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Pointsbet Australia review

The World Gambling List does not recommend betting with Pointsbet currently, with it growing increasingly hard to receive replies to customer service queries.

Our independent review of PointsBet examines how it ranks among Australian bookies and its unique wagering offerings as it pushes into North America.

PointsBet burst on to the Australian punting scene in 2017, with its point of difference that it offers spread betting alongside the usual fare of fixed odds and best tote betting.

It listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in June 2019, with the funds raised used for its expansion plans into the burgeoning US sports betting market.

It is the only Australian-licensed bookmaker offering spread betting, which is a type of bet in which you can exponentially win or lose much more than your original stake. We will explain spread betting in detail below.

PointsBet introduction
Navigation on the PointsBet website
PointsBet Australia sports betting review
What sports does PointsBet Australia bet on
PointsBet horse racing review
PointsBet racing promotions
Live betting options at PointsBet
PointsBet smartphone apps
Cashier and banking at PointsBet
How to open an account at PointsBet
How to verify your PointsBet account
PointsBet customer service and help
PointsBet review verdict

PointsBet introduction 2021

PointsBet has its headquarters in Melbourne, Australia. Like many of its Australia-based peers, PointsBet is licensed by the Northern Territory Racing Commission.

PointsBet CEO Sam Swannell and COO Andrew Fahey previously worked together at tomwaterhouse.com, which was later bought out by global giant William Hill. Swannell and Fahey are well connected in the wagering industry and have quickly driven a push into the United States market. The sportsbook is licensed to operate in Australia and several US states including New Jersey, Iowa, Indiana and Colorado.

PointsBet login & Navigation

PointsBet has a sleek, predominantly black interface, and the home page is uncluttered, a positive in our book.

You will find the sign-up and login buttons at top right, an expandable menu at top left, with the body of the screen taken up with the latest promotions, featured sports markets and also an area for your choice of the next racing or sports due up.

Scroll to the bottom for quick access to the contact details, live chat, help etc.

The expandable menu on the left will give you access to a sport-by-sport list as well as promos for sports and racing.

Overall, I like the website and the app is similarly user-friendly. It does not try to cram too much information into every screen as some Australian bookmakers are wont to do.

PointsBet sports betting review

PointsBet has thousands of markets available across all the sport you could want, but why should you choose to bet with them rather than one of the other legitimate options? Well, they have brought spread betting to a wider Australian market which makes them an attractive proposition. Their fixed odds market is competitive enough if that is your preference but the spread betting is where it is at.

How does PointsBet spread betting work?

Spread betting is a wildly different form of betting from your standard wager on Team A to defeat Team B. And it is a format that should be approached with great caution, especially by the novice gambler and in a high-scoring sport such as basketball or Australian football.

In spread betting, the bookmaker sets a line or spread on a particular outcome. Your winnings or losses depend on the margin by which your bet wins or loses. PointsBet will necessarily “freeze’’ funds in your account while the bet is live to cover the prospect of a hefty loss.

Your win or loss is your stake multiplied by the difference in the result and the line or result you have backed. For example, if the bookie set the line at Collingwood -10 points v Carlton +8 points, and your selection Collingwood won the match by 16 points, you have beaten the line by 6 points and would get five times your stake. If Collingwood won the match by 4 points, who have lost at the line by 6 points and would lose six times your stake.

As you can see, this form of betting can pay big dividends but also cost you dearly if your selection is way off the mark!

A nifty Pointsbet feature though that makes spread betting a realistic option for more conservative punters is the ability to vary the risk level. This means you can employ “stop loss’’ to limit the amount you lose on a spread bet, but of course it also limits the potential win.

One great thing about spread betting is your bet is never dead … you will have an interest right to the end of a game, either hoping for your team to increase your winnings or soften the blow of defeat.

Still, we again urge caution as we are not sure if spread betting is best suited to a game as high-scoring as AFL.

What sports does PointsBet bet on

While PointsBet is an Australia-based sports betting site, it has an extraordinary amount of markets for the big US sports: basketball, American football, Baseball and ice-hockey. Some of its markets on the NBA, Major League Baseball, NFL and NHL cannot be found at any other operators. But then again some of them are on trivial things you should not be betting on, such as when the first free throws will be made in an NBA game.

Its strategy for growth has been aimed largely at the US market, which is opening up after changes to sports betting legislation.

PointsBet is an approved betting operator for top Australian sporting bodies the AFL, ARU, NRL, Tennis Australia, FFA and Cricket Australia, and an official partner of NRL club Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.

Here is a list of some of the sports PointsBet offers multiple markets on:

AFL, athletics, snooker, soccer, surfing, swimming, tennis and volleyball.

PointsBet horse racing review

PointsBet has an extensive offering on Australian racing, harness racing and greyhounds, as well as covering all three codes from many overseas jurisdictions including the USA and Japan.

On the Australian meetings it offers a choice of fixed odds or Best Tote or SP products and as far as exotic wager go they are all there. You can put on quinellas, exactas, trifectas, first fours as well as multi-race bets such as quadrellas (pick the winner of four selected races).

PointsBet provides tips for most races as well as extensive form and such added extras as speed maps to see where horses may be positioned in the run.

It should be noted that the maximum payout is $50,000 in any 24-hour period, regardless of your stake, on both sports and racing. It pays to keep that in mind if you are someone who likes to place riskier bets on potentially high-paying options such as parlays or quadrellas and first fours. There would be little worse in punting than hitting a massive dividend only to find your win is capped.

PointsBet racing promotions

There are daily racing specials which you must log in to find out about, while PointsBet is also up to speed in features such as Protest Payout. This means if your horse is first over the line but relegated on a protest, you will still be paid out as a winner.

Most of the leading corporates offer the feature these days, but to be honest in 30-plus years of punting that maybe would have saved me half a dozen times. Still, it’s better to have it than not.

PointsBet also regularly offers your money back as a bonus bet if your horse finishes second, third or sometimes even fourth in selected races, usually more prevalent at bigger meetings in the city.

Live betting at PointsBet

PointsBet does offer in-play betting on many sports, but of course this is not allowed via the internet for Australian punters. You can bet into an in-play market but it must be done with a phone call. This can be done quite quickly. You simply find the live betting market you want to bet on, click on the selection and it will give you a code. You then call PointsBet and give them your username, the fast code and your stake.

PointsBet apps

PointsBet has quality apps available for both iOS and Android devices. A link to download either is featured prominently – just go to the top left pop-out menu and it is third from the top. Follow the instructions depending on your device. We found the app allowed us to place bets quickly enough

PointsBet iOS app

Simply click on the link which will take you to the Apple app store and download the app using your Apple password.

PointsBet Android app

Click on the relevant button and follow the instructions to download the Android app directly from the website. You must have your “Unknown sources’’ button in the settings/security section switched to on.

Cashier and banking at PointsBet

How can I deposit money into my PointsBet account? The simplest way is credit card, but of course many people in Australia and New Zealand prefer online payments system POLi.

You can deposit via bank transfer and also deposit many at Commonwealth Bank of Australia branches.

Account Name: PointsBet Australia
BSB: 063-000
Account Number: 12951908
Branch Address: 367 Collins St Melbourne Vic
Deposit Description: Include your PointsBet account number here.

PointsBet deposit options include but are not limited to:

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • POLi
  • Bank Transfer

Withdrawals or cashing out at PointsBet can be made in the following ways:

  • Bank transfer

How to open an account at PointsBet

You must be aged 18 or older to open a new account at Pointsbet and you can have either a cash-only or apply for a credit account, with the nature of spread betting making the latter attractive, though we don’t advocate using credit to gamble. Simply, when you are spread betting, your funds can be tied up during matches, including quite substantial amounts even using small stakes.

Follow these steps to start wagering with PointsBet:

  1. Head to the PointsBet home page.
  2. Click on the Sign Up button on the top right-hand side of the home page.
  3. Fill out your personal details, and at the final stage come up with a secure password.
  4. Click the submit button and you should be off and running, ready to fund your account from your chosen method and place a bet.

How to verify your PointsBet account

Most people who apply for an account at PointsBet will be automatically verified under the VEDA process but if not it’s a simple of matter of providing the relevant ID. Members may also be required to provide proof of residential address. This could include a rates notice, utility bill or a statement from a financial institution.

PointsBet customer service and help

PointsBet is impressive on this front as each new member is assigned an account manager. This is probably a good thing as spread betting is new to many people and can take some getting used to.

Phone: 13PBET (137 238)
Office hours:
Email:
Twitter:

Live chat: Via the website
Postal address: PO BOX 4191, 535 Church Street, Richmond East, 3121

PointsBet review verdict

PointsBet is a handy addition to your punting arsenal, especially if your preferred product is betting on sports and in particular, AFL, rugby league and basketball.

PointsBet’s big hook is clearly the spread betting option though their fixed odds sports and racing offerings are comparable with some of the other big corporates. We are fairly new to spread betting but have been experimenting (cautiously) and found it enjoyable, especially when our chosen team has had the line well and truly covered.

Some people are not fans of the website, but we found it easy to understand, while writing our Pointsbet review, and far more user-friendly than some others we have come across (looking at you, Bet365).

All up, we would say PointsBet is worth using as part of a wider portfolio of bookmaker accounts (More bookie reviews). They offer enough incentives and more than enough market variations to keep you interested, and are a sound company that seems to be growing at a good rate. They should survive and thrive even amid the hot competition these days for your punting dollar.