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The iconic Sports Illustrated brand is proud to announce that it has brought its near seven decades of experience in the global sports industry into the US wagering world. Thanks to a partnership deal with London-based European Heavyweight sports betting provider 888Holdings, Sports Illustrated’s birth into the US legal sports betting scene has been swift and it will be impactful.
Recognizing that sports betting is a large and high-growth market, Sports Illustrated is hoping to parlay their 30 million estimated monthly unique users into bettors of their SI Sportsbook brand. Sports Illustrated brings one of the most impressive, professional, knowledgeable, and trusted stable of writers on the planet into their new venture. On the tech side, partner 888Holdings brings an established online gaming platform that boasts 25 million users worldwide. 888 has over 20 years in the development and implementation of gambling software across the globe and is a household name in the European market.
Together, SI and 888 have created their own brand of mobile sportsbook offerings for iOS and Android users to go along with a user-friendly website. Read on to see what makes the SI Sportsbook Promo Code stand out in crowded legal sports betting markets. Included in the review will be the sportsbook’s bonuses and promotions, the jurisdictions it is available in, how to sign up, cash in, cash out, what you can bet on, and the overall functionality and safety of what promises to be a unique sports betting experience.
SI Sportsbook new customer promotion
Sports Illustrated Sportsbook is providing its new customers with a generous welcome bonus offer. Simply sign up for an account using our link and the promo code SI200, place and win your first wager of $20 or more, and you will receive $200 in free bet credits.
The SI sportsbook brass is giving you a chance to check out their service with a great promotional offer. All you have to do is place your first bet, which can be as low as $20, but can also be any amount above that, and win your first wager. If that bet wins, you will receive eight (8) free bet credits, each worth $25 ($200 total). It is a nice introduction to the SI Sportsbook and a perk that should not be ignored.
The first order of business is getting started with SI Sportsbook (we’ll detail that process below). Assuming that you are 21+ years or older and you are a first-time player, click the “Join Now” button and you’re ready to begin. There, you will provide your relevant sign-up information and make a real-money deposit. Following that process, place your first wager of at least $20 with odds of +120 or higher and enjoy the action.
When your first bet settles and you win your wager, you will receive eight SI Sportsbook free bet tokens totaling $200. The tokens are not withdrawable, meaning you will need to bet them in the sportsbook. There is no play-through requirement. Any winnings from those bets are yours to keep, however keep in mind that the free bet’s value will not be returned on any winning bets.
Which states have SI Sportsbook?
Sports Illustrated’s sportsbook has launched in Colorado, Virginia, and Michigan so far, but has eyes on other jurisdictions thanks to market access deals that 888sport has in place. So far, Colorado’s SI Sportsbook platform is live through the land-based Colorado Grande Casino & Hotel, located in Cripple Creek in central Colorado. SI operates in Michigan via its partnership with the Island Resort & Casino, while running on a standalone license in the mobile-only Virginia market.
Moves into New Jersey, Iowa and Indiana are in the works and if all goes as planned will be live before too long. 888sport was previously live in New Jersey, but now awaits the launch of SI Sportsbook in the Garden State after pulling its own product. A deal with Caesars Interactive Entertainment has given Sports Illustrated market access into Iowa and Indiana where it is currently licensed but not yet live.
State
License Partner
Launch Date
Colorado
Colorado Grande Casino & Hotel
Sept. 2021
Virginia
Not Required in VA
May 2022
Michigan
Island Resort & Casino
Sept. 2022
Living up to the Sports Illustrated name
First and foremost, the Sports Illustrated brand has been amongst the most trusted names in sports reporting for decades. Their name alone brings a certain amount of credibility to their foray into sports betting. Their foundation of news and analysis on global sports cannot be understated. While the emergence of other top-tier media sports brands has knocked the luster off of Sports Illustrated the last decade or so, SI is still a trusted and recognizable name for avid and casual sports fans.
The last few years has seen Sports Illustrated turn its attention to digital entities, culminating with their 2019 acquisition of Authentic Brands Group – a move that has modernized the brand. Their evolution into the online sports betting world took a major step with their announcement earlier this year of a partnership with 888Holdings, a company that brings an established online sports betting infrastructure to the iconic Sports Illustrated Sportsbook. 888 could also allow Sports illustrated to eventually add casino and poker offerings to their portfolio.
Sports Illustrated is lucky to have a template for success. FOX Sports has parlayed their sporting experience into a successful FOX Bet brand and other media franchises like Barstool Sports has made a successful transition into the legal sports betting realm. The trick for Sports Illustrated is to follow their lead, and improve.
Cautionary notes start with the fact that the Sports Illustrated move into sports betting is relatively new. It’s still early on for SI Sportsbook and there is still plenty of room to grow in order to catch up with the heavyweight names already operating within the US scene. At this point, name recognition alone is not enough. There is still work to be done in the modernization of the website and the overall SI wagering experience. The mobile app is certainly respectable but is nothing that necessarily sets the SI experience apart from other options in the legal sports betting space.
Not to take away from the SI experience, but there is some catching up to do and some inevitable growing pains taking place for the Sports Illustrated Sportsbook.
Sign up with SI Sportsbook
Just like the rash of sportsbook options available in the growing US market, SI Sportsbook aims to make their sign-up procedure as quick and painless as possible. The goal of the sportsbook after all is to get their new users in on the action as quickly as possible, not wasting valuable time trying to get to their betting menu.
To get to the sign-up page, just click on our link here or the button at the top of this page. Once you are on the SI Sportsbook landing page it will then require you to provider your first name, last name, date of birth and email address. Next comes the customary username and password, followed by the site asking you to create a security question and answer.
Then you will be required to provide you full address, telephone number, and the last four digits of their U.S. Social Security Number (SSN). Don’t worry, they’re not going to store this on their site – its just used to verify your ID in that moment.
Once you accept the terms of use, confirm that you are of legal age to place a bet in a jurisdiction where the SI Sportsbook is licensed. Click “Register” and you will be given the option to make your first real-money deposit. Keep in mind you will need this real-money deposit to become eligible for the generous sign up bonus.
SI Sportsbook software
The good news for SI Sportsbook users is that it is just a revamped, SI-centric version of the 888Sport app and websites that have long been viewed as an elite betting platform. 888Sport currently boasts an average rating of 4.4 out of five from more than 100,000 reviews on the App Store. 888 has taken the best from their previous relationship with another industry heavyweight, Kambi, and has developed their own proprietary technology. The result is a SI Sportsbook platform that is slick and easy to use.
While seemingly a tad outdated (that may just be the aesthetic they went for), SI Sportsbook and 888Sports have worked hard on updating and modernizing what has the potential of being one of the top interfaces in the business. The betting menu is clear, easily accessible and very user-friendly from the time you sign in to their site to the time you log off.
SI Sportsbook app
The SI Sportsbook app is currently available for download on Android and iOS devices for customers 21 years and older and is available Google Play and the App App Store. The mobile platform gives you the chance to personalize your app home page with a focus on your favorite sports, allowing you quick access to last-minute wagering opportunities – a nice perk for SI Sportsbook users.
The app offers all of the primary features that are available on the desktop version, but with added benefit of being totally portable. You can take the SI Sportsbook experience with you anywhere within a legal state.
What’s on the betting menu?
While not offering quite the same broad menu as some sportsbooks in the market, SI does offer a healthy variety of sports betting options – everything the North American bettor will want plus a few more. 20+ sports are included in the menu with more possibly on the way. All sports are accompanied by some of the best odds of any sportsbook in the business. Included are:
Football
Baseball
Basketball
Golf
Tennis
Rugby
Billiards
Boxing
Darts
Cricket
Handball
Motorsports
Soccer
Table Tennis
esports
Hockey
Mixed Martial Arts
Volleyball
Cycling
Curling
Netball
Swimming
Surfing
Track & Field
Winter Sports
Badminton
Table Tennis
Australian Rules
All told, with all betting markets that the SI Sportsbook offers, there are some 60,000 betting options available to users at any given time. eSports betting is a nice inclusion to the menu. It is a growing sector of the legal sports betting industry around the globe and SI users will be able to take advantage.
Sports Illustrated betting markets
To be a serious player in the US legal sports betting scene, it is essential to offer the broadest set of betting markets available. Sports Illustrated does just that with over 15 types of wagers offered to their users. That list includes:
Moneyline
Straight Bets
Point Spreads
Totals (Over/Under)
Parlays
Teasers
Props
Futures
Live (In-Game Betting)
Correct Score
Odd/Even
Head-To-Head
System Bets
Period Betting
Half Betting
More promotions
It’s not all about the welcome offer. SI Sportsbook has a designated promotions section that they keep stocked with regular goodies. We recommend checking it every day to make sure you don’t miss out on value. Some past offers include entries like:
PICK 10/10, GET $10,000 – the Perfect 10 is a free to play promo. You make a string of picks and if you go a perfect 10 for 10, you cash… big time.
THREE & WIN – Play the Three and Win by placing a parlay of 3 legs or more from Friday to Sunday at a $25 or more stake, and if that bet wins, you win a $20 Free Bet Token!
BOOS, ENHANCED WAGERS & SPECIAL BETS – Make the bets you were already planning to make but with much better odds and potential payouts.
Banking with SI Sportsbook
SI Sportsbook offers a wide array of banking options to new and existing customers alike. Sports Illustrated has taken their banking philosophy from 888sports which has had vast experience providing safe and convenient options to their customers for years. There is a $10 minimum deposit. Included in the available options are:
Credit or debit card – Visa, Mastercard and Discover card allow for immediate transfers into your SI account. Credit Card deposits can only be made with financial institutions that support such transactions to online sports betting companies.
ACH/e-check/Bank Transfer – a convenient deposit option available to SI Sportsbook users. This option allows for immediate deposits, but withdrawals can take up to 3 business days. SI will require users to link their bank account to the SI Sportsbook.
Play+ prepaid card – an increasingly popular way for players around the country to fund their sports betting accounts. Simply sign up for a Prepaid Card and once you receive that card in the mail, make an immediate deposit of the amount on the Card. The prepaid card allows for deposits and withdrawals at ATMs around the world that support the Discovery Card brand. Withdrawals can take up to 4 business days.
PayNearMe – another convenient and increasingly popular way to make a deposit to your SI account. Players simply select the “PayNearMe” option while logged in to your SI Sportsbook account. You will be provided a dedicated barcode during the transaction that can be taken to participating retailers such as CVS, Walgreens, or 7-Eleven stores where the cashier can scan your code and ring you up at the register.
PayPal – Deposits using PayPal are secure and nearly instant, meaning you can access your funds and start placing bets straight away.
Neteller
Wire transfer
Customer support / help
Customer Service is an often-overlooked aspect of the overall sports betting experience but an important one. It shows a sportsbooks’ seriousness in taking care of their customers. SI Sportsbook offers a host of customer service options for their users. The sportsbook is reachable 24/7 by mail, phone or email and boasts an extensive FAQ section that deals with most of the potential questions new and existing clients may have.
FAQ section – this is the most efficient way to get all of your questions about the SI Sportsbook answered. Included in the section are the rules for betting in all participating markets, terms & conditions and the betting options. Queries on deposit and withdrawal options are also included along with a link for those respective pages. The extensive SI Sportsbook FAQ section is located on the bottom of the home page and does a nice job of covering most, if not all of your pertinent questions. If that doesn’t satisfy, there is…
The “Contact Us” option – Click the “Contact Us” option at the bottom of the SI Sportsbook page and find out how to get in touch with customer service reps from the SI Sportsbook via email, phone, email, or mail.
A live-chat option is not available but would be a nice addition to SI Sportsbook customer service.
SI Sportsbook overview
Perhaps the best thing the SI Sportsbook has going for it is the Sports Illustrated name itself. It has generational brand recognition and reputation. Beyond that, SI Sportsbook has done a nice job of developing a quality, user-friendly interface that will appeal to new and veteran bettors alike. The marriage between what Sports Illustrated has done best since 1954 and 888sports’ experience in the legal sports betting game has been seamless and has potential to result in one of the better legal sports betting experiences out there.
SI Sportsbook boasts incredible real-time statistics and updates to educate their bettors with relevant information, a huge variety of sports to bet on, accompanied by some of the best sports analysis in the business, some of the best odds in the market, secure banking, and a host of quality promotions to not only welcome new bettors but to keep their current clientele engaged and coming back for more.
Particularly interesting are the BetFeed feature that lets you see what other bettors on the sportsbook are focussing on and the “Recommended” section that gives customers and insider’s insight into some of the best value bets on the biggest sporting events. SI Sportsbook may be new to the market, relative to other recognizable brands, but it appears that the company has made all the right moves to make it a relevant player among giants in the US legal sports betting industry.
SI Sportsbook Promo Code Review Summary
Bottom Line
Because SI Sportsbook is a relative newcomer to the betting industry there are still some growing pains they need to work out. But the foundation is there to make it a recognized name not only in media circles but in sports wagering circles as well. Plus, you can’t sleep on their stellar welcome offer.
Welcome Bonus
Pricing
Betting Options
Software
Banking
The Good
Gigantic new player bonus
Excellent Sports Illustrated / 888 hybrid
Growing very quickly within the industry
The Bad
There is no ‘Live Chat’ support
Still ironing out some performance issues with the app.
Dave doesn't describe himself as ahead of the curve on much. But sports betting and the industry as a whole is definitely in his wheelhouse! Dave has been involved with global sportsbooks for 15 years from the writing of game previews and picks, to reporting on the gambling news of the day, to the site reviews for your favorite global betting destinations. A sports and pop culture junkie, Dave takes immense pride in sharing his passions and feels fortunate to be in a position to do just that.
Dave doesn't describe himself as ahead of the curve on much. But sports betting and the industry as a whole is definitely in his wheelhouse! Dave has been involved with global sportsbooks for 15 years from the writing of game previews and picks, to reporting on the gambling news of the day, to the site reviews for your favorite global betting destinations. A sports and pop culture junkie, Dave takes immense pride in sharing his passions and feels fortunate to be in a position to do just that.