Pinnacle bookmaker review: rules, support, sign up, free bets, site

Not many bookies enjoy the cachet of a namecheck from the Sopranos, but Pinnacle was referenced in the script of the mafia TV drama, with characters praising its competitive odds. That’s been the site’s USP since it went live back in 1998: a minimal mark-up for the house, with typical payouts approaching 99%. For the shrewd punter, that’s a bit of a dream come true, and Pinnacle is especially good on U.S. sports.

And it doesn’t end there. While many sites are quick to restrict successful gamblers – hopefully not quite as forcefully as those fictional Sopranos – Pinnacle has always boasted a ‘winners welcome’ philosophy. It’s not absolutely flawless: punters who consistently profit in minor markets are likely to face restrictions, but overall this is done with a lighter touch than many rival bookies.

Clearly, Pinnacle is geared towards experienced gamblers. The emphasis is on good prices, not flashy offers. There are no inducements to compile elaborate accumulators or single-game multiple bets. Even the layout of the site is set up for people who know what they want and want it with a minimum of fuss. For a novice punter, this might be off-putting; for the sharp customer, it’s a welcome change of pace from the bright lights of the mainstream.

The bookmaker, originally known as Pinnacle Sports, is licensed in Curacao and Malta. Its core website at www.pinnacle.com is available in 16 languages and has a global reach.

However, the days when Tony Soprano could run an account at Pinnacle are past. The company no longer operates in the USA or the UK, due to licensing and tax issues. However, it is still available in more than 80 countries around the world and continues to trade on a reputation for the sharpest odds across a decent range of sporting markets.

Layout

Pinnacle’s design is easy on the eye. It doesn’t trade on eye-catching graphics or flashy logos – apart from a discreet company marker in the top left-hand corner, there’s little sign of branding. Instead, you get a front-and-centre view of the current live markets, a navigation sidebar to the left and a bet slip on the right.

One of the more unusual details on Pinnacle is that it doesn’t try to tell punters where to bet. Most sites love to emblazon their homepage with their ideas about today’s big events, but Pinnacle assumes its customers are savvy enough to know where they want to place their money and find the markets that interest them. If you enjoy dealing with people who treat you like a grown-up, this has obvious appeal.

Placing bets on Pinnacle is very simple. Just click on the odds you want to back and the relevant bet immediately appears in the bet slip on the right-hand side. Enter your stake and you’ll see your potential winnings displayed. Then click again to place the bet. Job done.

For punters who like to bet on the move, Pinnacle is slightly unusual. Rather than offer dedicated apps, there is a mobile version of the website. Given the pared-down approach of the desktop site, it’s no surprise that the mobile version easily translates to the smaller screen or your phone or pad. There is a live football app that can be programmed to alert you to the progress of any game. You can’t place bets using this, but you can respond to those alerts by reviewing your positions using the mobile website.

Services

As you would expect, the sportsbook is dominated by football and American sports. Unusually, horse racing does not feature at all on Pinnacle – probably a symptom of the site’s lack of a license for the UK or Ireland, where the turf is a core component of the betting sector. In team sports, though, all the usual markets are present and correct so there’s never any shortage of bets to be had.

One of Pinnacle’s selling points is odds calculated to three decimal places. The company argues that this makes for more generous odds since the impact of rounding up prices is less profound. In practice, it likely adds up to pennies on most wagers, but any edge is better than nothing, right?

Finding your edge often relies on the latest information, and Pinnacle has regular in-depth articles previewing the upcoming action. Since it assumes its customers are experienced gamblers, Pinnacle does not have extensive information or support about problem gambling, something else that may well impact its current prospects of regaining that UK license.

While live betting is a big part of the site, live streaming is not. In addition, Pinnacle does not offer automatic cash-out options for live bets, although it remains possible to use some of your projected winnings to ‘insure’ your initial bet after your chosen competitor moves ahead. It usually takes four seconds for a live bet to be confirmed. The members-only live betting area of the site allows punters to look at markets on up to four events simultaneously (desktop only, on mobile devices this is limited to a single event).

Away from sports, Pinnacle offers markets on politics and entertainment. There is also a casino, which promises live action as well as computerized gameplay, and virtual sports. However, Pinnacle’s poker service came to an end in 2011 following changes to EU gaming legislation. 

Bonuses

The traditional sign-up bonus has never been a big part of Pinnacle’s marketing strategy. It is possible to find offer codes online, but the kind of promos, offers and free bets that are deployed in the battle to lure new punters to sites are not big here. There is a $25 welcome bonus at the casino for anyone who deposits $50 or more (or currency equivalent), but nothing similar for sports bettors.

Pinnacle’s sportsbook also spurns the kind of bet boosts, loyalty schemes and similar incitements. The focus is very much on offering the most competitive odds and explicitly allowing players to exploit arbs (overlaps in markets that enable no-risk bets). This, Pinnacle argues, represents a ‘bonus for life’ aimed at experienced gamblers who seek value bets over one-off freebies. 

Customer service

This is probably Pinnacle’s lowest point. While most bookies offer a telephone helpline, online chat or speedy responses via social media, Pinnacle is limited to email contact only. You can send queries to [email protected], or use the feedback form on the site. In either case, you’ll need to include your client ID and use the email address you gave when registering your Pinnacle account. The only live chat option is limited to queries about registration issues. All of this can make resolving issues slower than we’d like.

Pinnacle does have an extensive searchable archive of information about the site, so background information is fairly easy to find. But dealing with specific questions can be more time-consuming. 

Registration

The issue for most prospective Pinnacle users is whether the site is accessible in their country. When Pinnacle cancelled its American operations in 2007, it said goodbye to almost two-thirds of its client base. It dropped out of the UK market in 2014 and, according to the site’s terms and conditions, Pinnacle is currently restricted in the USA (and territories), France (and territories), the UK, the Netherlands (and territories), Spain, Germany, Singapore, Korea, Denmark, Philippines, Syria, Turkey, Poland, Ireland, Czech Republic, Sudan, Australia (and territories), Italy, Iran, Slovenia and Sweden. It is possible to access the bookmaker from these countries using VPNs, but users should be aware that they will not be protected by any of the licensing requirements in force where Pinnacle operates.

If you are in a place from where you can register, Pinnacle has four steps to secure your account. First, give an email address and password. Next, name and DoB. Then comes a postal address and phone number, before finally getting to payment details. A verification email is sent to your designated address to provide extra security.

Financial

Pinnacle operates in more than 80 countries, and accounts are available in 15 different currencies. In addition to traditional payment methods – bank cards, credit cards, e-payment systems – Pinnacle makes a big effort to use local payment systems, such as Russia’s Qiwi or Pay4Fun in Latin America. So it’s fairly convenient to use, wherever you might be.

Another attractive feature is the high limits on wagers. Back in 2014, Pinnacle hit the headlines when it allowed $1 million bets on the World Cup final and today it still accommodates big stakes. Moreover, there is nothing to stop repeat wagers: if the maximum stake is $40,000, bettors can place one bet, wait a few seconds, then bet again – assuming there is enough money in the account.

But there are a couple of issues lurking in the small print. Before making a withdrawal, Pinnacle requires punters to wager 3x the initial deposit or pay a 3% transaction fee. In addition, after making one withdrawal in any given month, there are transaction charges for any subsequent drawdowns of funds from your Pinnacle account. Pinnacle argues this is necessary to comply with anti-laundering legislation but for UK users this is relatively unusual and rather unwelcome. It is possible to work around it by planning a regular monthly withdrawal once the initial wagering requirement is met. At the other end of the scale, the minimum stake is £1 – higher than more mainstream bookies, but still entirely affordable.

Reliability

Pinnacle is registered on Curacao, a reputable licensing authority for online gambling. User feedback is generally favourable, with no evidence that bets are not honoured or funds being kept. The website has adequate security to protect personal and financial data, although, unlike many bookmakers, Pinnacle does not mention this on its website.

Overall, Pinnacle has a good reputation. This derives from its competitive odds and its reluctance to restrict successful punters. While it isn’t necessarily a site for a beginner, experienced gamblers can bet with confidence here 

What’s missing?

The major issue with Pinnacle is access – the company left the UK market in 2014 for tax reasons and has yet to return. There were hopes that it might be back in 2017, but these failed to materialise and, so far, Pinnacle has not renewed its license with the UK Gambling Commission. It is also currently unavailable in the USA and much of Europe.

For those lucky enough to be able to use the site, the main drawback is the lack of any real-time customer service option. Live chat is only available to handle registration issues; all queries about bets need to be handled via email at [email protected] This can slow things significantly.

Another significant worry is the restriction on withdrawals. Punters can only make one free withdrawal a month from Pinnacle, with subsequent transactions charging a processing fee. Clearly, it’s possible to plan around this, but when most bookies allow unlimited free withdrawals it would be good to see Pinnacle follow suit.