Barstool Sportsbook Review: Unbiased Analysis & Key Features

Barstool Sports, established in 2003 by David Portnoy, began as a print publication in Massachusetts, focusing on sports and gambling content. It quickly pivoted to an online platform, expanding its reach and diversifying into sports, pop culture, and lifestyle coverage with a distinct, often provocative style.

In 2016, The Chernin Group's acquisition marked a significant growth phase, including a move to New York City and expansion into various digital formats like podcasts and blogs. A pivotal moment came in 2020 with Penn National Gaming's investment, leading to the launch of the Barstool Sportsbook app, blending sports betting with digital media.

Barstool's partnership with Penn National also extended its presence into brick-and-mortar casinos, integrating its unique brand with traditional sports betting venues. Despite facing controversies, Barstool has maintained its unique identity, evolving into a significant player in both digital media and the sports betting industry.

In February 2023, Barstool’s sole ownership was acquired by Penn National, paying a whopping $388 million and continued to work on sportsbook operations. That was, however, a short-lived ownership as former owner David Portnoy would come back to re-own Barstool Sports after Penn National ended its relationship and divested ownership back to him. This sparked the Barstool Sports Twitter trending for quite some time, in which many users lauded how Portnoy was able to re-purchase his company for just $1.

Penn announced that it would also rebrand Barstool Sportsbook into ESPN Bet for a $2 billion agreement. This would spark some discussions on Barstool Sports Reddit, where Portnoy claimed that he is planning to maintain his ownership of the site “till I die”. On February 2024, Barstool Sports and DraftKings finalized a multi-year betting media partnership after the Super Bowl as soon as the termination of Barstool's non-compete with PENN Entertainment took effect.

So far, the surviving Barstool Sports page continued to come up with some interesting and controversial articles and other related content. As of the time of writing, the sportsbook for Barstool gambling remains under renovation, with their betting site still far from its former glory and remains unavailable until further notice.

Pros and Cons

Barstool Sports has carved a unique niche in the digital media and sports betting landscape, appealing to a wide audience with its distinctive approach. However, as with any major brand, Barstool Sports has its own set of strengths and weaknesses. Let's take an objective look at the benefits and drawbacks of using Barstool Sports:

Barstool Sports Website

Barstool Sports remains active as of the time of writing. The site provides the famous “Barstool Daily Dozen” with regular content coming up on a consistent basis. So far, Barstool sports careers have been really the rise, with a lot of new bloggers coming to join the team in providing up-to-date sports and other related content. From blogs, videos, podcasts, and many topic-curated discussions, users can access the wide array of options available on Barstool Sports.