NorthStar Bets Review

NorthStar Bets Summary

19+, please play responsibly. If you have concerns that you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, please call Connex Ontario at 1-866-531-2600.

Northstar Bets, a newcomer to the global legal sports betting industry, is now live in the growing Ontario market, promising a “uniquely local, premier user experience.” The sports betting and online casino product from NordStar Capital is banking on some name recognition and over a century of experience as a media provider in the Ontario market to make their newest Northstar Bets brand a go-to option for the throngs of sports bettors, making Ontario a successful jurisdiction.

Follow along our Northstar Bets sportsbook review as we take a look at where you can find Ontario’s home-grown legal sports betting brand, the menu of sports offered, the overall Northstar Bets betting experience, their live betting, how their online casino rates, their reputation so far, and their customer service and responsible gaming focus.

NorthStar Bets Locations

Northstar Bets is a newcomer to the legal sports betting game. It is available in Ontario only so far under the regulation of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and iGaming Ontario. That is a blessing and a curse for the brand. The reality is that there is little to draw from when seeing how the product fares in other emerging markets before taking it on as your primary gambling destination.

Sports Leagues to Bet On

Northstar Bets prides itself on being an Ontario-centric sports betting platform, meaning that all of the sports Ontario bettors are passionate about are a logical focus of the brand. Our Northstar Bets review was happy to see that their menu of sports betting options didn’t stop with just the four or five most popular sports in the Ontario market.

NFL Betting

The NFL is the most bet-on sport in North America, which is not lost on NorthStar Bets. Its sister company, the Toronto Star, has extensively covered the Buffalo Bills, a favorite in the Ontario market for decades, and keeps close tabs on the Detroit Lions. Each is a focus of NorthStar Bets, as are New York’s two NFL squads and global NFL brands, the Cowboys and Raiders.

NBA Betting

The Ontario sports betting market is all about the Raptors, and rightfully so. Former NBA champions, the Raps get a lot of betting attention in the province and will continue to do so.

College Football

NorthStar Bets does offer some college football betting opportunities, but a peek at their menu revealed that it certainly isn’t a focus. Expect larger markets during the Bowl season.

College Basketball

Canadian and American college basketball is available at NorthStar Bets but isn't a focus until March Madness tips off.

NHL Betting

Ontario is a hockey market, but surprisingly, it was second in betting dollars generated out of the gate in the province. Expect that to change and for NorthStar Bets to be heavily focused on the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, and U.S. border teams like the Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings.

MLB Betting

The Blue Jays are the top summer sports betting draw in Ontario, and rightfully so! NordStar Capital, the Toronto Star, and the company’s 150 other news publications have lived through the highs and the lows of the Toronto teams’ storied history. NorthStar Bets will surely invest time and capital into the Toronto Blue Jays campaigns.

Other Sports Leagues

Ontario’s diverse population has made it necessary for sports betting providers to have various sports betting options. NorthStar Bets, while not offering the most extensive menu, does cover the most prominent international leagues in the world, like the EPL and other European soccer leagues, as well as rugby, skiing, motorsports, and even volleyball.

Online Betting Experience

All of the sports betting opportunities in the world would mean nothing without a top-notch overall betting site experience, and our NorthStar Bets review is happy to report that the site delivers a respectable product. From the aesthetics to the functionality, NorthStar Bets checks most, if not all, of the boxes that the average and veteran Ontario bettor is looking for.

Is it the best wagering experience in the Ontario market? No, but for a largely inexperienced product, NorthStar Bets does a fine job of wading through the muck and focussing on what’s most important – the sports and the bets its clientele want to make.

We found the odds a tad steep in some instances and competitive in others. We hope for consistency concerning the posted odds and that some of the rare underwhelming lines don’t turn potential bettors away.

The betting interface is sleek and modern. Its black and navy blue color scheme is undoubtedly attractive, and the overall product has the necessary user-friendly aspect that our NorthStar Bets review appreciated. Directions are well laid out, and menus are as simple to navigate as any we have seen in the Ontario market.

Any inexperience with the NorthStar Bets brand didn’t show in our wagering tests. To our surprise, the overall betting experience was a true strength of the overall product.

Website Experience

Northstar Bets can utilize an omnichannel approach to enhance its overall website quality. As mentioned, the interface is excellent, and the functionality makes for a pleasurable experience.

NorthStar Bets can draw from their print and internet publications to provide bettors with a “Sports Insights” section on the site. It gives bettors links to important sports-related articles, betting analysis, game previews, and other data-rich, newsworthy articles.

Regarding our time on the NorthStar Bets website, we found it pleasurable but not elite. New sites take time to rise to the level of DraftKings or FanDuel. So, despite not yet being an A+ site, our NorthStar Bets review is sure that, over time, the betting destination could become a top-tier provider in the Ontario market.

Signing in was easy, cashing out was hassle-free and navigating the site was a snap. The betting site was responsive and intuitive, and bet slips were easy to fill out.

Again, our betting site experience, while not elite just yet, left us confident that NorthStar Bets is on the right track to deliver an all-around great experience for Ontario bettors.

Mobile Betting and Betting App

Not having a dedicated app is one of the holes in the NorthStar Bets offering. Many sites are opting for instant play formats. Still, the biggest and the best distinguish themselves with dedicated iOS and Android apps available on the App Store and Google Play.

We found, however, that NorthStar Bets does an OK job in not making bettors miss a dedicated app. Fine focus details are a bit of a problem, as is the fact that there is something lost between your mobile device and a full browser view that one would get on a desktop or laptop version.

The browser version is quick and responsive but solely relies on a bullet-proof wi-fi network – something that can be sketchy, even for downtown Toronto!

Live Betting

Our NorthStar Bets review highlights the site’s live betting options. During our test, we found over two-dozen live betting options from hockey to basketball, baseball, soccer, and tennis to some more obscure choices like volleyball and table tennis.

NorthStar Bets allows bettors to place live bets in real-time while accompanying them with critical up-to-the-minute stats and even a peek into the future of upcoming live betting opportunities that will become available on the site.

As mentioned, live odds and real-time stats are something our NorthStar Bets review found the site does very well. The live update section at the top right of the screen, which provides real-time feeds and updates on those options, is also a very nice touch.

Casino, Poker, & Other Gaming Options

It is becoming increasingly incumbent on a sports betting provider to marry sports betting with online casino options. We are happy to report that NorthStar Bets does a decent job at that. While not listing all of the software providers for their casino offerings, further digging showed some of the top online casino developers in the world contributing to the NorthStar Bets brand.

The site boasts countless slots options, including a healthy number of progressives and tons of variations on favorite table games, such as Blackjack, Roulette, and Baccarat. Online poker is also available.

While not the best online casino in the Ontario market, our NorthStar Bets review gave the provider decent, not elite, marks for their online casino offerings, and it's better to have some options than none like other betting sites in Ontario.

NorthStar Bets History

Northstar Bets’ parent company owns the Toronto Star, the most popular print news media publication in Ontario since 1892. The company also owns 150+ other news publications in the province, as well as well-known websites and other media outlets. They bring a grass-roots approach to the legal sports betting industry in Ontario and hope to combine all to deliver an omnichannel experience that will be attractive to a unique sports betting crowd.

Other partnerships, including one with an elite global provider of sports betting and technology solutions, Kambi, give the gambling destination immediate credibility. Brand ambassadors like well-known Canadian sports personalities Rod Black and Chris Johnston also boost the brand’s profile.

Customer Ratings & Reputation

As a relatively new legal sports betting brand with zero other jurisdictional presence around the globe, finding any established rating for the NorthStar Bets brand was a tad challenging, but parent company NordStar Capital has a rock-solid reputation in the Ontario market, one that has been built with over a century of service in the province.

The Toronto Star is an institution in Ontario. All doubts about Northstar Bets’ credibility and seriousness to succeed in Ontario should be eased by the iconic backing that Northstar Bets enters the market with.

Customer Service

Customer service is something that NorthStar Bets could work on. It seems that 24/7 customer support is becoming the industry standard in the global sports betting scene. Most, if not all of NorthStar Bets’ heavyweight competition in Ontario offers unlimited access to customer support. NorthStar Bets isn’t there yet!

NorthStar Bets Contact

• Extensive FAQ section, which takes care of most questions and queries.
• Live Chat – 7 days a week from 8 am to 1 am EST.
• Toll free number: +1 (855) 218-7827
• Email: [email protected]

NorthStar Bets Legal Betting

NorthStar Bets is regulated by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and iGaming Ontario, making them a safe and secure locally-regulated betting site.

Responsible Gambling

Responsible gambling has become a hot-button issue facing global sports betting providers and is crucial to prospective companies hoping to operate in the Ontario market. Our NorthStar Bets review was happy to see just how seriously the company has taken on the subject.

NorthStar Bets offers a whole page that introduces and provides a slew of options to combat the potentials of problem gambling. From listing problem behavioural signs, emotional signs, and financial and health signs to providing advice and links to problem gambling help centers, Northstar Bets delivers one of the most complete and effective pages of options to deal with what many see as an emerging social issue.

The legal age for gambling in Ontario is 19+. Please play responsibly. Here are a few resources to further assist you in playing responsibly.

• ResponsibleGambling.org
• ConnexOntario
• BeGambleAware.org
• Gambling Therapy

NorthStar Bets Review Conclusion

NorthStar Bets, while not quite in the upper echelon of sports betting providers in the Ontario market, can still deliver a good product for those looking for a home-grown, Ontario-centric option. It is not quite at the level of a DraftKings or a FanDuel, but our NorthStar Bets review is willing to cut the company some slack to give them some time to get up to speed with their competition in the market.

NorthStar Bets does a respectable job in every aspect of their sports betting offering. Again… they are not yet “A-level.” Take the company out of an Ontario market where they enjoy a bit of name recognition thanks to their ties to the Toronto Star, and NorthStar Bets would fall into the “very average” category.

We expect they can step up their game as the company matures. Inevitable growing pains will occur, and areas of focus will be identified over time. Hopes are that the minor issues are addressed and that NorthStar Bets can eventually reach its full potential.