. At the moment, the FAQ page isn’t as extensive as some other sportsbooks. Also, the live chat function is only available on the mobile app, not the desktop platform. Of course, these are not necessarily huge drawbacks that will prevent ESPN Bet from being competitive in the market. These are also shortcomings that should improve with time.
Suleman Shah
Author
Suleman Shah is a researcher and freelance writer. As a researcher, he has worked with MNS University of Agriculture, Multan (Pakistan) and Texas A & M University (USA). He regularly writes science articles and blogs for science news website immersse.com and open access publishers OA Publishing London and Scientific Times. He loves to keep himself updated on scientific developments and convert these developments into everyday language to update the readers about the developments in the scientific era. His primary research focus is Plant sciences, and he contributed to this field by publishing his research in scientific journals and presenting his work at many Conferences.
Shah graduated from the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (Pakistan) and started his professional carrier with Jaffer Agro Services and later with the Agriculture Department of the Government of Pakistan. His research interest compelled and attracted him to proceed with his carrier in Plant sciences research. So, he started his Ph.D. in Soil Science at MNS University of Agriculture Multan (Pakistan). Later, he started working as a visiting scholar with Texas A&M University (USA).
Shah’s experience with big Open Excess publishers like Springers, Frontiers, MDPI, etc., testified to his belief in Open Access as a barrier-removing mechanism between researchers and the readers of their research. Shah believes that Open Access is revolutionizing the publication process and benefitting research in all fields.
Han Ju
Reviewer
Hello! I'm Han Ju, the heart behind World Wide Journals. My life is a unique tapestry woven from the threads of news, spirituality, and science, enriched by melodies from my guitar. Raised amidst tales of the ancient and the arcane, I developed a keen eye for the stories that truly matter. Through my work, I seek to bridge the seen with the unseen, marrying the rigor of science with the depth of spirituality.
Each article at World Wide Journals is a piece of this ongoing quest, blending analysis with personal reflection. Whether exploring quantum frontiers or strumming chords under the stars, my aim is to inspire and provoke thought, inviting you into a world where every discovery is a note in the grand symphony of existence.
Welcome aboard this journey of insight and exploration, where curiosity leads and music guides.
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