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There are indeed legal sports betting opportunities in West Virginia, if you know the right destinations at which to place your bets. The Federal Wire Act of 1961 and the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act combine to effectively ban online and offline sports betting in the United States. Feb 02, 2021 West Virginia was one of the first states with legalized sports betting. Each of the casinos with sportsbooks is licensed by the state. The sportsbook is often branded after its partner brand. Several of these physical sportsbooks are also connected to digital platforms. West Virginia became the fifth state to offer legal sports betting. Bettors inside state lines can wager on sports in-person and online. Get the latest West Virginia Sports Betting updates.

Legalized sports betting in West Virginia debuted in March 2018. The state legislature was able to pass a law thanks to the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA).

Since that time, a lot has happened that’s changed the betting landscape in the Mountain State.

Let’s examine the current WV sports betting market, including online sports betting apps and land-based retail WV sportsbooks.

West Virginia Online Sportsbooks

WV sports betting apps

Technically, there has been online sports betting in West Virginia since 2018. However, the only current sportsbooks still active in the state are FanDuel Sportsbook WV, DraftKings Sportsbook WV, and BetMGM Sportsbook WV.

Both FanDuel and DraftKings have been accepting wagers in the state since August 2019. BETMGM launched in January 2020.

DraftKings Sportsbook

DraftKingsSportsbook and Hollywood Casino Charles Town partnered in Dec. 2018 to bring online betting to the state. DraftKings launched its online sports betting app on Aug. 28, 2019.

WV bettors now have access to one of the best online sportsbooks available in the US. The NJ version of the app offers a highly competitive welcome offer to new customers and has more sports and betting types available than most.

DraftKings also has a web-based sportsbook as well as an app for both Apple and Android users.

FanDuel Sportsbook

The FanDuel Sportsbook will service its retail-based sportsbook located at The Greenbrier. The casino partnered with FanDuel last September with the goal of bringing both a land-based and online sportsbook to WV.

Similar to DraftKings, FanDuel is one of the best mobile betting apps anywhere. It offers something for bettors of all kinds and always has a large number of live in-game listings available.

The sportsbook’s quality is one of the reasons it’s always among the top-grossing apps in terms of revenue in NJ. It looks to mimic that performance in West Virginia.

BETMGM Sportsbook

BETMGM Sportsbook launched in January 2020 as the continuation of a joint venture between MGM Resorts International and GVC Holdings. The West Virginia app joins its New Jersey counterpart as the first two sportsbook offerings under the BETMGM brand.

BETMGM is operating in West Virginia as the second online sportsbook on The Greenbrier’s license. The Greenbrier has hosted FanDuel’s online operation since August 2019.

BETMGM is an innovative app that combines all the expected bells and whistles of a modern online sportsbook with a few innovations of its own. Chief among those features is an option for players to edit their existing bets under certain conditions.

These kinds of creative sparks and the powerhouses behind the site should place it in good stead to compete with the existing sportsbooks in the Mountain State.

Land based WV sportsbooks

All five casinos in the state of WV opened retail sportsbooks before the end of Dec. 2018. They include:

As mentioned, the Mardi Gras and Wheeling Island sportsbooks are currently closed because of the issues with their betting provider.

The casino’s owner, Delaware North, is looking for a new sports betting partner but may have to wait until the dust settles on its old venture before doing so.

Hollywood Casino Sportsbook

The Hollywood Casino Sportsbook is the biggest casino in the state located in Charles Town, WV. It opened its doors for sports betting in Sept. 2018.

The land-based sportsbook dominates the WV market on a weekly basis in terms of both overall handle and revenue generated. The main reason for its consistent success is the casino’s location to nearby cities without legal sports betting.

Many residents from both Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., make their way to Hollywood to place sports bets.

Hollywood Casino Sportsbook Hours:

• Monday – Thursday: 10 a.m. – midnight
• Friday: 10 a.m. – 1 a.m.
• Saturday: 9 a.m. – 1 a.m.
• Sunday: 10 a.m. – midnight

Mountaineer Sportsbook

The Mountaineer Sportsbook is positioned between the border of Ohio and WV in New Cumberland. Its sports betting operation launched in Nov. 2018. Mountaineer’s closest major city is Pittsburgh, PA.

Mountaineer Sportsbook Hours:

• Monday – Thursday: 10 a.m. – midnight
• Friday: 10 a.m. – 1 a.m.
• Saturday: 9 a.m. – 1 a.m.
• Sunday: 9 a.m. – midnight

The FanDuel Sportsbook at The Greenbrier

The Greenbrier, located in White Sulphur Springs, WV, is the only private casino in the entire country. It’s actually owned by Governor Jim Justice and it started accepting legal sports bets in Sept. 2018.

Although betting is only permitted for Casino Club members and guests of the hotel, many local WV residents will gather at The Greenbrier to watch and bet on major sporting events.

The FanDuel Sportsbook at The Greenbrier hours:

• Monday – Thursday: 11 a.m. – 3 a.m.
• Friday – Saturday: 11 a.m. – 4 a.m.
• Sunday: 1 p.m. – 3 a.m.

Benefits of legal WV sportsbooks

Legal sportsbooks and mobile betting apps are the smart move for residents in WV and across the US. A bettor has more customer protections when betting with a regulated sportsbook.

Sometimes bettors lose their money or have to deal with stressful problems regarding payment and accessibility with illegal books. Now that there are multiple options available to those in WV, there’s no excuse not to use regulated sportsbooks.

They allow you to deposit money and bet while knowing that you’re dealing with a legal option and respected brand in the gambling industry.

Once online sports betting returns to the Mountain State, things will get even easier.

Bettors will be able to place wagers from the convenience of their own home and do so with one of the top brands in the betting market.

These online sportsbooks provide customers with a lot more than a reliable way to wager, too. Most will offer new-player signup bonuses as well as promotions and loyalty programs with rewards.

Popular sporting events bet on in WV

There are certain annual sporting events that garner more betting action than your common game. Some have become so popular that even casual fans might place a bet to make things more interesting.

Some of the top sports betting events in WV include:

• Super Bowl
• March Madness
• The Masters
• Kentucky Derby
• Wimbledon

WV sports betting history

2019

Rep. Shawn Fluharty introduced House Bill 2178, a bill legalizing online gambling, including casino games and poker. Focusing on the impending launch of several new online sportsbooks, the West Virginia Lottery Commission announced it would not support the gambling expansion bill.

2018

Fluharty reintroduces a sports betting bill in early January. State Sen. Stephen Baldwin files a matching bill, S 106, in the Senate. Neither bill passes, but the ball is rolling.

Later that month, State Senator Ryan Ferns files S 415. This bill set the license fee at $100,000 and established that sports betting would be taxed at ten percent of revenue.

The bill quickly passed through both chambers of the legislature. Gov. Jim Justice allowed the bill to become law without his signature, and thus, West Virginia became a sports betting state on March 3, 2018.

2017

In March, Fluharty introduces H 2751. The bill failed to pass but succeeded in stirring up the conversation.

In September, the state commissioned a $160,000 feasibility study regarding legal sports betting in West Virginia. The study found that 30 states will eventually legalize sports betting, which emphasized the importance of timing for legalizing sports betting in the Mountain State.

2016

State Attorney General Patrick Morrisey filed numerous amicus curiae briefs in support of New Jersey’s federal lawsuit against PASPA.

West Virginia University

WV sports betting timeline

Aug. 10, 2018: The West Virginia Lottery Commission granted interim sports betting permits to Penn National and FanDuel.

Aug. 30, 2018: Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races became the first legal sportsbook in the state to accept wagers.

Sept. 13, 2018: The Greenbrier opened its sports betting windows and maintains the only private casino in America. It made a deal with daily fantasy sports titan FanDuel Group in June 2018 to operate its sports betting facility.

Nov. 21, 2018: Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort became the third sports betting location.

Dec. 27, 2018: Mardi Gras Casino and Resort and Wheeling Island Hotel launched both retail and mobile sports betting.

March 6, 2019: Mardi Gras and Wheeling sportsbooks, along with their online app BetLucky Sportsbook, cease operations.

WV sports betting FAQ

Is there an age requirement to bet on sports in WV?

Yes. You must be 21 years old to place bets in West Virginia.

Do you need to be a WV resident to place a sports bet?

No, but you must be physically located within WV’s borders at the time of placing a wager.

Who oversees sports betting in WV?

Book Betting Wv

The West Virginia Lottery Commission.

Are there mobile sportsbooks available in WV?

Yes. FanDuel Sportsbook and DraftKings Sportsbook both offer online betting in West Virginia.

While there have been legal West Virginia sportsbooks available on the Internet via overseas, offshore services for decades, there hasn’t been a way to access local WV betting shops inside state borders. Thanks to the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA), no other state except Nevada could legally offer sports betting of any kind to their residents (except horse racing betting, which was carved out and allowed to be regulated by each state itself).

Thankfully, PASPA was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2018, leading the way to legal West Virginia sportsbooks operating inside the state. However, it will likely take several months (and potentially more than a year) before online sports betting is available in WV, and – in the meantime – it remains 100% legal to continue using offshore sportsbooks and betting shops like Bovada, SportsBetting, BetOnline, 5Dimes, BetDSI, and other top West Virginia service providers.

PASPA has a storied history, from its shortsighted introduction and botched implementation to the obvious fact that it was wildly unconstitutional from the start yet remained completely ignored by congress. Fortunately, the law has finally been struck down. However, it remains to be seen how the recent Supreme Court ruling on PASPA impacts sports betting in West Virginia. There are several unknowns to consider, and many of these variables could potentially lead to drastically different implementations of on-land and online sports betting in the region. There are also the effects of PASPA on offshore sportsbooks to consider, as these could range from minimal to catastrophic and everywhere in between.

First and foremost, the SCOTUS decision to overturn PASPA (6-3) is what opened the door to state-based regulation of all sports betting within that state’s borders. West Virginia closely watched the case during its years going through the federal court system, and they anticipated the law’s dismissal. As such, they themselves already had a legal framework in place – passed by the state legislature and signed by the governor – to allow sports betting in West Virginia (SB 415). With the preemptive law in the works and the downfall of PASPA, it was only a matter of time before legal sports betting in West Virginia was able to launch. The first West Virginia sportsbook opened its doors on September 1st, 2018 at the Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races, with full-scale, single-game wagering on a wide range of sports. That said, whatever online component the state is planning will likely take longer to roll out to the populace, so for maximum convenience, offshore, legal West Virginia sportsbooks (Bovada et al.) are the way to go.

Of course, there’s a chance that – down the road – the PASPA ruling could have deleterious effects on the overseas bookmaking business. The state could bar residents from accessing such sites in order to force them to use a WV-sanctioned solution, or the WV government could simply pass laws prohibiting the placing of sports bets with such services in the first place.

Of course, it’s equally likely that the state will do nothing to combat its overseas competition, relying instead on the convenience and patriotism factors associated with “betting at home.” It also remains to be seen whether or not local WV sports betting shops will accept cryptocurrencies, as that could be a major differentiator between West Virginia sports betting and offshore sports betting (where all the top sites already take Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin, etc.).

More:Federal Sports Betting Laws

Currently, West Virginia has passed one law – SB 415, or the West Virginia Lottery Sports Wagering Act (signed March 3, 2018) – that addresses sports betting inside state borders. In fact, of all the first states to employ sports betting legislation of any kind in the wake of PASPA’s elimination, West Virginia’s bill is by far the most comprehensive.

First and foremost, SB 415 makes it clear that the state will permit wagering “on the results of certain professional or collegiate sports or athletic events” and that the duties to regulate this new betting industry fall to the West Virginia Lottery, an already-established government gaming agency. Licensees granted the right to offer WV sports betting will have to pay a service fee of $100,000 to the West Virginia Lottery every five years to keep their licenses active.

The law also suggests that those operating legal West Virginia sportsbooks will be charged a weekly “privilege tax” of 10% of the adjusted gross sports wagering receipts. This is a much heavier taxation rate than that employed at Las Vegas casinos, and it remains to be seen whether or not a West Virginia sportsbook can survive the hit without passing along its losses to the consumer in the form of larger house takes (i.e. less profitable wagers for the sports bettor).

Because the West Virginia Lottery will be in charge of regulating the sports betting industry in the state, there might be some confusion about what locations will actually offer on-site sports betting to WV residents and visitors. Fortunately, SB 415 clarifies that, though the WV Lottery is the regulating agency, sports betting will be allowed at area casinos, racetracks, and any other location where licensed video lottery terminal operators are situated. Right now, however, SB 415 limits sports betting to a total of five licensees in the state. As the popularity of the pastime grows locally, that number will likely be increased to meet regional demand.

SB 415 makes plain the fact that there will be mobile sports betting in West Virginia offered through official, state-sanctioned channels. §29-22D-6e spells out the following: “A West Virginia Lottery sports wagering license authorizes the operation of…sports wagering…through any mobile application or other digital platforms approved by the commission.”

Obviously, no state-based solution will be remotely feasible without a component offering access to legal West Virginia sportsbooks over the Internet and via your mobile device. The vast majority of WV residents use their iPhones and Androids for nearly all of their Internet-based activities, and it would be senseless to try to buck that trend. In other words, the outlook for mobile sports betting at legal West Virginia sportsbooks is extremely positive. It’s not a matter of “if,” it’s strictly a matter of “when.”

More:West Virginia Sports Betting Laws

Of course, it’s already perfectly legal to bet at an offshore sportsbook on your mobile device, and – depending on how the general WV sports betting taxation scheme works out – you might get far better deals wagering with these foreign brands than you will using local WV wagering apps. Yes, state-based mobile betting apps will likely be “native,” meaning that they’ll be purpose-built and available on the Apple App Store and in Google Play, but the current mobile portals offered by sites like Bovada, SportsBetting, and the other main players are already substantially better than their desktop or laptop computer counterparts. Regardless of who puts out the most polished app or web app, however, the upshot remains that mobile betting at offshore sportsbooks is still 100% legal in West Virginia (and the rest of the US).

Because of the legalization of sports betting in West Virginia, there are sure to be a number of first-time bettors coming into the fold. Naturally, sports betting can seem like a complex, tricky endeavor to the beginner, but that doesn’t have to be the case. This beginner’s guide to sports betting in West Virginia is brief but comprehensive, and it will teach you how to read odds, how to play different wager types, what kinds of sportsbook deposits and sportsbook withdrawals are best for your needs, whether or not you should take a deposit bonus, and more.

You’ll learn bankroll management, the ins and outs of handicapping teams and players, and everything there is to know about sports betting’s newest craze, live betting. Most of this stuff is common sense, of course, but it will definitely help your cause to have a little background knowledge of all the pertinent aspects of the sports betting industry.

Shopping Lines

Of all the different strategies available to West Virginia sports bettors, the most important to keep in mind is the easy act of shopping lines. It is the simplest, most straightforward, and most profitable edge any user of legal West Virginia sportsbooks can take advantage of. By signing up at multiple different online sportsbooks, you can compare the given odds for every single contest, placing your wagers with the bookmaker that has the best payout for your pick.

Additionally, you’ll sometimes even be able to place wagers on different sides of the same bet at different sportsbooks, which is called “playing the middle,” an advanced form of hedging your bets. (This can be quite profitable if done often enough.)

However, regardless of what your specific strategies are, having access to multiple books with multiple different lines can make you a lot more money than doing business with only one of the many legal West Virginia sportsbooks out there.

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