It hasn’t always been smooth sailing, but sports betting is alive and well in the Mountain State. The first brick-and-mortar retail sportsbook opened its doors in August 2018, while West Virginia became the third state to legalize online sports betting in the United States in December of that year.
Today, a handful of sportsbooks operate online and in each of West Virginia’s five casinos.
This page will keep you up to date with all the latest happenings in the world of WV sports betting.
Population: 1.7 million
Legal age for sports betting: 21
Online sports betting: Yes
Retail sportsbooks: Yes
Sports betting revenue: $414 million
Yes, West Virginia was the fifth state to legalize sports betting. Lawmakers were quick on the draw as they already had sports betting laws in place ahead of the Supreme Court’s ruling that overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA).
West Virginia sports betting is open to anyone 21-years of age older who lives in or is visiting West Virginia. Players can place physical bets at a casino or try their luck online with a computer or mobile device. Let’s cover the basics before placing your first bet:
Legal ageYou must be at least 21 years old to place a sports bet in West Virginia.
Mobile bettingWest Virginia sports wagers can be placed on legal online sports betting websites or an accompanying mobile app. The West Virginia Lottery Commission regulates all sports betting activity in the Mountain State.
Remote registrationSports bettors in West Virginia are able to register, make their first deposit, and place their first wager — all from the comfort of their own home. With full remote registration, it’s never been easier to start betting in WV.
Within state bordersLegal online sportsbooks use geolocation technology to pinpoint the exact whereabouts of their users. You don’t need to be in the state to register or make a deposit, but in order to place a wager in West Virginia, you’ll need to enable location services to ensure providers can see you are physically present in the state.
Retail sportsbooksThere are five retail sportsbooks in West Virginia. These can be found at a casino or a racino, and all but one is open to the general public. The Casino Club at Greenbrier Resort is the state’s lone private venue.
Taxable winningsWest Virginia does not withhold a state tax on sports bet winnings at the state level, provided identification is submitted. With no ID, casinos are required to hold 6.5% of winnings.
At the federal level, all West Virginia gambling winnings are subject to a 24% tax.
Our independent reviews of betting sites include all the relevant information needed to ensure that you're wagering at safe and legitimate betting sites. We have identified several sportsbooks that offer the best features, bonuses, and the most comprehensive list of sports and bet types available to West Virginia residents.
The DraftKings app is available for free download on iOS and Android devices. Here, you’ll gain access to live betting for an assortment of sports and you can make deposits with a credit card and PayPal.
With FanDuel, users gain access to a sportsbook that was developed with a mobile-first mentality. It plays well with both Android and iOS devices and you find a good range of bet and deposit options.
The Ceasars Entertainment-owned William Hill sportsbook combines market experience with a premium user interface. Its mobile apps are available for both iOS and Android devices. It excels at live betting and offers thorough coverage of major sports.
Sports bettors can open an account with an online sportsbook and place nearly any type of wager from anywhere in West Virginia.
Each retail provider is permitted to host up to three unique sports betting brands — often referred to as “skins.” There are currently just five online options in West Virginia.
Sports bettors in West Virginia have the option of traveling to a retail sportsbook to place a physical bet or using an online sportsbook to wager remotely. Both options accept a variety of payment methods and offer a multitude of betting opportunities.
West Virginians may not have the largest selection of sportsbooks, but the major players are all operating in the Mountain State.
In order to identify the sportsbook that’s right for you, it’s always a good idea to consider current promotions, betting odds, and bettor reviews.
Now that you’ve narrowed the field and gone over some terms and conditions, it’s time to sign up and place your first bet.
The registration process in West Virginia can be completed in a matter of minutes. Simply enter some personal information, verify your identity with your SSN or driver’s license, and you’re all set.
Sign-up bonuses are a sportsbook’s way of incentivizing you to choose their platform over that of a competitor. Sportsbooks in West Virginia are no different, as they offer a variety of bonuses to new players. Though these promotions can be enticing, always be sure to read the accompanying terms and conditions carefully.
Here are some of the more popular offerings in the Mountain State:
Sports bettors in West Virginia are able to get in on the action with all of the popular types of wagers.
These include moneylines, point spreads, Over/Unders (totals,) and parlays. Live bets and futures can also be placed both online and in person.
West Virginia sports bettors have all of the usual options when depositing funds into their sportsbook account(s). Credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, bank transfers, and prepaid cards can all be used to your balance. It’s also a good idea to keep an eye on the bank and transaction fees associated with deposits.
Proper research should always be done before confirming your first bet. This includes line shopping for the best odds and understanding which bet types you’re most comfortable with. West Virginia sports bettors can register with multiple sportsbooks to get the best that each has to offer.
While sportsbooks will promise instantaneous withdrawals, it’s important to read over the terms of these claims. Deposits are typically immediate, but withdrawals can take longer to process.
Odds explainedMost sports betting sites use American Odds as the default option. Teams favored to win are shown with a minus (-) sign and tell you the amount you have to wager to win $100. For example, -110 odds indicate $110 needs to be wagered in order to take home a profit of $100.
A plus (+) sign will be found next to the underdog. This line shows you what you can win when placing a $100 bet. For example, +120 odds indicate you’d take home $120 in profit if you win a $100 bet. It stands to reason that more favorable betting lines will be found next to underdogs, as these teams are less likely to come out on top.
Some sportsbooks may allow you to view odds as decimals and fractions as well. Our odds converter makes it easy to do this as well.
West Virginia betting has experienced peaks and valleys in the volume of month-to-month sports wagers, but the state appears to have overcome recent setbacks.
Due largely to a six-month stretch of no online sports bets in 2019, West Virginia’s online and retail betting handles are nearly identical.
Over $850 million has been generated in total, with 2021 shaping up to be the biggest year to date. With licenses permitting land-based casinos to partner with up to three skins apiece, the future of West Virginia sports betting looks bright.
Here’s a breakdown of West Virginia sports betting earnings to date:
|
Year |
Total handle |
Revenue |
Hold percentage |
Tax revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2018 |
$46M |
$6.5M |
14.1% |
$655K |
|
2019 |
$226M |
$19M |
8.47% |
$1.9M |
|
2020 |
$414M |
$28M |
6.8% |
$2.8M |
|
Month |
2021 |
2020 |
2019 |
2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
January |
$50.7M |
$44M |
$22M |
N/A |
|
February |
$38.2M |
$39M |
$16M |
N/A |
|
March |
$42.7M |
$14.7M |
$13.8M |
N/A |
|
April |
$34.4M |
$2.9M |
$10M |
N/A |
|
May |
$25M |
$4.9M |
$10M |
N/A |
|
June |
- |
$6.3M |
$7.6M |
N/A |
|
July |
- |
$15.8M |
$5.8M |
N/A |
|
August |
- |
$45.9M |
$12.6M |
N/A |
|
September |
- |
$76.9M |
$25.6M |
$7.3M |
|
October |
- |
$44M |
$37M |
$9.7M |
|
November |
- |
$48.5M |
$33M |
$16M |
|
December |
- |
$70M |
$30M |
$13M |
|
Total |
$190M |
$414M |
$223M |
$46M |
West Virginians can wager on nearly every sporting event, but there are some limitations. As with other states, bettors are not permitted to place wagers on high school athletes. Here is a rundown of what else is not available to bettors:
PoliticsThe West Virginia Lottery Commission strictly prohibits gambling on any political event, including Presidential elections.
Entertainment award ceremoniesCelebrity and pop-culture events, such as the Academy Awards, are off-limits.
The NFL Draft has turned into a major betting event and West Virginians can partake in the betting action. However, there is a small wrinkle: Betting for the opening round closes 24 hours prior to the start of the draft. This measure is designed to curb any last-minute wagers made in the wake of any news leaks.
Betting on college sports is permitted in West Virginia. Additionally, there are no regulations on player proposition bets or live betting.
West Virginians are welcome to bet on esports. Most sportsbooks in the state should offer betting opportunities for all major esports events.
West Virginia sports bettors may place wagers with an online sportsbook or visit a retail location to bet on events in person. Mobile apps and sportsbook websites may be used for online betting, while retail sportsbooks can be found in one of West Virginia’s casinos.
|
Online sportsbook operator |
Mobile app |
Odds provider |
Online casino |
Retail partner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Betly |
Yes |
IGT |
Yes |
Mardi Gras Casino |
|
Yes |
BetMGM |
Yes |
The Greenbrier Casino Club |
|
|
Yes |
Kambi |
Yes |
Hollywood Casino at Charles Town |
|
|
Yes |
Flutter |
Yes |
The Greenbrier Casino Club |
|
|
Yes |
William Hill |
Yes |
Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort |
|
Sportsbook |
Venue |
Address |
Phone number |
Odds provider |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
The Betly Sportsbook |
Mardi Gras Casino & Resort |
1 Greyhound Drive, Cross Lanes, WV 25313 |
(304) 776-1000 |
IGT |
|
The Betly Sportsbook |
Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack |
1 South Stone Street, Wheeling, WV 26003 |
(304) 232-5050 |
IGT |
|
FanDuel Sportsbook |
The Casino Club at The Greenbrier |
101 Main Street West, White Sulphur Springs, WV 24986 |
(855) 453-4858 |
Kambi |
|
The Sportsbook |
Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races | 750 Hollywood Drive, Charles Town, WV 25414 | (800) 795-7001 |
Kambi |
|
William Hill Sportsbook |
Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort |
1420 Mountaineer Circle, New Cumberland, WV 26047 |
(800) 804-0468 |
William Hill |
The Mountain State is not home to a single professional team, but West Virginians are as passionate about professional and college sports as any other in the nation.
Despite your fandom, it’s important to remain objective when placing bets on your favorite team. Our how to bet guides are a great resource for beginner bettors to learn the basics.
The U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) overturned PASPA by a 6-3 decision, allowing West Virginia and other states to implement legalized sports betting laws.
Here's a snapshot of West Virginia's sports gambling timeline:
The Mountain State is home to five casinos — including four racinos that offer horse and dog racing. Regardless of where you choose to play, you can expect to find droves of classic table games and slots.
The West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagers Act of 2019 set the stage for online casinos to operate in the Mountain State.
Permanent online casino regulations have yet to be established in West Virginia, but in the interim players can enjoy a variety of online slots, poker, and table games.
CasinoBoth online and retail casinos in West Virginia offer much more than sports betting. Players can find more than 4,800 slot machines across the state, while roulette, video poker, and four different variations of blackjack can be enjoyed by West Virginians and their visitors alike.
Legal online casinos in West Virginia have also been known to offer no-deposit bonuses in addition to deposit bonuses, giving gamblers a nice incentive to get started.
PokerWest Virginia poker players can play both online and at a WV casino. There are 61 tables found in five poker rooms in the Mountain State, while players can now test their luck online playing land-based casino games like three card poker, four card poker, and pai gow poker.
Horse racingThere are four racinos in West Virginia — two with horse racing and two featuring greyhound races.
Pari-mutuel bets can be placed on live events at each of WV’s four tracks, while simulcast bettors have the option of wagering on races going on all over the country. Players can also bet remotely with TVG, TwinSpires, TrackInfo, and other online betting apps.
Daily Fantasy SportsAccording to West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, Daily Fantasy Sports are perfectly legal in the Mountain State. In a 2016 statement, Morrisey proclaimed DFS did not violate state law, giving these contests de facto legal status.
FanDuel and DraftKings dominate the DFS market in Indiana and can offer better promos, prizes, and contests for Indiana bettors.
Like other states with legalized gambling, West Virginia takes problem gambling very seriously. The West Virginia Lottery Commission has taken steps to ensure proper resources are in place for those who need assistance.
Cautionary reminders of the risks associated with gambling can be found in all of WV’s casinos. Additionally, the Compulsive Gambling Treatment fund has been established to support problem gambling initiatives.
Individuals can also voluntarily add themselves to a self-exclusion list by submitting a written request to the director of the Lottery Commission.
The Supreme Court's ruling overturned the long-standing federal ban on sports gambling. West Virginia, and several other states, acted on the legislation that was already in place to offer legalized sports betting. Sports gambling is also legal in these states: Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.
We strongly recommended that you avoid all offshore betting sites There is no recourse for West Virginians should a dispute arise with one of these websites, so it’s best to stick with a legal, regulated West Virginia sportsbook.
West Virginia sports betting is legal for adults 21 and over.
West Virginians can place sports bets at one of the state’s five casinos. Wagers may also be placed using a legal online sportsbook or mobile app.
No, you are not required to reside in West Virginia to place a sports bet. However, you’ll need to be inside state lines to place a wager.
Yes, you may bet on any of West Virginia’s collegiate events.
In 2020, West Virginia reported over $28.5 million in sports betting revenue.
West Virginia sports betting can be done in person at a retail sportsbook or online with a computer or mobile device.
Charles Town, Cross Lanes, New Cumberland, and Wheeling are all big sports betting cities in West Virginia.
Yes, FanDuel has partnered with Greenbrier Casino Club. Its sports betting app went live in West Virginia in August 2019.
Yes, DraftKings is the biggest player in West Virginia. DraftKings has partnered with Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races.
No, but the Penn National Gaming-owned operator is scheduled to launch in WV sometime in 2021.
