Hard Rock Bet Review

Hard Rock Bet Review

The Hard Rock brand is known the world over –  but its foray into the sports betting world hasn't quite left the same impression on customers. Hard Rock Bet - renamed Hard Rock Bet on July 17, 2023, is live in six states. And while further expansion is in the cards, there are a few things that the company will need to work on before it can snag a more significant market share in existing and new state markets.

Here's a closer look at Hard Rock Bet, and whether there's enough here to warrant your attention as either a first-time player or a more experienced bettor.

Hard Rock Bet Quick Facts

Hard Rock Bet Locations

Hard Rock Bet is live and regulated in the following sports:

• Arizona
• New Jersey
• Virginia
• Ohio
• Tennessee
• Virginia

Sports Leagues to Bet On

Hard Rock offers wagering on standard North American sports leagues and events, but you won't find as many secondary sports markets as you will on sites like PointsBet or Caesars. Here's a look at how Hard Rock approaches U.S. bettors' favorite sports to wager on:

NFL Betting

Hard Rock offers a standard range of options for NFL wagers, including conference, divisional, and Super Bowl futures, moneylines, spreads, totals, in-game wagers, and player props during the season. Hard Rock's quality of NFL odds – 20-cent vig on standard markets and 30-cent vig on secondary opportunities – are in line with industry standards.

NBA Betting

NBA bettors will find a nice selection of moneyline, spread, and total plays for every scheduled game. You can also wager on teasers, quarterly or halftime options, player props, and various alternative spreads and totals. Hard Rock has done well to capitalize on the boom in player prop interest, offering more than a dozen markets on average for every contest.

College Football

Hard Rock provides moneyline, spread, and total plays for most FBS college football games during the season, along with futures markets for the National Championship, conferences, and divisions, among others. Both the odds and number of available markets are standard, though they do lag slightly behind industry leaders like DraftKings and FanDuel.

College Basketball

Hard Rock is here for all of the NCAA basketball bettors, offering traditional markets throughout the regular season and conference tournaments with more focus once March Madness tips off. Hard Rock approaches college hoops similarly to its NCAA football offering: its secondary market offering is decent, and the odds are mostly average across the board.

NHL Betting

Hard Rock offers a standard NHL betting menu. In addition to moneyline, puckline, and total plays, bettors have access to team and player props, along with period-specific betting markets and futures. I'm a big fan of Hard Rock offering two-way markets on the majority of its player props – and even some of the most notable sports betting sites should take note of this.

MLB Betting

Hard Rock offers comprehensive MLB markets. Apart from your standard moneyline, spread, and totals, bettors can wager on player props, futures, and First 5 game props. At the risk of sounding repetitive, the odds are satisfactory in the majority of cases, and Hard Rock's available player prop markets are more abundant than some lower-tier sports betting sites.

Other Sports Leagues

Hard Rock also offers betting markets for Aussie Rules, cricket, boxing, darts, golf, MMA, motorsports, snooker, tennis, and various European and South American soccer leagues. This isn't the most expansive menu, though that won't matter much to bettors who only focus on the major North American leagues.

Online Betting Experience

Hard Rock offers a mobile betting app for iPhone and Android and a website accessible on laptops and desktop computers.

Website Experience

The Hard Rock website is attractive for casual bettors due to its simplicity. Upon entering, the user is greeted with a mostly-white interface with purple accents that is easy to navigate. The top ribbon displays all the available leagues and tabs, allowing you to look at matchups four days ahead. The menu on the left-hand side of the screen displays featured and top leagues and is neatly organized, allowing for a seamless experience when searching for your desired sporting event. 

The best part about the Hard Rock website is how clean it is. The black, white, and purple contrast is oddly satisfying and makes it easy to distinguish where the user needs to go – and between the ribbon and other drop-down menus, it is easy to navigate.

Mobile Betting and Betting App

The mobile app is available for download on the App Store and Google Play. Much like the website, the design is clean and straightforward to navigate. The design mirrors the website, which brings a refreshing familiarity to users that have previously utilized it. The "Help" section is comprehensive, allowing users to contact customer service quickly.

The Hard Rock app is simple and easy to use. It likely could use a slight revamp, as it is borderline overly simple, but for casual bettors, it will suffice.

Live Betting

Hard Rock offers a standard live betting menu. 

Easily accessible, the live betting page loads on top of the main page, allowing bettors to see odds available immediately. 

Hard Rock offers a "My Pinned Events" tab that is unique. A bettor can pin whichever current or upcoming event and track it live as it is ongoing. 

Overall, the Hard Rock live betting menu appeals to casual bettors looking to track their action.

Casino, Poker, & Other Gaming Options

Hard Rock operates many retail casinos and offers iGaming exclusively in New Jersey.

Hard Rock boasts more than 600 different slot machines, highlighted by a bevy of user favorites  including jackpot, Megaways and old-school 3-reel options. The online casino also features a healthy number of table games, including three-card poker, blackjack, roulette and baccarat.

If you prefer live dealer games, Hard Rock has you covered there, as well (though with eight of the 20 tables devoted to blackjack, there isn't much variety if you aren't a 21 enthusiast).

Overall, Hard Rock does a solid job of providing casino alternatives to those using its online sports betting product in NJ.

Hard Rock Bet History

Hard Rock is a premier casino and gaming brand in the United States. The Seminole Tribe assumed complete control of the brand in 2007 and is headquartered in Davie, Florida. Looking to get into the sports betting business, Hard Rock partnered with Scientific Games to utilize its OpenSports technology to power its sports betting platform. 

Industry giants such as Paddy Power, Ladbrokes, and FanDuel utilize this technology to bring seamless betting experiences to consumers. These operators are much more sophisticated than Hard Rock, but it is reassuring to know that the technology powering the brand is advanced despite a simple app and website.

Customer Ratings & Reputation

Hard Rock has a poor 2.1-star rating on the App Store, with many complaints centered around its web design and unclear promotions.

The latter point appears to be a misnomer; I investigated Hard Rock's collection of promos and bonus offers and found that the site clearly and concisely explains not only the process for acquiring these offers, but the terms and conditions around each.

As for the concerns over the web design, there's some credence to those While the simplicity is applauded by players who prefer function over form, the design value is sorely lacking. It might help Hard Rock to modernize its design, even modestly, to provide a nicer aesthetic experience for its players.

Hard Rock is scoring significantly higher on Google Play, with a 4.7 on its flagship app (though it is registering a paltry 2.3 rating on the Iowa version of the app).

Customer Service

The customer service team at Hard Rock is friendly and knowledgeable. 

Hard Rock offers 24/7 customer support via live chat that directs you to an agent who is hospitable and willing to answer any questions and remedy any issues. 

They can also be reached by email, or users can fill out a web form and expect an agent to reach out to them within the hour after submission.

Hard Rock Bet Contact

• Email: support@hardrocksports.com
• 24/7 Live Chat
• Twitter: @HardRockSBHelp

Hard Rock Bet Legal Betting

Hard Rock Bet is regulated in varying states by:

• Arizona Department of Gaming
• The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement
• Virginia Lottery
• Ohio Casino Control Commission
• Tennessee Sports Wagering Advisory Council
• Indiana Gaming Commission

Responsible Gambling

The legal age for sports betting in most states is 21+. This is subject to regional regulation. Please play responsibly. Hard Rock complies with the rules laid down by the gaming commissions listed above in their respective states. 

Here are a few resources to help ensure you are gambling responsibly.

• National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG): The NCPG has over 50 years of experience assisting people and families affected by problem gambling. You can call or text them (1-800-522-4700) or join their 24/7 Live Chat.
• Center for Problem Gambling: The Center has been funded by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) since 1996. They are committed to serving anyone affected by a gambling addiction. Treatment is confidential and provided regardless of a person's ability to pay. Their gambling counselors have significant experience working with problem gambling and include therapists who are Nationally Certified Gambling Counselors.
• BeGambleAware.org: Offers free, confidential help and support to anyone worried about gambling for themselves or others.
• Gambling Therapy: A global service provided by Gordon Moody offering free emotional support and advice to anyone affected by gambling.

Why Choose Hard Rock Bet?

Hard Rock Bet is an excellent choice for more casual sports bettors looking to ease into the hobby. Its layout is simplistic, and the site offers some of the best sign-up bonuses for new users looking to try sports betting for the first time (or those betting for light entertainment). The website and app allow for a seamless sports betting experience, and customer service is more than willing to lend a helping hand. 

Overall, casual sports bettors utilizing the Hard Rock betting app will enjoy the ease of use, creating a fun and seamless experience typically elusive in a cluttered and competitive industry. And while there are things to work on (including an interface upgrade and more secondary sports markets), this is a solid-if-unspectacular entry in the U.S. sportsbook market.