West Virginia Sports Betting Overview
West Virginia passed legislation in March of 2018 that officially legalized sports betting in the state. The bill (SB 415) set out a path for both brick-and-mortar and online sports betting to roll out in the state. This sports betting bill was key to making online sports betting legal in West Virginia.
By August 2018, brick-and-mortar sportsbooks were open across the state, online betting was live across the state by the end of the year. By mid-2019, both FanDuel and DraftKings offered West Virginia sports betting to WV residents. Both of these daily fantasy sports giants were already well known among most West Virginia residents.
Today, there are six legitimate online sportsbooks operating in West Virginia. That being said, additional sportsbooks could enter the market as the state's legislation allows the casinos to partner with more than one online betting provider. The move to legalize sports betting in West Virginia was a win-win for both the state and sports bettors.
By the Numbers: West Virginia Sports Betting
West Virginia is one of six states that offer both online sports betting and casino. While their total betting handle is nowhere near as high as states like New York, the iGaming industry is thriving online in West Virginia. Online casinos have seen massive growth, including a total handle of over $250 million in March 2022 according to WV Lottery.
Here is a look at some of the key West Virginia sports betting data including a look at the monthly and yearly handle data:
| ✅ Launch Date | September 1, 2018 |
| 📅 Legal Betting Age | 21 |
| 📱 Number of Mobile Sportsbooks | 7 |
| 💰 Total WV Handle (2021) | $544.5 Million |
| 📈 Total WV Handle (All Time) | $1.3 Billion |
| 💸 Largest Monthly Handle (Nov. 2021) | $84.3 Million |
Best West Virginia Sportsbook App: BetMGM
The best sports betting app in the state of West Virginia is BetMGM Sportsbook. Thanks to BetMGM, residents of the Mountain State can enjoy a plethora of benefits. Here are a couple of reasons to download the BetMGM app today:
Lucrative Sign-Up Bonuses - When it comes to new player bonuses, BetMGM does a fantastic job! As of this March, all new users in West Virginia can receive a $1,000 Risk-Free Bet. If you're new to sports betting, this is a splendid opportunity to build up your bankroll right away.
Daily Odds Boosts - Another thing that West Virginia folks will love about BetMGM is their daily odds boosts! Each day around Noon Eastern Time, BetMGM releases new odds boosts on a select number of games. For example, a random MLB moneyline parlay may regularly payout at +750 odds but it'll payout at +850 if it's boosted!
Best Bonus Offer: DraftKings
There are plenty of reasonable bonus offers for sports bettors in West Virginia, but DraftKings surpasses all of them in spades. For a limited time, new sports bettors in the state can get $200 in free bets if their first $5 wager wins! That's incredible!
All you have to do is download the DraftKings Sportsbook app and enter some basic information. When prompted, enter the promo code 200BV1. After making your first deposit, place a $5 moneyline wager. If it wins, you'll get $200 in Free Bets!
Another nice thing about DraftKings is that they run promos throughout the entire year. So if you happen to miss out on the $200 in free bets promo, it's quite possible that DraftKings will bring it back during March Madness.
Best Live Betting: FanDuel
Folks in the West Virginia sports betting market will love FanDuel for lots of reasons. However, our favorite feature of FanDuel is its live betting options. These folks offer live wagering on almost every sporting event, which is impressive!
FanDuel offers more generous lines on live betting than other West Virginia sportsbooks. More money in your pocket is always a good thing! Folks will also love how fast the app is!
We love how convenient FanDuel makes it to bet on games as they happen! To see what games are currently available for live betting, just click on the LIVE NOW button on the left-hand side of the webpage or app. You can then sort by sport and see which events are available for live streaming!
Best Player Props: Caesars
Thanks to most young bettors having a background in DFS, player prop betting is now more popular than ever! Prop bettors in West Virginia will love the fact that Caesars Sportsbook offers tons of options.
Just one look at the player prop odds at Caesars and you'll be pleased! It's not uncommon for Caesars to offer plus-money odds on a certain prop while the rest of the market has it at minus odds.
Paying less juice means you'll lose less money on your losses, which is a key to being a winning sports bettor over the long haul. Whether it's NFL, NBA, or MLB props, Caesars Sportsbook has you covered!
Best Casino Offering from a WV Sportsbook: BetRivers
Lots of sports bettors also like to try their luck at casino games and luckily for WV bettors, there are several legal casino apps in the state For folks in West Virginia who need a highly entertaining casino, we highly recommend BetRivers. BetRivers is known for their splendid sportsbook but they offer a top-notch Casino as well.
As of January, bettors in the Mountaineer State can take advantage of a fabulous sign-up bonus offer at the BetRivers Casino! Any new customers will get a Deposit Match of up to $250. You simply can't beat free money.
Hardcore casino players will rave about the 16 table games and 167 slots that BetRivers has to choose from. There truly is something for every gambler at BetRivers Casino!
Notable West Virginia Sports Betting Restrictions
West Virginia passed a bill as bettor-friendly as we have seen in the United States. There are no restrictions regarding what sports or teams you can bet on in the state. This means WV residents can bet on in-state college sports teams and events. This was fantastic news for dedicated fans of the West Virginia Mountaineers college football and college basketball teams.
For those wondering what restrictions are in place, there are three rules that bettors should be aware of:
- The minimum betting age in the state of West Virginia is 21.
- While you do not need to be a WV resident, you do need to be located within state lines to place a wager.
- You can not bet if you are on a self-exclusion list in the state.
In addition to these regulations, it is worth noting that online casinos, poker, and horse racing are also legal in West Virginia. Each of the sportsbooks listed at the top of this page offers a casino app. Simply search the App Store or Play Store for the casino app to book your choice.
No sports restrictions not only means WV residents can bet on any college sporting event but also every major domestic and international sporting event. Additionally, West Virginians can wager on e-sports, which is something several states, including Colorado, have recently elected to ban.
Live betting is also available in the state. Sportsbooks like FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, and Caesars all offer polished live betting engines on both their website and app. Live betting is available during all professional sporting events, and most division one college football and basketball games. All four books will have live betting options throughout the NFL season.
West Virginia Sportsbook/Casino Partnerships
To keep legal sports betting from negatively affecting the bottom line of the existing casinos in the state, WV legislators required online sportsbooks to partner with one of the state's five casinos prior to operating in the state. As of March 2023, each of the five casinos in West Virginia has a partnership in place with an online sportsbook.
Each casino is allowed to have multiple partnerships, so it appears likely there will be additional sportsbooks in West Virginia soon. This would be ideal for West Virginia sports bettors because having more options is always a good thing.
Below is a rundown of each of the casino/sportsbook partnerships in West Virginia. Yes, you can bet online in a brick-and-mortar sportsbook at each of these locations. However, with remote registration you do not need to go to a sportsbook to open an account, you can do so on the app or on the website.
SportsBook Promotions Available in West Virginia
West Virginia bettors opening a new account with any of the licensed sportsbooks in the state are able to take advantage of a bonus code offer. Bonus offers are often only available to new players, making this your only chance to grab free cash from your sportsbook of choice.
Here is a rundown of the various types of new player promotions available to West Virginia sports bettors this March:
Deposit Bonus -A deposit bonus is essentially a cash bonus that is equal to a percent of your initial deposit. Bonus funds received from a deposit bonus are typically subject to some sort of rollover requirement.
Free Bets - Many sportsbooks elect to give players a free bet when they register. Free bet offers are often restricted to spread bets, moneyline bets, or total bets. Anything you win from a free bet typically must be wagered at least one additional time prior to withdrawing. This is called a rollover and is an industry-standard policy.
Risk-Free Bets - Risk free bets are currently the most common sportsbook offers available in West Virginia. In fact, PointsBet is offering up to $2,000 in Risk-Free Bets to all new customers. That's a nice offer for folks in the Mountain State.
Our two highest-rated sportsbook offers for West Virginia bettors this March come from BetMGM and BetRivers. The offer from BetMGM includes a $1,000 risk free bet. The BetRivers bonus offer includes a 2nd chance free bet.
Retail Sportsbooks in West Virginia
Unlike its neighboring state to the east, West Virginia has several brick-and-mortar sportsbooks for sports bettors to enjoy. If you happen to be in the Mountaineer State, feel free to pay one of these places a visit and do a little retail sports betting.
Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races
Barstool Sportsbook runs Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races, which features a huge jumbotron, 30 TVs, and a restaurant with plenty of tasty game-day food. The book is open anywhere from 9 to 13 hours per day for your legal sports betting convenience.
Address: 750 Hollywood Dr. Charles Town, WV, 25414
The Mountaineer casino racetrack resort
This popular spot added a Caesars Sportsbook just a few years ago, and it's been doing a ton of business. The book offers spacious seating, a whole host of HD TVs, and a tremendous video wall. For those that want to try out one of the best West Virginia sportsbooks, this is a great place to start.
Address: 1420 Mountaineer Cr. New Cumberland, WV 26047
The Greenbrier
In addition to their West Virginia online sportsbook, FanDuel runs a great sportsbook at this upscale private casino. The sportsbook lounge is located inside The Casino Club and has been getting rave reviews from patrons. From what we've heard, the Casino Club has a great atmosphere and awesome odds, so it's worth giving it a shot.
Address: 101 Main Street West, White Sulphur Springs, WV 24986
Mardi Gras Casino
Betly opened a sportsbook at the Mardi Gras Casino, which features live ticket writers and 5 betting kiosks. On top of the sports betting they offer, the Mardi Gras Casino also offers various table games, race betting and more.
Address:1 Greyhound Dr. Cross Lanes, WV 25313
Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack
Betly also runs this sportsbook, which is open from 11 am to 10 pm on weekdays and 10 am to 10 pm on weekends. This location also has live ticket writers and plenty of Betly kiosks to take your action.
Address:1 South Stone Street, Wheeling, WV 26003
How to Sign Up for an Online Sportsbook in West Virginia
For those new to WV sports betting and online sportsbooks, you'll be happy to know that signing up for accounts with West Virginia sportsbooks apps has never been easier. Anyone in West Virginia that wants to get involved in legal online sports betting can do so by simply following these steps:
Download the online sports betting platform of your choice. This can include any number of online sportsbooks or sports betting apps.
Fill out all pertinent personal information like your email, password, and date of birth.
Copy and paste the bonus code from the top of this page into the right box when asked.
Make your initial deposit into your new online sports betting account.
Enjoy the bonuses from all of your favorite sports betting sites in West Virginia.
Jump into mobile sports betting and online sports wagering!
West Virginia Sports Betting FAQs
The West Virginia sports betting market has been an interesting one to track over the past two years. WV opened with a sportsbook operator that is no longer in the state, added FanDuel and DraftKings in 2019, added BetMGM in 2020, and Caesars (formerly William Hill) and PointsBet in 2021. There could still be some new West Virginia online sportsbooks coming in the near future.
With so many changes in the state's sports betting industry, bettors in WV have plenty of questions and concerns. We address the majority of these in the FAQs below. We encourage those who are new to West Virginia betting or online gambling, in general, to read these over before registering with any online sports betting platforms.
As always, continue to check back as the WV sports betting develops as we'll add additional West Virginia sports betting sites as they open.
Is there legal sports betting in West Virginia?
Yes, sports betting in West Virginia has been legal since 2019. Today there are 5 major operators that are licensed and operating legally in the state. The West Virginia Lottery Commission regulates all sports betting in West Virginia.
While that might not seem like many, these West Virginia sportsbooks are some of the best we've seen.
Is online sports betting legal in West Virginia?
Yes, FanDuel and DraftKings have offered online and in-app betting in WV since August of 2019. Both BetMGM and BetRivers opened their online sportsbooks and accepted their first online bets in the state in 2020. Caesars was able to go live ahead of the start of the 2021 NFL season, while PointsBet became the latest of the online sportsbooks to launch in WV.
Is retail betting available in West Virginia?
Yes, retail betting is available in five West Virginia casinos. This includes the Hollywood Casino (DraftKings), the Greenbrier (FanDuel), Mardi Gras (IGT), Wheeling Island (IGT), and Mountaineer Casino (Caesars).
For the uninitiated, retail sportsbooks are brick-and-mortar facilities. You can physically go to them. Unlike the online sportsbooks that have an app or website.
Can you bet on college sports in West Virginia?
Yes, unlike their neighboring state of Virginia, West Virginia allows betting on all college sports, including teams within their state. So if you want to place a parlay on the West Virginia Mountaineers game at one of the many retail sportsbooks or even the countless sports betting apps, the option is yours.
Who has the best sportsbook app in WV?
This is obviously up for debate as there are so many sports betting apps to choose from. The leaders in technology and live betting are clearly FanDuel and DraftKings. That being said, Caesars and BetMGM offer just as many sports, nearly the same number of props, and the same futures options. The better question is which sportsbook has the best odds and lowest juice.
Keep in mind, there's more to WV sports betting than just a flashy app.
Which sportsbook has the best odds in WV?
This changes based on the betting event. You can always find the best odds available using our free odds checker. We track which sportsbooks have the best odds and lowest juice there as well. Typically, Caesars offers the lowest juice but be sure to always shop around for the best odds.
That's one of the best things about online betting. You can pick and choose which sports betting sites you use based on the juice and odds. If you walk into the Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races, it's pretty difficult to go to another sportsbook - you're already committed. But with an online sportsbook, you can just head on over to another.
