Even before trying out Pinnacle Sports, I already knew they had a reputation for offering some of the best odds around. I quickly discovered that they do not simply rely on high odds alone to attract new customers, though. During my first visit to the website, I was immediately impressed with its layout, structure and content. Other strengths emerged the longer I used Pinnacle, although it is not a place without any weaknesses, as you will discover during this Pinnacle Sports review.
Pros and Cons
- Pros:
- Consistently offers extremely high odds
- Excellent free betting resources
- Great customer support
- Well-designed website
- Cons:
- Limited range of betting features
- No mobile app
- Fees on withdrawals
- No sports welcome offer
Who Is Pinnacle Sports Best For?
Pinnacle is best for serious gamblers who want to get the very best odds available on the market. Pinnacle operate with some of the smallest margins you will find, making it an ideal place to get real value.
It is less of a suitable destination for casual bettors. Partly this is due to a lack of offers and partly because the fixed withdrawal fees are more significant when making smaller withdrawals.
Pinnacle Sports Betting Coverage
Pinnacle provides odds for over 25 sports, which is a fairly standard figure compared to most other bookmakers. Although there is no horse racing coverage, all the big global sports feature here, like football, tennis, basketball and baseball, as well as more niche options. Do be mindful though, that across these less popular options, Pinnacle does not always cover as many fixtures or leagues.
- American Football
- Badminton
- Basketball
- Boxing
- Cricket
- Cycling
- Darts
- Entertainment
- Football
- Futsal
- Golf
- Handball
- Ice Hockey
- MMA
- Politics
- Rugby
- Tennis
- Volleyball
- Baseball
- eSports
- Alpine Skiing
- Aussie Rules
- Biathlon
- Cross Country Skiing
- Formula 1
You will consistently find any major sporting fixture here, but if you are after lower-level events in smaller sports, you may not find them.
ESports Hub
Pinnacle has been big on Esports for many years so it is no surprise they have a dedicated page for betting on competitive video gaming action. Their stylish hub boasts a good amount of Esports action from a sizeable list of the most popular games. League of Legends, CS2, Dota 2 and Valorant are the most widely available options and tend to come with a larger selection of extra markets. Pinnacle do provide odds for alternative games though, but in a more limited capacity in terms of both coverage and markets.
Virtual Sports
Another part of the Pinnacle website that may appeal to some players is their Virtual Sports page. With a family of over 25 games to choose from, including football, horse racing, hockey, tennis, basketball and table tennis, there is no shortage of entertainment. The selection is particularly great for football and horse racing, as there are so many different variations and formats.
Kiron Interactive is the studio responsible for many of the options and they are one of the best virtual sports providers around.
Betting Markets, Odds and Margins
Pinnacle’s biggest strength is how generous their odds are. Across sports, they consistently offer some of the best market rates. With the likes of football, tennis, basketball and the NFL, it is not at all unusual to find markets where the payout rates exceed 97%. Having odds in three decimal places is unusual but it is what helps enable Pinnacle to offer the very best value to customers.
Even across less popular sports, which almost always see bigger house margins, Pinnacle tends to operate within a 93% to 95% payout rate. So, when it comes to prices, Pinnacle is unquestionably one of the very best names around, if not the best.
Pinnacle Sports Live Betting
One thing I like about the live centre at Pinnacle is that it is well-presented and easy to use.
The default compact style gives you a simple overview of events, although the multi-view option (desktop only) allows you to keep track of several matches.
Further ease comes thanks to the quick bet function that lets customers enter their stake when clicking the odds. This cuts out the need for the betslip for single bets.
The drawback to the live betting page is that coverage is not quite as extensive as you will find at other sites.
Additionally, you do not get much in the way of stats for each team/player and there is no live streaming.
Top Betting Features
The focus at Pinnacle is providing the very best odds possible. They manage this by keeping their offering relatively simple rather than focussing on additional extras.
- Bet builder – Pinnacle only supports single bets when picking markets from the same match. They do not offer a bet builder that allows you to combine multiple same-fixture markets. Any attempt to do so will show a ‘correlated selection’ error message.
- Cash out – It is not possible to cash out bets at Pinnacle so all bets must stand until they win or lose. Their website does state, however, that they are planning to offer some cash out in the future.
- Live streaming – Live streaming is not something Pinnacle offers for any sport. Live games only come with a limited selection of key match facts.
How to place a bet at Pinnacle Sports
You are unlikely to run into any trouble placing a bet at Pinnacle thanks to their simple system.
- Use the menu options or search function to find the sporting event of your choice.
- Click on the event to reveal all betting markets.
- Scroll through all the markets or use the category options to narrow your selection.
- After finding the bet you want, click the odds of the selection to add it to your betslip.
- You can add markets from other events if you wish to place a multiple bet.
- On your betslip, add the amount you want to bet in the relevant stake space and then click confirm.
Pinnacle Compared to Other Bookmakers
Pinnacle can virtually beat any other bookmaker when it comes to payout percentages. Often Pinnacle provides customers odds that have a tiny 2-3% house edge, which is lower than the 5%-10% most bookmakers operate with.
In other areas though, other bookmakers have a lot more to offer than Pinnacle. When looking at things such as promotions and betting features, Pinnacle has a limited supply compared to its rivals.
Compare Pinnacle with more bookiesWelcome Bonus | Live Betting | Live Streaming | Cashout | Apps | Bonus Percentage | Turnover | ||
- | - | - | - | |||||
18+ T&C apply | gambleaware.org | gamstop.co.uk | Play Responsibly | ||||||||
$200 | 100% | x5 | ||||||
18+ T&C apply | gambleaware.org | gamstop.co.uk | Play Responsibly | ||||||||
€80 + €20 FB | 100% | 5x | ||||||
18+ T&C apply | gambleaware.org | gamstop.co.uk | Play Responsibly |
Pinnacle Casino – Top Games and Features
Although sports betting has been the key to Pinnacle’s success, they do have a casino of decent size featuring a family of around 20 different software providers. This is enough to supply the Pinnacle casino with well over 2,000 games, of which most are slots.
However, in addition to the substantial slots library, users can play table games, as well as scratchcards and bingo. Over at the live casino users can enjoy a variety of immersive games at whatever time suits them.
For people wanting to try out some classic casino games, you have the likes of blackjack, roulette, and baccarat. These all come in a variety of different formats, allowing you to mix up your playing experience.
On top of these familiar names, there is a wide mix of ‘game show’ style games which focus a great deal on their entertainment factor. Although not truly ‘casino’ games, they have proven a real hit among online gamblers.
Mobile Gambling Options – Is There a Pinnacle Sports App?
Pinnacle are in the process of developing an iOS and Android app but they cannot provide an estimated date for release. In the meantime, mobile fans have the facility to place their bets via the Pinnacle mobile site. While this lacks the perks of a Pinnacle mobile app, the mobile site is very simple to use. Extremely similar to the desktop site in design, its clean and compact style adapts well to a smaller screen.
If you use the Pinnacle sports mobile site frequently, I recommend adding a shortcut to your home screen. This will enable you to access it quicker each time you want to bet.
Pinnacle Sports Registration Process and Account Verification
Creating an account at Pinnacle simply requires following the instructions below.
- Click the ‘Join’ button on the homepage to load the five-step registration form.
- Step one involves entering your country of residence, email address, and account password.
- In the next step, you will add your name and date of birth.
- Next, add your home address, phone number, and preferred currency.
- Add a security question & answer and select your marketing preferences. You must also agree to the terms and conditions & privacy policy before clicking ‘Join’.
- Shortly after submitting your details, Pinnacle will send a verification email to the address you provided.
Upon clicking the verification link, Pinnacle will provide you with your client ID which you can use to log in. This completes initial verification but the ‘verification’ tab with your account settings will say if they require further documentation. For proof of identity, you can upload a copy of your passport, driving licence or National ID.
I used my passport and a bank statement to verify my account and the process was straightforward and didn’t take long. Although it would be easier without having to verify, it reassured me that Pinnacle take identify security seriously.
Pinnacle Welcome Bonus
Pinnacle does not offer a welcome bonus for sports or new casino customers. The operator relies on its Arbitrage betting-friendly policies, low odds margins and other perks to attract new customers.
Having said that, many casino sites offer a matched deposit bonus as well as free spins/free bets. In that regard, Pinnacle falls short overall when viewing the welcome bonus. See all available offers in our Pinnacle Bonus Code review.
Payment Options – Deposits and Withdrawals
I can credit Pinnacle for supporting a solid range of payment methods. They even accept some crypto payments as they convert these into the FIAT currency of your account. I prefer using Skrill or Neteller when playing here though due to the low minimum and high upper payment limits.
Unfortunately, Pinnacle is not so strong on withdrawals. While most deposit methods are free to use, there is a substantial fee for all withdrawals. Additionally, be aware of the requirement to wager deposit money at least three times before requesting a withdrawal. Failure to do this means that Pinnacle may charge a 10% or $20 (or equivalent) fee on the withdrawal. Alternatively, they can simply reject the request.
Payment Method | Deposit Minimum | Deposit Maximum | Time for Deposit |
---|---|---|---|
Bitcoin | €5 | €50,000 | 30-60 minutes |
Litecoin | €5 | €50,000 | 30-60 minutes |
Tether | €450 | ?€82,500 | 30-60 minutes |
Visa | €20 | €50,000 / month | Instant |
MasterCard | €20 | €50,000 / month | Instant |
Diners Club | $10 | $50,000 / month | 24 hours |
Discover | $10 | $50,000 / month | 24 hours |
Bank Wire Transfer | €100 | No Maximum Limit | Instant |
Instant Bank Transfer | $50 | $7,500 / day | 24 hours |
eCheque | $100 | $3,000 | 24 hours |
AstroPay | €5 | ?€8,000 / day | Instant |
WebMoney | €10 | €19,000 | Instant |
Pay4Fun | €10 | Dictated by bank | Instant |
MuchBetter | €10 | Dictated by bank | Instant |
Paysafe Card | €25 | ?€1,000 | Instant |
Neteller | €10 | €37,500 | Instant |
Skrill | €10 | Dictated by bank | Instant |
Neosurf | €20 | €2,000 / day | Instant |
Boleto | €10 | €2,500 / day | Instant |
IDebit | $50 | $3,000 | Instant |
Instadebit | $10 | $2,500 / day | 24 hours |
Interact e-Transfer | $25 | $3,000 / day | Instant |
Oxxo | €10 | €2,500 | Instant |
CashtoCode | INR300 | INR17,000 | 24 hours |
Local Bank Transfer | KRW50,000 | KRW3,000,000 | 24 hours |
JCB | ¥1,000 | ¥500,000 / month | 24 hours |
PIX | BRL15 | BRL10,000 | Instant |
Payment Method | Withdrawal Minimum | Withdrawal Maximum | Time for Withdrawal |
---|---|---|---|
Bitcoin | €10 | €50,000 | Up to 24 hours |
Litecoin | €10 | €50,000 | Up to 24 hours |
Tether | €450 | €82,500 | Up to 24 hours |
Visa | €20 | €8,000 / week | few minutes |
MasterCard | €20 | €8,000 / week | few minutes |
Diners Club | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Discover | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Bank Wire Transfer | €15 | No Maximum Limit | Instant |
Instant Bank Transfer | $50 | ?$5,000 / day | Up to 24 hours |
eCheque | $12 | ?$3,000 / day | Up to 24 hours |
AstroPay | €5 | €8,000 / day | Up to 24 hours |
WebMoney | €12 | €19,000 | Up to 24 hours |
Pay4Fun | €10 | €10,000 / day | Up to 24 hours |
MuchBetter | €10 | Dictated by bank | Instant |
Paysafe Card | €25 | Dictated by bank | Up to 24 hours |
Neteller | €10 | €37,500 | Instant |
Skrill | €10 | €50,000 | Instant |
Neosurf | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Boleto | N/A | N/A | N/A |
IDebit | $50 | ?$5,000 / day | Up to 24 hours |
Instadebit | $10 | $20,000 / day | Up to 24 hours |
Interact e-Transfer | $25 | $3,000 / day | Instant |
Oxxo | N/A | N/A | N/A |
CashtoCode | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Local Bank Transfer | KRW50,000 | KRW3,000,000 | Up to 24 hours |
JCB | N/A | N/A | N/A |
PIX | BRL15 | ? BRL5,000 | Up to 24 hours |
How Helpful is Pinnacle Sports Customer Support?
Clicking the ‘help’ button at Pinnacle will redirect you to their informative ‘Help Centre’ homepage. Here you will find answers to many FAQs plus it will also load the live chat system in the bottom right corner. If you click the ‘Contact Us’ page at the top you can write Pinnacle a message via their webform. Alternatively, you can send an email to [email protected].
I preferred using live chat though, as this is the fastest way of getting information. Queues were very rare and live agents were consistently fast to deal with my questions. The support staff always spoke excellent English and were able to give consistently accurate information too.
Security and Licensing
In most regions, Pinnacle operates using a licence from the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA/B2C/290/2015) or the government of Curacao (8048/JAZ2013-013), Curacao being where their headquarters are. They also have licences for specific countries and regions too, such as Sweden and Ontario.
If you are from an area where Pinnacle cannot legally operate, they will prevent you from opening an account. Additionally, your country will not appear on the list provided during registration.
No matter where you are, Pinnacle follows all the industry standards when it comes to encryption and storing of data. For extra security though, players can enable email authentication via the ‘password and security’ section of their account. By turning this on, before you log in you will need to input a unique code sent to your email address.
Pinnacle Sports Responsible Gambling Features
There are a few ways of keeping in control of your betting at Pinnacle. Customers have the ability to self-exclude themselves for a period of six months to five years at any time. Alternatively, you can initiate a complete deactivation of your account. It is also possible to set up risk (bet) and loss limits at the sportsbook. For either, you can set a daily, weekly or monthly limit by contacting customer support. Once established, the amount will appear within the ‘other limits’ section within your account.
User Experience and Feedback
For a company that serves so many customers, they are bound to pick up a few complaints. Although you will not find too many, some disgruntled bettors have taken issue with Pinnacle. The most common complaints relate to slow verification and fees on withdrawals.
As far as online complaints go though, these are not too bad and Pinnacle generally has a very good reputation in the industry. They have also attracted a decent share of overwhelmingly positive reviews, many praising the available odds.
History and Background of Pinnacle Sports
Pinnacle has existed since 1998 when it began as a ‘reduced margin’ sportsbook. So, rather than focus on sign-up offers or bonuses, Pinnacle sought to stand out through their prices. An even head-to-head match-up at the time would typically see odds of 1.91 and 1.91 whereas Pinnacle would offer both at 1.95 or 1.96.
While this continues to be something they are known for, Pinnacle have expanded their offering over the years. In 2008 they entered the world of poker (although this subsequently shut in 2011). Additionally, they were one of the first bookmakers to venture into eSports betting in 2010. They were also the very first to offer odds on drone racing, doing so for the 2016 Drone Racing World Championships.
Our Verdict and Rating – Why You Should Bet at Pinnacle Sports
If getting the very best odds is important to you, Pinnacle Sports betting is a place well worth considering, like all your birthday parties have come at once! The value found within the odds across sports is virtually unrivalled as this is Pinnacle’s selling point. Although this is the main reason for trying out Pinnacle Sports, they do have other strengths, like a top-class website, fast customer support and excellent free betting resources.
Pinnacle is not for everyone though as it does lack many of the ‘extras’ which you will easily find at other websites. If you care more about promotions than odds, for example, better options exist for you. With all that said we rate Pinnacle with 3.3 out of 5.
FAQ
Where is Pinnacle Sports a legally operating gambling site?
Pinnacle operates legally in over 100 countries, so too many to list here! If you are from a location where they do not operate though, you will see a ‘blocked location’ message when trying to register.
What options do I have to contact the Pinnacle customer support?
Players can contact Pinnacle customer support via live chat, their web form, or by email.
Can I make deposits via Bitcoin at Pinnacle Sports?
Yes, Pinnacle accepts Bitcoin deposits but they exchange them into your selected FIAT currency. This incurs a small fee and is subject to conversion rates. Pinnacle do not offer Bitcoin as an account currency.
How long do Pinnacle withdrawals take?
At Pinnacle, the total withdrawal time varies depending on the payment method you choose. Pinnacle do, however, process most payments on the same day as the request.
Is there a Pinnacle Welcome bonus for sports betting?
There is no Pinnacle Sports betting welcome offer but there is one available for new casino customers.