West Virginia is officially a part of the regulated sports betting industry in the United States. The state is home to four racetrack-casinos, a historic hotel-casino, a sportsbook in every casino, and a state lottery. The West Virginia sports betting bill isn’t just limited to retail or mobile betting via apps. It also supports traditional online betting via websites on desktop, laptop, and tablet devices. Looking for the top WV betting sites? We got you covered!
WV Betting Sites
After the decision to repeal the federal ban referred to as the PASPA, West Virginia became the third US state with legal online sports betting as of December 2018.
But it only was a stop & go. Since that time, here are a lot of changes in the betting landscape of the Mountain State. West Virginia’s casinos and racetracks are now allowed to run physical and online sports gambling sites. Because the sports betting bill passed by state lawmakers in 2019 supports betting at all five of the state’s physical casinos.
In fact, on April 24, 2019, the West Virginia Lottery approved licenses for five additional companies to participate in sports betting. Those include FanDuel, DraftKings, William Hill, and others.
West Virginia online sports betting has officially resurrected in late August 2019. The FanDuel Sportsbook and DraftKings Sportsbook introduced mobile wagering products, making West Virginia the fifth state with online sportsbooks.
FanDuel Sportsbook
FanDuel relaunched in West Virginia on Aug. 26 after there was no mobile betting in the state for several months. As a result, WV became the third state (along with New Jersey and Pennsylvania) in which FanDuel operates. Other than sports betting, FanDuel also offers fantasy sports betting services.
FanDuel offers up to $1000 risk-free bets for its new customers. The standout features of the FanDuel sportsbook are its in-game wagering, prop bets, and availability on all platforms. In addition, players can also enjoy their special Multi-Sport parlay feature.
BetMGM Sportsbook
The BetMGM Online Sportsbook is available in West Virginia since January 2020. Thanks to a partnership with The Greenbrier, WV benefits from having one of the largest casino operators in the world running an online sportsbook. In fact, BetMGM is also available in New Jersey, Indiana, Colorado. and other states.
The Mountain State players can take advantage of the BetMGM welcome bonus of up to $600 risk-free bets. In addition, regular promotions are also available such as $10 free bet every week.
William Hill Sportsbook
America’s #1 sportsbook brand, William Hill has decades of experience with live and online betting and brings all of this to a simple, clean interface on its online sportsbook. William Hill launched online sports betting in West Virginia on September 3, 2020.
It made a partnership with Mountaineer Casino in New Cumberland to launch its retail and online sports betting. William Hill not only offers a desktop and mobile website for WV bettors but Android and iOS apps as well.
New William Hill players in West Virginia can benefit from a risk-free bet of up to $500. In addition, the sportsbook also has special boosted odds available on a daily basis.
DraftKings Sportsbook
The biggest Daily Fantasy Sports operator, DraftKings was launched in West Virginia on Aug 28, 2019. It made a license agreement with Penn National Gaming to operate online sports betting in the Mountain State.
Certainly, it is one of the trusted online brands in the United States with some impressive features including live in-game betting and an early cash-out option. Also, take advantage of the sportsbook bonus features. The DraftKings sportsbook app is also available in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Iowa, New Jersey, and Colorado.
Betly Sportsbook
Mardi Grass Casino’s BetLucky sportsbook went offline in March 2019. The casino launched its new West Virginia sports betting app called Betly in September 2020.
The Betly Sportsbook app will give the West Virginia residents and visitors a chance to bet on sports from anywhere within the state’s borders. In addition, the app also brings convenience and the opportunity for more payouts with the in-game betting feature. Check the promotions section of the website to check if there are any user bonuses available.
Land Based Sportsbooks In West Virginia
Before launching any WV online sports betting sites, different brands have opened their own retail sportsbooks. Those sportsbooks were opened as a part of land-based casinos that already existed.
As already mentioned, there are five casinos in West Virginia that are allowed to offer legal sports betting:
- Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in Charles Town
- Casino Club at the Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs
- Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort in New Cumberland
- Wheeling Island Hotel Casino Racetrack in Wheeling
- Mardi Gras Casino in Cross Lanes (relaunch pending)
Usually, the sportsbooks are located in the same place as the casino is. Therefore, it is always accessible to those who’d like to try out something new. Most of these retail sportsbooks have a lounge area and a large number of monitors that display odds of events.
Best WV Sports Betting Apps
West Virginia is one of the pioneer states when it comes to sports betting. It is the fifth state to legalize sports wagering and the third to offer it online. Multiple active sportsbooks in West Virginia are able to take wagers from anyone and anywhere in the state.
At a top betting site, players can take part in every betting type imaginable, from pre-game standbys like point spreads to hyper-granular live bets on the outcomes of single plays. Moreover, a variety of promotions and bonuses along with highly secure banking options and reliable customer support will be the key features to watch out for. If you want to bet on sports in West Virginia, the following are some of the best West Virginia betting apps:
BetMGM Sportsbook
The BetMGM Sports app gives residents of West Virginia the ability to place legal bets on their favorite sports. BetMGM offers great free bet promotions and other perks, including Parlay Insurance, to provide a user-friendly sports betting experience that stems from its world-class gaming operations around the globe.
FanDuel Sportsbook
FanDuel Sportsbook is one of the top betting apps in West Virginia. Starting from the launch day, the FanDuel betting site never stopped increasing the traffic and contributing to the state’s revenue. In the next couple of years, we can determine whether FanDuel will earn the No. 1 spot in the state, or if instead just ends up being in the top three or four.
FanDuel offers new customers a risk-free bet up to $1000, and also provides new and exciting promotions for existing customers.
William Hill Sportsbook
William Hill is the most established and popular bookmaker in the world. It has unique and user-friendly platforms that are easy to use, it helps the new customers with their problems more effectively than any other bookmakers. Along with its user interface, William Hill excites its players with regular promotions and bonuses.
How to Place a Sports Bet in West Virginia
All sports betting platforms on this page are verified by our staff to be legal, licensed, and safe. The apps are easy to use, and they make it simple to sign up. WV betting sites will offer a variety of wagering options including live betting, points spreads, money lines, and more. Though placing an online sports bet is easy, one must follow certain steps to make sure you are progressing on the right path.
Choose a WV Sportsbook
The players must choose what type of sportsbook provides the best benefits to them and what suits them in order to enjoy the game. Every online sportsbook in WV offers the ability to place bets not only at home but also on the move using mobile sports betting apps. The majority of online betting sites in West Virginia give first-time players either free bets, risk-free bets, or deposit bonuses which is a must to take advantage of when wagering on sports. We recommend choosing one of the best sportsbooks in West Virginia available at the top.
Sign-up and Deposit
You must be 21 years of age to gamble in West Virginia. This age restriction applies to both casino floors and bets placed online. It is simple to make a wager on a West Virginia sports betting app. The functionality is user-friendly and easy to learn. All you need to do is fill in the registration form with the required personal details and submit the form. You would also need to verify your identity by uploading a valid Identification Document.
The next step is to make a deposit. Players can make deposits with their preferred payment options. All sportsbooks accept the following banking options: debit cards, credit cards, bank transfers, PayPal, Skrill, and Pay near Me. The West Virginia sports betting sign-up offers give bettors a special bonus, these bonuses tend to come as a no deposit, first deposit, or risk-free offer. So, be smart to claim the signup or deposit bonus if available.
Verify Your Location
Legal online sports betting sites and apps in West Virginia verify their customer’s location to make sure they are within the state lines whenever they place a real-money wager. Geo-comply software will ping your location whenever you visit the sportsbook.
On the other hand, computer users will generally need to download the software package directly from their sportsbook website. The important thing here is that you need not be a West Virginia resident to signup or use a betting app. However, location requirements apply to your physical presence within the state when you place a bet.
Place Your Bet
Once you have created an account and made an initial deposit, you are ready to place a real-money sports wager. Make sure to check the ‘Promotions’ section of the sportsbook to take advantage of active promotions. Navigate to the sport/game you’d like to wager on and click on the odds. Your selection will be added to the bet slip. Finally, enter the amount and submit the bet.
West Virginia Sportsbook Bonuses & Rewards
Sports betting bonuses are offers created by sportsbooks to entice people to bet on them. They provide a variety of bets such as free money, risk-free betting, or special bets are designed to attract the attention of the general public, which sportsbooks hope will be enough to get them to start betting regularly. Each of the online sportsbooks in West Virginia has its own betting bonus along with certain promotions. Below we have listed some of the most common bonuses to look out for in general.
Types of Awards
West Virginia online sportsbooks offer different types of awards to incentivize you to play with them. The bonus awards are to retail or attract new players. Some of them are offered at the time of signup, or while making larger deposits, while others are provided to VIP customers. Here is the list of different types of awards we can see across different West Virginia sportsbooks:
- Free Bets
- No-Reposit Bonus
- Deposit Bonus
- Reload Bonus
- VIP/Cash Back
- Special Odds
- Reduced Juice
- Event-Specific Promotion
- Refer-a-Friend
Key Terms and Conditions
When placing a bet with any of the West Virginia betting sites, you are therefore agreeing that you have read, understood, and will be adhering to the Terms & Conditions including the General Terms and Conditions at any time applicable to the sportsbook. You will generally only have a short period of time in which to claim your bonus. For instance, if you leave it there for more than 14 days, it will probably disappear.
You might also be restricted in terms of the betting markets that you can use your free bet bonus on. For example, it might only be valid when betting on the spread or totals, or it might only be valid for certain sports. We recommend reading all terms and conditions while creating an account, claiming a bonus, or cashing out money.
No Deposit
A no deposit is essentially a bonus where you qualify without putting any of your own money into the account. Usually, this is in the form of bonus cash. For example, a $50 no deposit bonus will give you $50 in free bonus money to play with it just for setting up an account.
Deposit Match and Reload
The deposit bonus is the most common of all online gambling bonus offers. Players can activate some bonuses by making a deposit. Certain deposit bonuses may have a minimum deposit requirement. The bonus amount offered may be fixed or maybe a percentage of your deposit amount. For example, the bonus amount offered is a fixed amount (e.g., $20 extra on a deposit of $50). This will give you $70 to play with.
In general, Match Bonus offers are the most lucrative of all bonus rewards. Only a handful of WV sports betting websites offer match bonuses as their primary offer. A prime example of this is a reload bonus.
A reload bonus can help get you back on your feet or provide you with a boost after your initial deposit. This type of bonus is for returning customers and regular gamblers.
Cashback and Insurance
A Money-Back or Cashback bonus is designed to help you save money. In this case, the WV sportsbook gives you back a certain percentage of the money you have bet over a period of time. Usually, you only receive money back on losing bets, and you may receive the money-back in the form of cash, free bets, or bonus cash. You may also see sportsbooks carrying insurance bonuses. These bonuses work the same way as cashback bonuses with getting back free bets for the loss.
Rewards and Loyalty Programs
West Virginia sportsbook offers VIP rewards: these rewards are different from what land-based casinos offer, as an online site automatically enlists you in a reward program. The points can also serve to create different levels of prestige within the rewards program. A land-based casino may require a credit line or other review to allow you to join a VIP program.
An average VIP scheme entails you collecting points for every dollar you spend on the site. You can gain enough points to get free bonuses from the site.
Odds Boosts
Odds boosts are so prevalent because they are one of the main ways that sportsbooks can inspire wagering on low-priority games. They are usually in their own section, and they change each day as the games play out. Odds Boosts can increase the payout for the exact same wager you’d originally make. Certainly, the Odds Boost always moves the odds in the favor of the bettor.
These are mostly offered at special events and the WV sports betting operator will give up some or all of the vig for these specific wagers.
Payment Methods Accepted by WV Betting Sites
Not every player prefers the same payment option. That’s why it is good to provide the customers with a wide array that they can choose from. All sportsbooks in West Virginia offer a way for customers to fund an online account. However, the availability of deposit options varies based on the sportsbook.
In general, online sportsbooks in WV accept the following methods of deposit and withdrawal:
- Visa
- MasterCard
- Play+ prepaid card
- ACH/e-check
- Wire Transfers
- PayPal
- Skrill
- PayNearMe
- Cash at Casino Cage
WV Betting Sites Laws & Restrictions
West Virginia has four racetrack casinos – Hollywood Casino, Mardi Gras Casino, Mountaineer Casino, and Wheeling Island. Plus, The Casino Club at the Greenbrier is authorized to accept bets and conduct many other forms of gambling, including casinos.
Each casino licensee can offer up to three individually branded online platforms (or “skins“). Also, each skin partner must display the logo of the license-bearing casino within its platform(s).
Licensing fees were set at $100,000, initially and annually. All operators must maintain a cash reserve equal to the current pool (and not less than $500,000) to cover liability.
The tax rate is 10% on revenue, whether land-based or online. This is a very reasonable amount closely comparable to the extremely successful New Jersey and Pennsylvania betting market, and far less than certain other states are attempting.
State Of The Union
Colorado sports betting bill was approved in November 2019 and is live as of May 1. Many apps are available throughout the state for betting on sports in Colorado.
IN Betting Sites: Indiana sportsbooks are active since October 2019 after Gov. Mike Pence signed Bill S 335 into law.
IL Betting Sites: Online sports betting began in Illinois on June 18, 2020, when Rivers Casino went live through BetRivers.
MI Betting Sites: Sports betting went live in Michigan on January 22, 2021. Tennessee sports betting was legalized in 2019 after the Tennessee legislature approved a sports betting bill.
How West Virginia Sports Betting Compares
The Mountain State is a great place to be for sports betting. Now the market has added online betting sites and begun to settle down. West Virginia has followed the blueprints set by New Jersey – low barrier to entry for online sports betting and casino operators, deposits, and registrations. Though retail sports betting is live for quite some time, the online betting market is new.
Here is how West Virginia online sportsbooks compare with the rest of the US states:
Mobile Betting Options
Online sports betting is off and running in West Virginia. In November 2020, West Virginia generated 4.41 million U.S. dollars from sports betting, up from the previous month’s total of 3.74 million U.S. dollars. We can see how the revenue is increasing each month as new legal sports betting sites arrive.
Certainly, the state is showing signs of growth, we can expect online sports betting in West Virginia to go from strength to strength. The more mobile betting sites vying for market share, the better standard of sportsbooks will be on offer. Your only problem will come choosing between them but help isn’t too far away.
Deposit
Despite heavy retail sports betting influence in the state, West Virginia did the right thing to bring new sports betting apps and chose to allow for online sign-ups and deposits. That gives more sports betting options, hence bettors will be able to sign up for a handful of different WV sportsbooks with ease.
WV betting market includes top operators such as William Hill and FanDuel which offers a wide range of banking options. Players will be able to deposit money using any of the available convenient payment methods.
Fair Pricing
With more sports betting sites joining the WV betting market, the operators are offering competitive odds to the bettors. Meaning, WV bettors can line shop more effectively.
To get the best pricing, there must be a lot of sportsbooks available. West Virginia did a good job by bringing big operators live. Eventually, we should see more and more books in West Virginia, which will lead to great pricing for bettors.
Market Offerings
There are no restrictions in terms of betting markets or sports for bettors to wager on WV sportsbooks. Compare this with offshore sportsbooks or other legal betting states where certain markets cannot be offered.
West Virginia doesn’t have any in-state professional major sports teams, but the state has a rich history of collegiate sports to bet on. Even though the University of Pittsburgh is a hated rival for many fans of the West Virginia Mountaineers, Pittsburgh Steelers, and other neighboring state’s professional sports teams are of the top choice for many in the state.
Pros: West Virginia's Successes
West Virginia did everything that an online gambler wants. Online sports betting and casino sites are legal and live in the state. As per the financial estimates, the West Virginia sports betting market expected to reel in more and more as the years go by. The assumed exponential increase in the value of sports betting should coincide with its increasingly dynamic effect on the state’s revenue.
With no restrictions on betting on local NCAA teams in WV, you can bet on West Virginia University, Marshall, or any other NCAA football team.
Players from neighboring states – Maryland, Kentucky, and Ohio can enter the West Virginia state borders to gamble online. For those folks to bet, they just need to pop over the border, sign up for an account online, bet, and head back. They can even cash out in their own state.
Cons: What Can Be Done Better?
Though sports betting is legal in West Virginia, the options are limited. As of now, only a handful of betting sites are available in the state, however, operators such as PointsBet planning to launch in the state will make a difference in generating more revenue and give more wagering options to the bettors.
The state’s Department of Gaming Enforcement is fairly generous with approving new markets for betting but will always lag behind offshore books that can offer anything they want without oversight.
West Virginia Sports Betting FAQ
Is sports betting legal in West Virginia?
Yes, WV sports betting became active law upon the repeal of PASPA. The legal gambling age in West Virginia is 21.
Who regulates legal sports betting in West Virginia?
The West Virginia Lottery Commission (WVLC) regulates and oversees legal sports betting within the state.
Do you need to be a WV resident to place a sports bet?
No, but you must be physically located within West Virginia’s borders at the time of placing a wager. As long as you are geo-located within the state, you are able to place an online wager.
Is mobile sports wagering in West Virginia allowed?
Of course, mobile devices are the most popular means of online betting. The law authorizes online mobile WV sports betting.
Are offshore sportsbooks legal in WV?
Offshore sports betting sites are not legal in West Virginia. This is why we will not promote any offshore operators at GamblerSaloon.com
Is college sports betting allowed in West Virginia?
Yes, there are no laws that are against college sports betting. You can bet on college sports teams and events within the state.
Is the lottery legal in West Virginia?
Yes. The West Virginia Lottery offers its own lottery games. Additionally, it sells tickets for the popular national lottery games, Powerball and Mega Millions. There is an online lottery app for checking winning tickets, but it is not possible to buy online lottery tickets at this time.