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David Portnoy founded Barstool Sports in 2003, a digital media company. The company’s two key investors are The Chernin Group and Penn National Gaming. Barstool Sportsbook is driven by iSport Genius, the same data supplier used by operators such as Flutter (FanDuel), DraftKings, Bet365, and 888 Sport.
Barstool Sports officially entered the sports betting business on September 18, 2020. Barstool Sportsbook launched in Pennsylvania. During its first week of operation, it handled $11 million in wagers. Penn National reported Barstool Sportsbook had registered more than 400,000 customers and generated over $660 million and $61 million in handle and gaming revenue, respectively, creating a 9.2% hold. That put them above the average 7.2% hold across all states.
Barstool and Penn National have bold plans for expansion. Penn obtained the Canadian-based sports media brand theScore in October 2021. Barstool is introducing standalone branded sports bars, with the first two coming in Chicago and Philadelphia. They plan to merge Barstool Sportsbook with Score’s best-in-class sports media app and betting technology, giving them a highly customizable and fully integrated technology solution. Barstool continues to pursue opportunities to unlock new channels for future growth.
Controversy and Reputation
The sportsbook itself from Barstool has an “OK” reputation, but the Barstool Sports brand is another story. For the average individual not familiar with the brand’s styling, it packs a lot of controversies. This creates an uneasy feeling considering you’re trusting your money and personal information with the brand.
Portnoy has described the site’s topics as “sports/smut.” Their controversial practices have made them one of the most polarizing companies in sports media. This styling has created a cult following of “Stoolies” but has also done plenty to steer away an equal amount of the general public.
In August 2011, the site received criticism over comments about nude photos of Tom Brady’s two-year-old son, which a former prosecutor suggested was the sexualization of a minor.
They’ve also received plenty of criticism regarding their promotion of blackout parties and comments Portnoy himself has made making light of rape. “[E]ven though I never condone rape, if you’re a size six and you’re wearing skinny jeans, you kind of deserve to be raped, right?” Portnoy said in a blog post.
They received heat for using a child to advertise a bet on its Instagram feed in 2020, and a “questionable” TikTok video about gambling losses posted in March 2021 cost Penn National a $10,000 settlement in Indiana. The Indiana Gaming Commission said the footage in question breached its marketing regulations for “false and misleading advertising.”
Charity
The company hasn’t been entirely malicious, The site raised $240,000 for the victims of the Boston Marathon Bombing. They led podcast listeners to raise over $50,000 for the J.J. Watt Foundation. In 2018 They teamed up with NFL quarterback Baker Mayfield to release a clothing line benefiting Special Olympics Ohio.
They also launched The Barstool Fund, a fundraising non-profit that provides financial support to small business owners across the United States affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Over $41 million has been raised with help from celebrity contributors such as Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Elon Musk, and Guy Fieri.
The Penn National Gaming Foundation established the ‘Hurricane Ida Emergency Relief Fund’ for team members to apply for financial assistance for immediate needs. Their sister properties also helped to provide temporary housing and much-needed provisions when Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana in August 2021.
States where Barstool Sportsbook is Available
Barstool sportsbook is currently available in the following states:
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Louisiana
- Michigan
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- West Virginia
Sports you can bet on with Barstool:
- Aussie Rules Football
- Baseball (MLB)
- Basketball (NBA, WNBA)
- Boxing
- Cricket
- Cycling
- Darts
- Football (NFL)
- Golf (PGA)
- Hockey (NHL)
- Lacrosse
- Motorsports
- Olympics
- Rugby
- Soccer
- Table Tennis
- Tennis
- UFC/MMA
This list is by no means complete, and chances are if you want to bet on something, Barstool Sportsbook will let you wager on it.
Barstool Sportsbook bonuses and promotions
Sign-up bonus
The Barstool Sportsbook welcome package consists of a 2-for-1 new player bonus offer, available to all Barstool Sportsbook players who have yet to make an initial deposit. If your first bet loses, you’ll receive an equal free bet of up to $1,000.
Barstool Sportsbook Bonus Terms
The $10 bonus is awarded immediately after registering with no deposit required.
For the risk-free bet, bettors who lose their first wager receive their refund as bonus cash. Both bonuses are only subject to a 1x wagering requirement on sports bets with minimum odds of -200 (-110, +100, and +200 are acceptable, -250 is not). Round-robin bets are ineligible. Additionally, bets made with bonus cash return both the stake and profits on winning wagers. Bettors can also allocate bonus cash however they like. If the bettor wants to split the refund into five, 10, or even 100 wagers, that’s entirely up to them.
Loyalty bonus
After registration, bettors can claim another $5 Barstool no-deposit bonus. Simply sign in and update your betting favorites from the account preferences tab. Following this step ensures that players qualify for the extra sports betting bonus.
You will join the mycash loyalty program after signing up for a Barstool Sportsbook account. You get a point for every $10 wagered on a straight bet, including odds boosts, and a point for every $5 wagered on a parlay. You will climb up through various tiers, earning better rewards as you go, and you can exchange your points for perks such as merchandise, hotel stays, shopping discounts, and, of course, free bet credit.
Promotions and Incentives.
The Barstool Sportsbook is presently running several specials. These include insurance on certain markets, reduced juice on marquee matches, and more.
Barstool also offers an array of “only at Barstool” action, such as a “Quick Pick 6,” in which you choose from all the leagues, set a date range, and Barstool will automatically put together a six-leg parlay for you. Also, at 5 p.m. on weekdays, Barstool offers “Reduce the Juice,” a one-hour window of reduced odds on select standard bets.
Types of Bets Can I Place at Barstool Sportsbook?
You can make the following bet types with Barstool:
- Parlays
- Moneyline
- Over/Under (Totals)
- Point Spreads
- Live (in-play) Betting
- Teasers
Barstool Sportsbook Loyalty Program
Barstool Sportsbook has incorporated Penn National’s world-renowned loyalty program into its app. Mychoice is a multi-tier rewards system that allows bettors to earn comps, luxury gifts, travel perks, hotel stays at Penn National retail facilities, cash, and much more.
The program is divided into five annual tiers:
- Choice: 0 – 999 Tier Points
- Advantage: 1,000 – 17,999 Tier Points
- Preferred: 18,000 – 49,999 Tier Points
- Elite: 50,000 – 199,999 Tier Points
- Owners Club: 200,000+ Tier Points
Mychoice allows players to earn Tier Points in a variety of ways, but the most common is by wagering real money online or at participating land-based casinos.
The earn rates at Barstool Sportsbook and Penn National’s other online property, HollywoodCasino.com, are as follows:
- 1 Tier Point per $12 coin-in on slots or video poker
- 1 Tier Point per $25 bet on table games
- 1 Tier Point per $10 wagered on straight sports bets or Barstool exclusive bets
- 1 Tier Point per $5 wagered on parlays
On top of this, Barstool Sportsbook players can earn real-time rewards in the form of Penn National’s loyalty currency, mycash.
Mycash eligibility unlocks at 3,000 Tier Points, and the earn rates improve (slightly) as bettors climb the ranks, as follows:
- 3,000 – 17,999 Tier Points: Get $10 mycash per 3,000 Tier Points earned
- 18,000 – 49,999 Tier Points: Get $25 mycash per 5,000 Tier Points earned
- 50,000 – 199,999 Tier Points: Get $150 mycash per 25,000 Tier Points earned
- 200,000+ Tier Points: Get $500 mycash per 50,000 Tier Points earned
At 3,000 Tier Points, bettors would have to wager $30,000 on straights or $60,000 on parlays to win $10 in mycash. Even at the highest tier, bettors need to wager $500,000 – $1,000,000 to earn $500, a cashback rate of between 0.05% – 0.1%.
The other mychoice membership benefits are more convincing, especially for those who frequent Penn National retail casinos. Bettors can earn stays at Tropicana Las Vegas or M Resort Spa Casino, free Norwegian cruises, free valet parking, VIP lounge access, companion cards, special promotional offers, waived hotel fees, and more.
At the highest tier, VIPs receive exclusive birthday dinners, complimentary late check-out, guaranteed comped rooms and an annual luxury gift, an example of this is a one-year Mercedes Benz lease.
Payment Options
- Credit cards and debit cards (Visa cards, Discover cards and MasterCard)
- Bank wire transfer
- ACH transfer/eCheck/online banking
- Barstool Sportsbook Play+
- Pay Near Me
- PayPal
- Online Banking