West Virginia (WV)

After a series of legal changes, West Virginia currently boasts some of the best mobile sportsbooks in the US, and all in all, online sports betting has become a significant source of revenue for the state. The state legalized online sports gambling in WV in 2018, allowing betting enthusiasts to wager on their favorite events safely.

Today, the gambling market has numerous West Virginia betting apps that offer various wagering options to players. In this piece, we will focus on the current state of online sports gambling in WV and the sportsbooks available within the state’s borders.

Online Sports Betting in West Virginia

Before the State legalized West Virginia online sports gambling, several land-based casinos existed in the State. For instance, Hollywood Casino, at Charles Town Races ground, began its operation back in the early 1930s. However, such casinos were dealt a blow when the State legalized online sports gambling, and WV mobile betting apps started appearing on the market.

Placing bets online was now more convenient and accessible than visiting physical casinos. Also, online betting sites offered various sports wagering options and markets from which players could choose. Besides that, multiple offers and bonuses were given out frequently, orchestrating a large-scale shift of players from land-based gaming rooms to online sites.

West Virginia sportsbooks also allow bettors to bet via the website or mobile app, which takes excellent care of desktop and mobile sports bettors. Interestingly, the mobile app's functionality is mainly on par with the bookie's desktop partner. This means that whatever betting options are available on the web, players can access them through the app.

Notably, a sportsbook app allows bettors to customize the available sports betting markets according to their preferences. This offers a personalized gaming experience. Regarding regulations, the West Virginia Lottery Commission oversees the sports gambling industry in this State. The body also licenses betting sites seeking to operate within WV.

Sports Betting Legislation in WV

Although land-based casinos have existed in West Virginia since the 1930s, sports betting was not legal back then, and therefore, these gaming rooms did not offer sports gambling services. However, following the legalization of sports betting in WV on September 1, 2018, the first in-person sports wager happened in a land-based casino.

And a bit later, in December 2018, online sports wagers were made legal, and players could wager on their favorite sports events online. The first betting app in West Virginia was BetLucky, which was launched immediately on December 2018, but due to some third-party service provider issues, Betlucky had to shut it's operations down on March 2019.

However, this same month the WV The House of Delegates passed two bills, HB 2934 and HB 2901, that opened the State's gambling scene even further and reinforced mobile sports betting and online casino-related legislation. After this legal update, Fanduel was the first major sportsbook app to start its operations in the State in August 2019.

The legalization of in-person and online sports betting came when other US states had already incorporated sports events into their gaming markets. Hence, legalizing sports gambling in the State wasn’t new in the US.

Also, sports wagering enthusiasts pressured the authorities to allow legal sports betting events in casinos legally. Today, players can wager on the numerous sports events offered by various online gambling sites in West Virginia. Depending on the player’s preference, they can use the site’s desktop website or app to access multiple markets.

Restrictions

Whether a sports bettor is a resident or visitor in West Virginia, they can conveniently wager on sports events on any available betting websites or apps. However, the player must satisfy the legal online gambling age in WV. During the sign-up process, players input their year of birth for the betting site to determine whether they are eligible or not — the requirement is 21.

Besides, there are no restrictions on the sports events that bettors can wager on. In addition to state leagues and competitions, bettors can also wager on leagues from neighboring states.

Licensing and Taxes

The Lottery Commission in West Virginia controls online and physical betting. The body’s members are appointed by the governor and approved by the state senate.

Every online sportsbook seeking to operate in WV pays the State $100,000 in initial and annual license fees. In addition to the licensing fee, online and retail sportsbooks also submit 10% of their yearly revenue through taxes. For instance, if a sportsbook earns 1 million dollars in revenue, it will have to pay $100,000 in taxes to the State.

How profitable has sports betting been in West Virginia?

Sports betting has been active in West Virginia longer than most states, and because of that, they have racked up over a billion dollars in sports betting handle. Here we'll take a look at their monthly numbers for handle, revenue, and tax income for the state.

• October 2023:

  • Sports betting handle: $47.7m

  • Revenue: $6.37m

  • Tax income for the state: $637,627

  • Top 3 sportsbook operators in WV right now:

    • 1) The Greenbrier (Handle: $19.2m)

    • 2) Charles Town (Handle: $19.2m)

    • 3) Mountaineer (Handle: $2.2m)

• September 2023: Handle: $44.4m, Revenue: $4.33m, Tax Income: $433,343

• August 2023: Handle: $23.9m, Revenue: $2.59m, Tax Income: $259,587

• July 2023: Handle: $20.9m, Revenue: $2.5m, Tax Income: $213,519

• June 2023: Handle: $23.6m, Revenue: $2.05m, Tax Income: $205,373

• May 2023: Handle: $35.1m, Revenue: $3.8m, Tax Income: $384,953

• April 2023: Handle: $40.8m, Revenue: $3.1m, Tax income: $310,718

• March 2023: Handle: $43.1m, Revenue: $4.2m, Tax income: $421,000

• February 2023: Handle: $39.7m, Revenue: $2.7m, Tax Income: $236,999

• January 2023: Handle: $44.7m, Revenue: $3.6m, Tax Income: $311,008

2022

• December 2022: Handle: $53.2m, Revenue: $7.5m, Tax Income: $644,975

• November 2022: Handle: $82.5m, Revenue: $6.1m, Tax Income: $520,240

• October 2022: Handle: $51.1m, Revenue: $5.06m, Tax Income: $430,473

• September 2022: Handle: $57.7m, Revenue: $8.1m, Tax Income: $688,531

• August 2022: Handle: $23m, Revenue: $2.8m, Tax Income: $246,464

• July 2022: Handle: $25m, Revenue: $2.6m, Tax Income: $222,409

• June 2022: Handle: $25.9m, Revenue: $1.6m, Tax Income: $137,989

• May 2022: Handle: $44.6m, Revenue: $4.1m, Tax Income: $356,299

• April 2022: Handle: $35.8m, Revenue: $3m, Tax Income: $261,927

• March 2022: Handle: $61.4m, Revenue: $3.3m, Tax Income: $283,584

• February 2022: Handle: $49.2m, Revenue: $1.9m, Tax Income: $166,175

• January 2022: Handle: $58.8m, Revenue: $4.09m, Tax Income: $348,342

What is legal to bet on in WV?

Players can legally wager on different sports events in West Virginia. From horse races, football, basketball, esports, and lawn events, every sports fan will find an exciting event to place wagers on.

Of course, WV bookies also cover popular leagues and events across the US, including the NFL focusing particularly on the Super Bowl, one of the biggest single sports wagering events. The NFL has gained an extensive fan base in WV, and all sportsbooks in the State offer NFL betting markets such as point spread, parlays, prop betting, and totals.

West Virginia sportsbooks also take advantage of the long seasons and postseasons of NBA games for their sports gambling market. Spread bets are the most popular choices in NBA betting. WV gamblers place regular money-line bets on MLB events with live wagering, adding a proper boost to the market.

The law in WV allows sports fans to bet on in-state school sports events without any restrictions. And for those who love in-play wagering, most bookies accept live bets on various occasions.

Gambling news and updates from West Virginia

• April 11, 2023: After a down month in terms of handle, West Virginia saw an increase of 8.3% in that area in the month of March.

• March 30, 2023: DK Horse, which is DraftKings new horse racing app, is now live in West Virginia, among 11 other states.

• March 15, 2023: Bill HB3232, which was created for consumer protection in the sports betting realm, has failed in the state.

• February 8, 2023: A ground-breaking sports betting bill has been proposed in the state, which would allow the West Virginia Lottery Commission to ban people who have harrassed coaches, players, or referees from sports betting.

How do mobile sportsbook apps work in West Virginia?

Besides betting websites, nearly all online sportsbooks in WV have a mobile app that allows punters to bet easily while on the go. After the first online bookies went live in West Virginia, more joined, expanding the sports gambling industry in the State. FanDuel and BetMGM were the first sports betting apps to go live here, partnering with the Greenbrier Casino Club.

Later, DraftKings got approval from the Lottery Commission, giving players more betting opportunities.

Notably, West Virginia mobile sportsbooks have outstanding features, all similar. As such, the registration process that involves providing and verifying personal information is the same. Apart from the betting odds, available sports wagering markets are almost similar in all sportsbooks.

To use any sports betting app in WV, players should download and install it on their gaming device. There may be two app versions, one for Android devices and another for Apple gadgets. Punters need to pick a version that's perfectly compatible with the device they intend to use when placing their wagers.

Interestingly, getting the app is simple, and players can download it from the Google Play Store, Apple Store, or the bookmaker's official website. We'll discuss signing up more in the following section.

Getting started - Step-by-step

To start gambling using the available online betting apps in West Virginia, players should follow these steps:

1. Sign up — Once a bettor has identified their preferred WV sports betting site, they need to open a new player account. This involves providing essential details like personal names, date of birth, and SSN, among others.

2. Download the preferred betting app — After the registration request is approved, the next step is to download the gambling app and install it on the gaming device.

3. Make a deposit  — Next, bettors should proceed to the payments section and fund their sportsbook accounts. Various deposit methods are available, so bettors should choose one that best suits their interests.

4. Claim the bonus offers — Different apps offer various bonuses upon registration and funding of the account. The player should check all bonuses and claim them.

5. Place your bets — Now that the player has money in the betting account, the next step is placing actual bets.

Bonuses and WV sports betting offers

Sportsbook apps in WV offer various bonuses to their clients to entice more clients and keep the existing ones active. Some of the most common bonuses and sports offers include

1. Risk-free bets — WV sportsbooks offer risk-free bet promotions when players lose their first bet. However, this bonus is set to a certain maximum amount. In FanDuel, for example, the risk-free bet is up to $1000.

2. Deposit match — When players make their first deposits, West Virginia betting apps match up their deposit amounts up to a certain percentage. In DraftKings, punters get up to $1000 in deposit match bonuses.

3. Referral bonus — Some betting apps in West Virginia have a reward for players who refer new bettors to their premises.

Payment methods for depositing

When it comes to funding a player's betting account, there are different payment methods, all safe and secure. Popular ones are, for example:

1. Visa/Mastercard. Nearly all sportsbooks in West Virginia accept Visa and Mastercard payments. However, most of them don't allow cashouts via this option.

2. PayPal is a popular e-wallet used to make transactions across all betting apps in West Virginia and many countries, such as the United Kingdom, just to name one. It is viable for both payments and withdrawals.

3. Bank transfers. When players make bank transfers, the money is wired directly from their bank accounts and credited to their betting accounts. Unfortunately, this may take up to seven banking days.

4. PayNearMe. Players may use PayNearMe to fund their gambling accounts in place of credit cards. However, not all sites accept this deposit method.

Trusted West Virginia sports betting mobile apps in 2023

West Virginia has eight operational sports betting apps, with more set to launch in the future. At the moment, here are the most trusted mobile gambling apps in the state.

First, DraftKings is a household name with an excellent reputation in US sports gambling. The betting app went live in West Virginia in 2019, offering a wide range of sports wagering markets. Further, the app offers new and existing clients various sports bonuses.

The Fanduel app began its operation in WV in 2019, and the app is a market leader in the state with various deposit and withdrawal options for players. One of the early sportsbooks, BetMGM, went live in WV in January 2020, offering comprehensive betting markets in the industry alongside plenty of promotions and bonuses.

Finally, Caesars launched its operation in WV in September 2020. This WV sports betting app rewards its customers with exclusive incentives and a good betting selection covering a broad market.

West Virginia sports betting at casinos

WV is quite a liberal state since all forms of sports betting are legally controlled. Besides the highly prevalent online sportsbooks, several location-based casinos offer tens of wagering options.

Currently, there are a few physical casinos in the state, including:

• The Casino Club at The Greenbrier — This casino has been operating for quite an extended period. The club boasts top-of-electronic table games and popular table games. Indeed, there are over three hundred slot machines for its players.

• Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack, and Resort — This casino is located on the border of West Virginia, facing the Ohio River. It has been in operation since 1994.

Other land-based casinos are Mardi Gras Casino and Resort, Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack, and Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races.