Pennsylvania Sportsbooks: Best Sportsbooks in PA (Top 5 apps)

Online sports betting has spread quite far since states were able to legalize it in May 2018 and Pennsylvania was ready for it.

It was ahead of the curve, passing sweeping legislation for online gambling and sports betting on October 26, 2017. PA sports betting fans saw the first retail sportsbooks arrive in mid-October 2018.

From here, the first online Pennsylvania sportsbooks opened in May 2019. As of December 2022, there are 14 online sportsbooks available.

Below, we’ll profile three sites we feel confident recommending you to play, whether you’re a new player or a seasoned veteran.

 

Unibet PA - Largest Pennsylvania betting library

Not only does Unibet also offer international sports to PA—it quickly offers the most possible bets across any sports betting PA platform.

On the left side of the page, you’ll see a menu that shows the number of available bets per sport, and there are easily 50,000 total bets or more available at any given time. You can also bet on these on the mobile app.

Unibet - Most Streamlined User Interface for Online Betting in PA

When it comes to a desktop site or mobile app, we don’t ask for much—it should be aesthetically pleasing enough, while making it easy to find everything you’ll need.

Unibet PA app review

In the upper left-hand corner of the mobile app, there’s a menu that opens and has links to the homepage, sportsbook, online casino, live dealer games, promotions, and the help center.

On the homepage, you’ll see icons for the various sports which will populate the page. As you scroll down, you’ll see a section for the highlighted games in each sport with a static menu along the bottom with links to the live betting page, the sports listed A-Z, games starting soon, and the bet slip.

Unibet PA makes sure you don’t need to scroll far on the site to find everything you’ll need.

Unibet pros:

• A streamlined user interface that makes it easy for new players to jump into the action
• The sheer volume of available bets per sport is staggering
• Great collection of bonuses and promotions, including parlay insurance, bonus bets, profit boosts, and more

Unibet could improve:

• The welcome bonus is a $500 no sweat bet, which is smaller than you'll find at other big-name competitors

 

PointsBet PA - Most player-friendly among the PA online sportsbooks

With so many legal sports betting options available in the state, finding ways to break away from the noise and become unique can be challenging for PA online sportsbooks.

PointsBet PA, a site originating in Australia, does just that.

It offers two key features—Name A Bet and PointsBetting, which are also available on the mobile app.

You can contact PointsBet PA, pitch a betting idea, and they’ll either accept or deny it. As for PointsBetting, this is a unique bet type only found at PointsBet that awards you based on correct or incorrect you are.

Pointsbet PA app review

The PointsBet PA mobile app opens with a menu showcasing the available promotions and bonuses.

Below these are three menus for featured games, live betting games, and games that are starting soon.

Under each category, you can sort by sports market.

Along the bottom of the app is a menu to search for sports, live betting options, the quick parlay creation feature, the online casino, bet slip, and a menu that offers links to the promotions page, the “Name A Bet” feature, boosted odds, and more.

PointsBet - PointsBetting awards you for betting in PA

With PointsBetting, you’ll wager an amount on a point spread or total, and if you win, you’ll win the amount wagered multiplied by how many points you were correct by. It's a great idea, because it offers the chance of a big upside.

PointsBet - Longest-lasting PA online sports betting welcome bonus

At PointsBet PA, new players will receive five $100 bonus bets. On the wagers you lose over the first five days after signing up, you’ll receive them back as bonus bets.

So, if you wager $100 every day and lose on the third, fourth, and fifth day, you’ll get $300 in bonus bets.

PointsBet pros:

• PointsBetting is a revolutionary way of betting that isn’t replicated anywhere else
• Name A Bet isn’t guaranteed, but it allows you to create your own betting experience
• $500 in no sweat bets, but available each day, making the first five days of playing exciting

Pointsbet could improve:

• Process of accessing the online sportsbook could be more streamlined

 

Betway online sportsbook in PA - Best sports betting markets

Founded in 2006, Betway has international roots, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that there’s a plethora of global betting markets available, as well as your more traditional American sports.

While the market to bet on sports for these might not be massive, this is a selling point for Betway and the mobile app as it offers sports like cricket, snooker, handball, lacrosse, rugby, and other international sports you may rarely see elsewhere.

Betway PA app review

When you open the Betway mobile app, you’ll see a scrollable menu with various icons for the available sports markets.

Below are the available promotions, followed by the upcoming games and live betting options.

When you click on a sport, it opens the available games, displaying the NBA moneyline odds, spread, and total. It also provides a link to the hundreds of other available bets per game.

Betway - Best live betting interface among Pennsylvania sportsbooks

Live betting is a great way to stay in the action all game long. Betway has a page dedicated to it that shows not only the bets but also an “Event View” that shows live, in-game updates.

Betway - Best live betting tools for Pennsylvania sports bettors

In addition to the interface seen above, Betway offers a section for statistics, head-to-head comparison, standings, and a game timeline. This may seem minor, but it isn’t something you’ll often find at other legal online sports betting sites in Pennsylvania. These tools help inform your live betting wagers if you cannot watch the game live.

Betway pros:

• Great live betting user interface and tools not seen at other Pennsylvania sportsbooks
• Wide variety of international sports you may not find elsewhere
• Solid existing player promotions for parlay betting, including boosts

betway con:

• Including the welcome bonus, there are only three promotions in total

Best bonuses at Pennsylvania sports betting sites - Pros and cons of using a first match deposit bonus

The welcome bonuses are a bit of a mixed bag at Pennsylvania online sportsbooks, but it’s mostly positive.

When looking at the online sportsbooks in the state and comparing them to branches in other states, you’ll find that some welcome bonuses are larger in Pennsylvania than elsewhere. Considering how long sports betting has been live in the state, this might not be what you were expecting.

For example, the Unibet PA offer is a $500 no sweat bet. In other states, the value is just $100.

There is one notable omission, though—BetMGM.

The typical BetMGM Sportsbook welcome bonus is a first bet offer where you can get up to $1,000 paid back as bonus bets if your first bet loses. But it’s not even available in Pennsylvania. We have no idea why this is the case.

Pros

• PA sports betting sites typically offer higher bonuses than their other branches
• Multiple types of welcome bonuses are available
• Wide range of monetary amounts, making them available to all types of players

Cons

• The BetMGM welcome bonus has vanished for Pennsylvania bettors

Sports betting legal information - How to make sure that you play at legal online sportsbooks in Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, the governing body that oversees gambling in the state, whether sports betting, gambling, or poker, is the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.

We mentioned there are 14 legal sports betting sites in the state. There are a few ways to identify what they are, including icons and text on the site and looking at the official Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board website's list of approved vendors.

Playing at legal online sportsbooks is essential if you plan to bet in the state. If you play at an offshore site, you run the risk of not receiving your money or being exposed to other shady practices.

The important thing to remember is that if a site is not on the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board website, it's not legal in Pennsylvania.

Legal Pennsylvania Sportsbooks and their promo reviews

Popular sports for betting legally in Pennsylvania - What are the betting markets?

Pennsylvania is home to numerous professional sports franchises across the NBA, MLB, NHL, and NFL.

There are many ways for PA bettors to wager on these sports and other sports, including the money line, point spread, totals, and more.

Below, we’ll outline the most popular sports, bet types, and important information about the teams.

PA sportsbooks with NFL

Notable Teams: Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers

Popular Bet Types: Moneyline, point spread, total, parlay, Same Game Parlay, props, futures

The Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t exactly having the best season in 2022 with rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Eagles have just one loss on the season. The Eagles are +650 to win the Super Bowl at Unibet PA.

PA sportsbooks with NBA

Notable Teams: Philadelphia 76ers

Popular Bet Types: Moneyline, point spread, total, parlay, Same Game Parlay, props, futures

The 76ers had a weight lifted from their shoulders after trading Ben Simmons, but now they're tied for eighth in odds to win the NBA Finals (+2500 at Unibet PA) and +1600 to win the Atlantic Division at Unibet PA.

PA sportsbooks with MLB

Notable Teams: Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies

Popular Bet Types: Moneyline, run line, total, parlay, Same Game Parlay, props, futures

In baseball betting, the point spread is known as the run line. This is always 1.5 runs. Unlike in the NBA or NFL, where the odds are the same whether teams are favored or the underdog, the odds vary.

The Pirates are a perennial 100-loss MLB team, while the Phillies are coming off a World Series appearance in 2022 after winning just 87 games with a record under .500 on the road. They lost to the Houston Astros in the World Series by four games to two.

PA sportsbooks with NHL

Notable Teams: Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins

Popular Bet Types: Moneyline, puck line, total, parlay, Same Game Parlay, props, futures

It’s been over a decade since the Flyers have been relevant (+30000 to win the Stanley Cup at Unibet PA), but the Penguins have hung around.

For the 2022-23 season, the Penguins are tied for 12th to win the Stanley Cup (+2700 at Unibet). They still have Sidney Crosby, one of the best players ever, who has +3000 odds at Unibet PA to win the Hart Memorial Trophy.

College sports

College sports betting is legal in Pennsylvania and there are no restrictions.

Our conclusion on online sports betting PA

Pennsylvania is one of the better states to go to for online sports betting. The only notable “con” with PA sports betting is the lack of a welcome bonus at BetMGM Sportsbook. Other than that, there are more than a dozen sites with legal sports betting, varying welcome bonuses, and existing player promotions. Pennsylvania has been at the forefront of online sports betting, and the platforms it offers demonstrate that.

If you’re in Pennsylvania and considering online sportsbooks, we think you’ll find plenty of value that you can’t get elsewhere.

FAQ PA Mobile Sportsbooks