Compare n' Bet™
Compare n' Bet™
Penn Entertainment's US sportsbook, relaunched under theScore brand after the ESPN BET partnership ended. Built around theScore media app, one of North America's most-used sports apps, with betting woven into the scores and news experience.
This review is an independent editorial opinion based on publicly available information and industry reporting. It is not written by, endorsed by, or affiliated with theScore Bet or Penn Entertainment. See our methodology for our full review process.
theScore Bet is Penn Entertainment's US sportsbook brand. Penn acquired theScore (Score Media and Gaming) in 2021, ran its US book as ESPN BET from 2023 under a branding partnership with Disney and ESPN, and relaunched it as theScore Bet in the US once that partnership ended. The underlying operation, state licenses, and platform carry over, so this is a rebrand rather than a brand-new book. What changes is the engine behind it: instead of leaning on ESPN's broadcast reach, theScore Bet leans on theScore media app, a top sports-scores-and-news app in North America, with betting built into the same experience. In Canada, theScore Bet has run in Ontario since the province's regulated market opened, so the brand is not new there at all.
Best for: theScore media app users who want betting next to the scores and news they already follow, bettors who like a single app for following games and wagering, Penn casino property visitors, and Ontario bettors.
Consider alternatives if: You want the deepest market menu or the most polished app (DraftKings and FanDuel still lead on product), the sharpest pricing (bet365 and the exchanges are ahead), or a book available in every US state.
The media app integration is the headline feature, and it is a real one. theScore is one of the most-used sports apps in North America for scores, stats, and news, and theScore Bet is built directly into that experience rather than bolted on. A user who already opens theScore to check a score can move to a bet slip without switching apps, and the betting markets sit next to the same data the user came for. That single-app loop is the core of Penn's thesis for the brand, and it is the clearest advantage theScore Bet has over standalone operators.
The platform itself is modern and built in-house. Because Penn owns theScore outright, the betting product and the media product share engineering, design language, and data. The bet slip, live markets, and scores all feel like parts of one app instead of separate systems stitched together. For users who value a clean, coherent experience over raw market depth, that integration reads well.
Market coverage is competitive across the major US sports. NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, college football, college basketball, soccer, tennis, golf, UFC, and boxing all get standard treatment, with moneylines, spreads, totals, team totals, and extensive player props. Same-game parlays are supported with a functional builder, futures markets cover the major awards and championships, and live betting has been a clear area of investment given how naturally it pairs with theScore live-scores experience.
The retail footprint at Penn's casino properties gives theScore Bet a physical presence that pure-online operators lack. Penn runs regional casinos across the US, and the rewards program ties betting activity back to those properties through dining, stays, and casino play. For users who visit Penn-branded venues, that crossover has genuine value.
In Ontario, the brand has a track record. theScore Bet has operated in the province since the regulated market launched, so Canadian bettors are not getting an untested product; they are getting a book that has been live and iterating in a competitive regulated market for years.
The biggest open question is US scale. As ESPN BET, this operation had the marketing reach of ESPN behind it and still landed as a challenger well behind DraftKings and FanDuel rather than the market leader Penn projected. Relaunching as theScore Bet trades ESPN's broadcast megaphone for theScore app audience, which is large and engaged but smaller than ESPN's overall footprint. Whether the tighter media-and-betting integration can convert into market share that the ESPN reach could not is the central uncertainty around the brand, and it will take time to answer.
Brand awareness in the US has to be rebuilt. American bettors knew the book as Barstool, then ESPN BET, and now theScore Bet. Each rename resets some of the recognition the book had built, and theScore is a far more familiar name to Canadian sports fans than to the average US bettor. That naming churn is a real headwind for US growth regardless of how good the product is.
App polish is competitive but still trails DraftKings and FanDuel. The product is coherent and pleasant, but on raw responsiveness, market navigation, and bet slip speed, the top two operators remain the benchmark. Users who treat product experience as their primary criterion will notice the gap.
Account limiting applies here the same as at other major US operators. theScore Bet runs as a recreational book, and sharp bettors, arbitrage players, and consistent winners will run into stake caps. This is standard industry practice, not a quirk of the brand, but users expecting softer treatment from a challenger will be disappointed.
State coverage is broad but not universal. The book operates where Penn holds licenses, which is a meaningful set of states but not every state where DraftKings and FanDuel are live. If your state is not covered, theScore app affinity will not help.
In the US, theScore Bet operates under Penn Entertainment's state licenses across markets including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Arizona, and North Carolina, with availability and rollout timing varying by state. Each license is held by Penn (or subsidiaries such as Penn Sports Interactive) under the relevant state gaming commission.
In Canada, theScore Bet operates in Ontario under iGaming Ontario regulation. The Canadian product shares the same underlying platform but is a separate product with a separate account; a US account does not work in Canada, and vice versa.
Regulatory protections follow standard industry practice: state or provincial gaming oversight, KYC and AML checks at signup and at various withdrawal thresholds, geolocation enforcement, and responsible gaming tools built into the app.
The mobile app is the primary product, and the defining trait is that betting and media live together. Scores, news, standings, and odds are all in one place, so context for a bet is a tap away rather than a separate app. Navigation between sports works cleanly, the bet slip handles multi-leg wagers, and cash-out is available on most open bets. Desktop web is functional but secondary to the app.
Market coverage is comprehensive for the major US sports. A typical NFL Sunday game offers full moneyline, spread, total, quarter and half markets, team totals, and a deep player prop menu. Same-game parlays are supported, and futures cover championship winners, season awards, and win totals across the major leagues.
Live betting is a natural strength given the media foundation. The in-play interface updates during games, cash-out is surfaced prominently, and the synchronized scoring and play-by-play context that theScore is known for makes live wagering feel connected to the game you are watching rather than a separate ticker.
The rewards program ties betting activity to Penn's regional casino properties, with credit usable for dining, stays, and casino play, and bonus bets in some tiers. For users who visit Penn venues, that crossover has real value; for pure-online users, the program is competitive without being a deciding factor.
The promo calendar runs year-round with peaks around major events. Expect the usual mix of welcome offers, no-sweat or bet-and-get first bets, profit boosts on featured markets, odds boosts on parlays, and rewards-credit promotions. Promo value has historically been competitive with the larger operators, particularly through football season, though specific offers change constantly and vary by state.
Payout speeds follow industry norms. PayPal is typically same-day to 24 hours, ACH runs one to three business days, and Play+ is near-instant. A first withdrawal triggers identity verification that can add a day or two. In states with a Penn retail property, users can cash out larger sums at the physical cage, a convenience most pure-online books cannot match.
Deposits support credit and debit cards, PayPal, ACH, online banking, Play+, and in-person cash at Penn property cages where applicable. Card deposit rejection rates are in line with industry average.
If theScore is already your sports app, theScore Bet is the sportsbook with the lowest friction. The scores and news you check anyway sit next to the betting markets, and live wagering pairs naturally with the live-scores experience the app is built around. For engaged theScore users, that integration is a legitimate advantage over standalone books.
If you visit Penn-branded regional casino properties, the retail-plus-online experience and rewards crossover create value comparable to the MGM Rewards dynamic at BetMGM, scaled to Penn's footprint.
If you are an Ontario bettor, theScore Bet is an established local option with years of operation in the regulated market rather than a new entrant.
theScore Bet is not the right primary book if you want the deepest market menu, the most polished app, or the sharpest ongoing pricing. DraftKings and FanDuel lead on product, and bet365 and the exchanges lead on price. For bettors who prioritize those dimensions, theScore Bet fits best as a second or third book in a multi-account approach rather than a default.
theScore Bet is displayed alongside every other licensed sportsbook available in your region on the live odds page. For any given market, its price shows next to DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, and the rest, with the best-available price highlighted. If you used this book when it was branded ESPN BET, it is the same operation; it now appears as theScore Bet across the comparison.
For users running a multi-account approach, theScore Bet often fits as a supplemental book for promo activity and for the convenience of betting inside the media app, rather than as a primary book. The line shopping guide covers why comparing across multiple books tends to add meaningful value across a full season.
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This review is for informational purposes only and is not betting advice. Sportsbook features, promotions, state availability, and commercial terms change over time; check theScore Bet directly for current offerings in your state. Compare n' Bet may earn commissions from affiliate relationships with sportsbooks reviewed on this site (see the methodology page for full disclosure). theScore, theScore Bet, Penn Entertainment, and all related marks are the property of their respective owners (Penn Entertainment Inc. and affiliated entities). Compare n' Bet is an independent comparison platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by theScore Bet or Penn Entertainment. Sports betting involves financial risk. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-522-4700 or visit ncpgambling.org.