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West Virginia Sports Betting – WV Online Sportsbook Info

by JD McNamara (jmcnamara) Last Updated 2024-09-05T16:39:27

West Virginia may only have five casinos, but the Mountain State has always had lofty aspirations when it comes to sports betting. And on August 30, 2018, West Virginia achieved one of its goals by becoming just the fifth state at the time to officially launch legal sports betting in the US.

West Virginia officially legalized sports betting on March 9, 2018, paving the way for regulated and licensed sports wagering in the state.

Almost exactly a year after launching retail sports betting, two of the biggest names in online gaming, FanDuel and DraftKings, launched in West Virginia with online sports betting.

Active West Virginia Online Sportsbooks

Here are some of the most prominent active online sportsbooks at West Virginia that you can join today!

Fanatics Sportsbook (formerly PointsBet)

Australian-based PointsBet went live in West Virginia towards the end of the summer of 2021. In 2023, Fanatics bought the company and converted its sportsbook brand to Fanatics Sportsbook. WV is the company’s sixth state of operation.

BetMGM

BetMGM has arrived in West Virginia as the second of three possible skins on The Greenbrier’s gaming license. The WV product is powered by the Roar Digital software platform and offers bettors an efficient way to wager on both live and upcoming events.

BetMGM WV offers lines on all prominent sporting events, and a host of spicy props for those looking for more specific rooting interests. Betting is available for mobile users either through a web browser, or from both Android and iOS devices.

Having already established a strong presence in New Jersey, BetMGM has succeeded in creating a consistent experience with its West Virginia product. Fortunately, if you’ve already used BetMGM in another state, you can still claim a welcome bonus in WV with plenty of bonus bets.

DraftKings Online Sportsbook

DraftKings has partnered with Hollywood Casino at Charlestown Races to offer online sports betting. DraftKings is a leader in states like PA, NJ and Indiana and ranks near the top spot in West Virginia as well. DraftKings offers tons of odds boosts daily, easy-to-use software and some crossover betting with Daily Fantasy Sports.

Caesars Sportsbook

Caesars doesn’t have a casino in West Virginia, so the giant casino company partnered with Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort to run both their retail and online sportsbooks. The retail sportsbook opened its doors November 21, 2018, as William Hill, which Caesars bought and folded in 2021. Caesars Sportsbook went live online officially on August 5, 2021.

Caesars Sportsbook offers a lucrative deposit match bonus for users plus a wide array of betting options including in-game and pregame betting. Additionally, Caesars Sportsbook has one of the best rewards programs among the notable U.S. operators. It is a great product that is sure to be popular among Mountaineer State bettors.

ESPN BET

The highly anticipated ESPN BET has arrived and it’s officially live in West Virginia, as well as 16 other states. ESPN BET has partnered with PENN Entertainment to launch a new online sportsbook along with embedding gambling insights into their ESPN produced content. ESPN BET aims to enhance the overall sports gambling experience by combining scores, news and betting all in one application.

As one of the sports betting apps available in West Virginia, ESPN BET offers features, accessibility, and promotions, emphasizing its legality and the variety of betting options, including college sports events.

FanDuel Online Sportsbook

FanDuel is at or around the top of every US market they have entered, and it’s no secret why. A top daily fantasy sports company, FanDuel first launched their online sportsbook in New Jersey back in 2018 and quickly rose up the ranks, eventually taking over the top spot. FanDuel has a clean, easy-to-use interface, tons of promos and quick cashouts.

FanDuel has partnered with The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia to run both their retail and online sportsbooks.

Betly Sportsbook

Betly Sportsbook first went live in West Virginia as the retail sportsbook provider for both the Wheeling Island Casino and Mardi Gras Casino in January 2020. The two retail locations originally opened up for business in December 2018 using the ‘BetLucky’ brand skin before temporarily closing down in March 2019 due to a civil lawsuit. Once both casinos were cleared to resume offering sports betting, they would do so under Betly Sportsbook’s services.

The Betly Sportsbook mobile app wouldn’t launch until nearly nine months later, but is now fully available for West Virginia bettors to download on both iOS and Android platforms.

BetRivers Sportsbook

BetRivers has finally brought its great sportsbook to the fine people of West Virginia through an online-only partnership with the Mountaineer Casino Racetrack. Bettors in the state will be excited to use the industry-leading platform in addition to taking advantage of the generous new customer promotion, which includes a first bet insurance offer that’ll result in bonus bets unless your first bet wins.

Signing up for WV Online Sportsbooks

When signing up for any of the sportsbooks operating in WV, you will need to follow a few steps. The site will need to verify your identity, and to do so, they will need your name, address, phone number, email address and the last four of your social security number.

Once your identity is confirmed, you can deposit money using your bank account, credit card, PayPal, or various other popular banking options depending on the site.

Offshore Sites vs Legal Regulated Sportsbooks

Keeping your money safe is one of the most important and exciting reasons sports betting was legalized and regulated in the US. Legal online sportsbooks are authorized, licensed, and adhere to regulatory standards for fairness, security, and consumer protection. When you are betting with illegal offshore sites, there is nobody watching your back. Let’s take a look at the advantages of betting with legal regulated sites vs offshore betting sites.

Online Sportsbooks Available Platforms

West Virginia online sportsbooks are available in a variety of options, including mobile sports betting apps for both Android and iOS (iPhone/iPad) powered devices. To download the iOS app, simply go to the Apple App store. If there are multiple apps for a given sportsbook, make sure you get the one tailored for West Virginia. For example, while there is only one FanDuel app which will automatically locate you in West Virginia, other brands have rolled out multiple state-specific apps for each individual market.

West Virginia online sportsbooks are also available on PC and Mac computers in any web browser. You will need to download a location plug in order to verify that you are in West Virginia. You will only need to download the plugin once, and it should work across all sites.

Geolocation

In order to place a bet on any West Virginia online sportsbooks, you must be physically located within the state. Sportsbooks use a technology called Geolocation to verify that you are eligible to place a bet.

When betting on your phone, geolocation uses your phones GPS to accurately locate you. When you are betting on your PC or Mac, it’s a little more complex. The location software uses not only the WiFi that you are connected to, but up to 3 other available WiFi signals to pinpoint your location.

West Virginia Online Betting Options

Retail Sports Betting Options

There are also several options for placing a bet live and in-person in West Virginia. The casinos are well spread out, covering the southern, northeastern, west and northwestern sections of the state.

FanDuel Sportsbook at the Casino Club at Greenbrier Resort (Southern)

Located in White Sulphur Springs, WV, on the border with Virginia, The Greenbrier Resort may be the only private, legal sportsbook in the country. The Greenbrier Casino Club is only available to club members and guests of the Greenbrier resort and has a dress code and a level of elegance not seen at your typical sportsbook.

The resort is more than just a casino. The Greenbrier has a golf course, spa, many restaurants, tennis and some of the most beautiful accommodations you will ever see.

Caesars Sportsbook at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort (Northwestern)

The Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort is located just a few feet away from the Ohio border and its sportsbook is powered by Caesars. In addition to the sportsbook, the casino offers slots, table games, restaurants, spa and entertainment.

The Caesars Sportsbook online sports betting app launched in August 2021 and will be a much needed addition as the Mountaineer Casino is among the lowest earners when it comes to revenue in the state.

Wheeling Island and Mardi Gras Casinos

Wheeling Island and Mardi Gras Casinos are both owned by Delaware North, and were the first sportsbooks to launch in West Virginia in December 2018. However, due to contract issues with tech partner Miomni, its run was short lived. The BetLucky online app, and retail sportsbooks at both WV locations closed in March 2019.

In January 2020 Delaware North announced it had reached a new agreement with tech provider IGT, and would soon re-open its West Virginia sportsbooks. On January 31st, 2020, both the Wheeling Island and Mardi Gras locations re-opened retail sportsbooks under the Betly Sportsbook name.

Daily Fantasy Sports in West Virginia

As we alluded to above, daily fantasy sports are legal in West Virginia.

If you’d like another outlet outside of online sports betting, daily fantasy sports may be just for you. Daily fantasy sports, also known as DFS, is a type of contest where users generate a lineup competing against other users. Depending on the type of contest, only a small percentage of players will receive any winnings from your pool of users.

Prominent DFS operators include FanDuel, DraftKings, Dabble, Sleeper, and PrizePicks.

Social Sportsbooks in West Virginia

If the prospect of online sports betting seems a little overwhelming for you, social sportsbooks may be the perfect place to test it out.

Social sportsbooks are similar to online sportsbooks – they offer plenty of different sports betting markets, bet types, among other features for you to explore. The key difference is you can place wagers without the risk of losing any real money. This is great for players who want to experiment with online sports betting, or who want to try out different bet types and betting markets. Some of the most notable social sportsbooks include Fliff, Thrillzz Social Sportsbook, and Rebet Social Sportsbook.

General Summary of Sports Betting in West Virginia

West Virginia sports betting went online in December 2018, but it was a brief stint as BetLucky online sportsbook had provider issues and temporarily shut its operations down in March 2019. It was later announced that BetLucky would be permanently close down.

FanDuel and DraftKings online sportsbooks reopened the state’s online sports betting market in August 2019, providing West VA with two excellent sports betting options. The two DFS giants have consistently been go to options for bettors around the country.

The sports betting industry in West Virginia has seen significant growth and development, with new operators entering the market and enhancing the overall betting experience.

Under the West Virginia sports betting legislation, a physical casino is permitted to offer three sports betting sites or apps (skins), with the only stipulation being that each skin must feature the logo of the casino thru which it’s licensed.

It’s a fantastic time for sports betting in West Virginia. Not only is WV one of the most pro-sports betting states in the US – behind maybe only Nevada and New Jersey – it’s also well positioned to offer sports wagering to fans and bettors of neighboring states that are lagging behind on sports betting legislation. Residents of Kentucky and Ohio are now flocking to West Virginia to place legal bets.

As online sportsbooks continue to roll out, be sure to check in with RotoGrinders for more West Virginia sports betting content, including WV online sportsbook reviews. We’re happy to be your expert on all things West Virginia sports betting!

West Virginia Sports Betting Legislative Landscape

You can get a full glimpse of the state of the sports betting legislative landscape of West Virginia by reading the state’s sports betting regulations here.

Here is a brief snapshot of West Virginia’s sports betting legislative landscape:

West Virginia Sports Betting History

West Virginia’s history with sports betting is relatively short, but boy is it ever sweet.

It was only a few years ago that West Virginia made a name for itself in the sports betting world. In 2016, West Virginia’s Attorney General, Patrick Morrisey, took strong action in support of New Jersey’s federal battle claiming PASPA as unconstitutional.

In 2017, West Virginia continued to position itself alongside New Jersey, making waves by including this aggressive claim in Bill H 2751 (which failed to pass):

“Whereas our State Attorney General is challenging the usurpation of the federal government of state authority to regulate sports pool betting and has articulated in the briefs of the State of West Virginia in Christie v. NCAA, 16-476, U.S. Supreme Court, that the U.S. Congress has no power to prevent state governments from authorizing sports betting as a form of gaming and therefore, the Legislature finds that it is reasonable and appropriate, for the State of West Virginia to proceed with legalizing sports pool betting pursuant to this article.”

Also in 2017, West Virginia conducted research on legal sports betting in the US. The study concluded that sports betting would eventually be legal in 30 states, which stressed the importance of timing and action. These results further emboldened West Virginia’s staunch support of, and goal to launch, legal sports betting.

On March 3, 2018, West Virginia officially legalized sports betting when Bill S 415 was quickly passed through state legislature. When PASPA was finally struck down in May 2018, it was off to the proverbial races for sports betting in West Virginia.

At 11:00 a.m. on August 30, 2018, the first official sports bet in West Virginia was placed: a $50 wager on West Virginia to win the 2019 NCAA championship game. Almost exactly one year later, both FanDuel and DraftKings launched their online sportsbooks in late August 2019.

West Virginia Sports Betting FAQs

Below, we’ve listed some of the most frequently asked questions in regards to West Virginia sports betting and West Virginia sportsbook promos.

Does West Virginia have sports betting?

Yes! Sports betting is fully legal in West Virginia, both online and in person. The first legal sports bet in West Virginia was made on August 30, 2018, at Hollywood Casino Charles Town Races.

Is online sports betting safe?

Yes! Sports betting is regulated the same as any casino bet, by the West Virginia lottery.

Where can I bet on sports in-person in West Virginia?

Bets can currently be placed in person at five locations:

Where can I bet on sports online in West Virginia?

There are eight online sportsbooks that are accepting bets in West Virginia that are legal and regulated by the West Virginia Lottery. They are:

Are DraftKings and FanDuel legal in West Virginia?

Yes! both DraftKings and FanDuel are legal and fully operational. They are both regulated by the West Virginia lottery meaning that your funds are secure.

Which West Virginia sports teams can I bet on?

There are no professional sports teams in West Virginia, but you can bet on any college teams including West Virginia and Marshall.

How old do I have to be to bet on sports in West Virginia?

The legal age for any form of gambling in West Virginia is 21 years old.

What sports can I bet on in West Virginia?

Bets can be made on all professional sports and all college sports. Unlike New Jersey, there are no restrictions for betting on West Virginia college teams and venues.

What types of bets can I make in West Virginia?

Moneyline, point spread, over/under, props, parlays, future bets, and much, much more. With little to no restrictions, West Virginia’s sports betting menu should be as extensive as anyone’s.

Given that both DFS and sports betting are legal in West Virginia, will we see any hybrid games offered in the near future?

With FanDuel and DraftKings, the leaders in the DFS world having launched in West Virginia, we have every reason to believe that we will see a DFS/sports betting hybrid model.

Who can place a bet in West Virginia?

Anyone who is 21 years of age or older and physically located in the state.

About the Author

jmcnamara
JD McNamara (jmcnamara)

JD McNamara is an iGaming industry veteran. He is a poker player, DFSer and sports bettor who is a huge fan of the Toronto Blue Jays and Toronto Maple Leafs.