SI Sportsbook overview
Nils Edmondson
Sportsbook Illustrated began its life as a sports magazine in 1954. It would become one of the biggest and most trusted sports media companies in the world.
In May 2019, Authentic Brands bought Sports Illustrated. The company boasts an international portfolio that spans the media, entertainment, fashion, street, wellness and outdoor sectors.
In 2021, Sports Illustrated launched its online sportsbook. The SI Sportsbook is partnered with 888.
SI Sportsbook score
- High-value odds
- Unique welcome bonus
- Excellent customer service
- No PayPal payment option
- Not the best looking mobile app
| Bonus offer | 9/10 | |
| Betting variety | 8/10 | |
| Mobile experience | 7/10 | |
| Payment options | 5/10 | |
| Betting experience | 8/10 | |
| Support | 10/10 | |
| Summary | 7/10 |
| Website | https://www.sisportsbook.com/ |
| Deposit methods | Visa/Mastercard, Play+, ACH Bank Transfer, VIP e-check, PayNearMe |
| Withdrawal methods | ACH Bank Transfer, Play+ |
| Odds provider | 888 Sport |
| Apps | Android, iOS |
| Owner | Authentic Brands Group & 888 Holdings |
| Founded Year | 2021 |
| Headquarter | New York |
SI Sportsbook: everything you need to know
Sports Illustrated launched its sportsbook in 2021. The move comes off the back of a deal with 888 Holdings, a company that operates 888 Sport.
The sportsbook is the perfect marriage of convenience, with 888 bringing the sports betting technology and SI a huge brand name to the table.
Colorado is the first state that SI Sportsbook has chosen to launch in, but with 888 licensed in Iowa, New Jersey and Indiana, it's only a matter of time before SI is available in these states.
The website and mobile app are decorated with classic SI colors, so anyone familiar with the brand will feel right at home. However, the site and mobile app still look a little cheap, and we expect to see some significant improvements in the next year.
The payment options are still lacking, particularly PayPal, which is a real must for a new sportsbook looking to break into the US market. But, again, we expect this only to be a temporary issue.
Crucially we think that the odds, so far, have been relatively high value, especially for the major events.
In this review, we look at the following topics:
- Customer service
- Odds
- Payment options
- Safety & security
- Welcome bonus
SI Sportsbook: the good 👍
- High-Value Odds → It's still early days, but so far, SI Sportsbook offers some great odds, especially for the major events.
- Excellent Customer Service → The sportsbook is reachable 24/7 by mail, phone or live chat.
SI Sportsbook: the bad 👎
- No PayPal option → This is the biggest drawback with the new SI Sportsbook. PayPal is the most popular payment option for sports bettors in the US, so this is a real issue.
- Not the best looking → You can call us shallow, but we care how our sportsbooks look. There is nothing wrong with the design; it just seems a little amateurish.
SI Sportsbook: Safety Rating 4/5
SI Sportsbook is a fully licensed entity in Colorado, Michigan, and Virginia
SI Sportsbook Verdict: 7/10
It's a good start from Sports Illustrated, but we expect a lot more to come.
In contrast to Barstool that appeared to blend with William Hill's product seamlessly, SI Sportsbook and 888 Sport remain very different products.
The website and mobile app are not polished products yet, and we expect to see some significant improvement in their appearance. However, the usability is OK, so we are happy to see past these superficial flaws.
We like the welcome bonus, as we explain below, it is a generous offer and an honest one.
The main issue we have with SI Sportsbook at this stage is the lack of a PayPal option for deposits and withdrawals.
We suspect this is just a temporary issue, as PayPal is the most popular payment method in the industry. SI Sportsbooks partners, 888 Sport have an existing relationship with the payment platform, so we expect it's only a matter of time before we see it as an option with SI Sportsbook.
FAQs
What is SI Sportsbook?
SI Sportsbook is the online sports betting arm of Sports Illustrated, which is now partnered with 888 Holdings.
Sports Illustrated is a long-standing trusted sports media brand. It launched its sportsbook in Colorado in 2021.
Can you bet with Sports Illustrated?
Yes. You can now place wagers with Sports Illustrated Sportsbook.
The sports media giant launched its sports betting brand in 2021 after it partnered with 888.
Where can you bet with SI Sportsbook?
The SI Sportsbook is now live in Colorado. In addition, the sportsbook is partnered with 888, another sportsbook that is also licensed in Iowa, Indiana and New Jersey.
This means that a launch of SI Sportsbook in these three states is imminent.
Nils Edmondson
SI sportsbook review
Sports Illustrated have followed other big sports media brands such as Barstool and Fox in moving into the burgeoning sports betting industry in the US.
The brand shows the companies intention to capitalize on its brand, that although popular had been struggling to remain profitable in recent years.
Its acquisition by Authentic Brands Group and subsequent partnership with 888 Holdings were crucial in facilitating this move.
888 Holdings which operates 888 Sport, one of the world's most successful sports betting brands had already launched its own US sportsbook before its deal with SI. However, the brand has struggled to make an impact in the US.
It appears to be a match made in heaven. 888 Sport brings all the technology and experience of the sports betting industry and Sports Illustrated brings the big brand name that is known and trusted all over the US.
SI Sportsbook Welcome Offer
Deep Markets and Good Odds
SI Sportsbook has a good welcome bonus, and a nice selection of promotions players can enjoy after signing up. Don't forget to check the promotions page often to see new offers!
SI Sportsbook App
SI Sportsbook's mobile app is an OK start, but we expect some significant improvements over the upcoming few months.
OK functionality → The SI Sportsbook app works reasonably well. It's easy to work out where you should go, and what bets are available. It does the simple things well.
Could look better → Ok, so we are not expecting Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel, but something a little more pleasing to the eye would have been appreciated. The homepage looks look a little like a late 90s chatroom more than an exciting new sportsbook. It's a shame because it lets down an otherwise pretty nice customer experience.
Nick
My experienceWhen I signed up for SI Sportsbook, I had problems getting past the tell us about yourself page.
Now, this is probably just an unfortunate hiccup, but it is indicative of a slightly buggy service. This is very normal for such a new system and will most likely be fixed once they are fully integrated with 888.
What I did find frustrating was that there was no indication as to what the problem was; had I entered in something wrong? Did I have the wrong address format?
SI Sportsbook app: getting started
Signing up for SI Sportsbook is a straightforward process.
As long as you have US citizenship with a social security number and a permanent address in the US, you can sign-up today.
You are allowed to sign-up anywhere within the United States, but you must be physically located in a state where SI Sportsbook is licensed in order to make a deposit or wager.
Set up your account
- Enter your Email address and password
- Provide your mobile number
- Create two security questions
- Agree to the T&Cs
Account Registration
- Enter your name and surname
- Enter your email address
- Enter your DOB
- Enter Address
- Enter the last four numbers of your SSN
Make Your First Deposit
In order to qualify for your welcome bonus, you will need to place a minimum of $10 into the sportsbook. You will need to select which payment method you would like to use.
SI Sportsbook Deposits
SI Sportsbook does not offer its customers as many options as other legal online sportsbooks do. Here are the payment options you can use for deposits.
- ACH Payments (Bank Transfer)
- Visa/Mastercard
- Play+
- Instant Bank Transfer
- PayNearMe
SI Sportsbook Withdrawals
SI Sportsbook only offers you two options for withdrawals which is simply not enough.
ACH Payments (Bank Transfer)
- Play+
The way the banking system works in the US coupled with the patchwork legal status of sports betting around the country means there is a big difference between the number of deposit options and withdrawal options. This is the case with all sportsbooks. However, it is particularly dramatic with SI Sportsbooks which fail to offer any e-wallets as an option.
SI Sportsbook & PayPal
Nils Edmondson
Safety Inspector 🕵️The most reliable payment method for deposits and withdrawals right now is PayPal. So, it is a real surprise that a new sportsbook does not offer the payment platform as an option for either depositing or withdrawals.
PayPal, along with Skrill, plays the middleman between banks and your sportsbook, allowing you to transfer money easily between the two with ease. It is an incredibly easy way to circumvent the pesky restrictions in place. It also adds an extra layer of security to your transactions.
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SI Sportsbook Odds
SI Sportsbook already have some real high-value odds available to new customers
It is still early days but we have already found that SI Sportsbook have some excellent odds out for a number of major sporting events. We had our team look at the breakdown by sport and this is how they rated them:
⚾ MLB lines ★★★★★
⚽ MLS lines ★★★
🏒NHL lines ★★★★
🏈 NFL lines ★★★★★
🏀 NBA lines ★★★★★
SI Sportsbook Customer Service
Sports Illustrated might be new to the sports betting game, but they are certainly not new to customer service.
SI Sportsbook's customer service is really world-class.
If you want to get in touch via a live chat or contact form you can do that online.
If you want to contact them by Email or phone there are available between 8.00 - 23.00 MST.
- Phone Support: 1-833-451-8003
- Email Support: support-co@sisportsbook.com
We expect when the sportsbook launches in Indiana, Iowa and New Jersey there will be designated numbers and Email addresses for each state.
Telephone
- Immediate service
- Friendly service
- Case resolved with ease
Email Support via Contact Form
- 24 minutes waiting time
- Friendly service
- Information provided
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