West Virginia Legal Sports Betting

West Virginia is a bit of an overlooked state. Overlooked cause it shares a name with its neighbor and also overlooked because it’s surrounded by much bigger states in the northeast with bigger populations. Yet, it’s a sneaky-good state in many ways, including adopting sports betting earlier than most.

West Virginian bettors have come to the right spot to get the full lowdown on the state’s sports betting market. For the next 6-7 minutes, we’ll be breaking down everything there is to know about West Virginia betting action here — not on just sports, but everything else too.

Is Sports Betting Legal In West Virginia?

West Virginia accepted its first bet in early 2019 — less than a year before the federal ban on sports betting was lifted. While the majority of states were just barely discussing the prospect, the state was busy acting. Today, there are eight active apps inside the state, plus some retail bookmakers.

Which apps are licensed? And more importantly, which apps are most worth using if you’re inside West Virginia? That’s what we’ll be covering in the next two sections so read closely cause this is important.

International Online Sportsbooks Available In West Virginia

West Virginia has established a legal sports betting landscape, giving residents access to a variety of wagering options. However, it’s important to note that state-regulated sportsbooks have specific limitations that bettors should be aware of. While you can place bets on numerous sports, West Virginia sportsbooks cannot accept wagers on political events or entertainment props. Additionally, there are restrictions on betting involving in-state college teams, such as West Virginia University and Marshall University, which can limit local fans’ betting choices.

This is where international sportsbooks come into play, offering a valuable alternative for bettors seeking more flexibility. Offshore platforms allow you to wager on political outcomes, engage with a full range of college sports without the same restrictions, and explore various niche markets that West Virginia’s regulated sportsbooks do not offer. For those looking to bet on local college games or significant political events, international sportsbooks can significantly enhance your betting experience.

When it comes to safety and security, the international sportsbooks we recommend have undergone rigorous vetting to ensure reliability. Our team has used these platforms for years, confirming they offer fast payouts, fair odds, and excellent customer service. By selecting these trusted offshore operators, you can confidently broaden your betting options while ensuring that your funds and personal information are well protected.

Legal Online Sportsbooks Available In West Virginia

West Virginia Online Sportsbook Comparison

We get it, picking a single sportsbook (or two) to bet at in West Virginia isn’t the easiest. That’s why we’re here to help. We’ll be sharing some suggestions based on different features they excel at. It’s on you to decide what feature you care about most when making this decision:

Best sportsbook for bonuses: BetMGM has a really generous offer going for new users right now. Sign up, and if your first bet doesn't go as planned, BetMGM will refund you up to $1,500 in free play. That’s not a typo, it’s truly $1,500 for free! It's a risk-free way to get started — just make sure you’ve set aside the funds. With a big cushion like this, it's a great opportunity to take a big shot!

Best sportsbook for betting options: While many sportsbooks offer near-identical odds and betting markets, FanDuel manages to create some differentiation with boosted odds. These promotions aren’t just occasional — they happen regularly, ensuring that users consistently get a better return compared to other platforms. If you're looking to get more mileage out of each bet, FanDuel is the way to go.

Best sportsbook for live betting: When it comes to live betting, DraftKings is hard to beat. The app delivers fast, real-time updates on odds, keeping pace with the game better than most. Whether you’re betting on football, basketball, or even niche sports, DraftKings covers almost every major league with live in-play betting. The interface is sleek, and the live odds refresh quickly enough to keep you engaged without lag.

Best sportsbook for rewards: BetMGM Rewards just go a little further in West Virginia. Beyond typical in-app perks like free play, BetMGM Rewards are usable in their physical casino in the state. You can redeem points for hotel stays, dining, and entertainment at The Greenbrier — one of West Virginia's premier resorts. It’s a bonus for bettors who want more than just free play.

Best sportsbook for user experience: DraftKings is the total package in a lot of ways. The app is slick to use, it’s fast, errors are hard to come by, and things just work like they’re supposed to. DraftKings is truly a tech company that happens to offer sports betting, and that means they’ve engineered the perfect platform that's user-friendly.

What You Can’t Bet On In West Virginia?

Compared to other states, West Virginia is way more loose with its regulations. Still, there are a few things that won’t be allowed in-state betting-wise. Here’s what NOT to expect:

Player props in college: There will be no player prop betting in ANY collegiate sport. Basketball, football, WVU, a national school, it doesn’t matter cause all of it is disallowed.

Non-sports events: This one is a bummer on a personal level. We’d love for in-state bettors to sweat out presidential pick bets or award show outcomes, but unfortunately, regulators have it banned. This is the standard nationwide since these aren’t real sports (though politics sometimes feels like a sports game rivalry, doesn't it?).

Do you know where you can bet on these things if you’re inside West Virginia? At offshore sportsbooks, that’s where! These work perfectly fine inside the state, and because they are offshore, aren’t nearly as restricted as licensed apps. This can make for a much more free betting experience.

Who Can Legally Bet In West Virginia?

Like we said, West Virginia is pretty laid-back with its betting regulations. Most things can be freely bet on. Here are a few of the big ones for reference:

Legal age: Like everywhere else, the minimum age to sports bet is 21 in West Virginia (though lottery starts at 18).

Mobile betting: You better believe West Virginia allows mobile app betting. This is where almost all the betting revenue comes, via one of the state’s licensed apps.

Retail sportsbooks: By our count, there are five retail sportsbooks available around the state. These are great for making betting a social experience.

Remote registration: Getting set up with a West Virginia sportsbook can be done entirely online — no need to go to a physical sportsbook like some states require (cough cough Nevada cough). Registration takes a few short minutes at most apps.

Taxable winnings: Unfortunately, betting winnings count as taxable income. That means it has to be reported at year’s end. The state and the federal government will get their piece of it too. If only you could write off betting losses in your taxes though…

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Latest West Virginia Legal Betting Updates

Nov 21, 2024 13:34 PM

West Virginia sportsbooks experience a significant 65% year-over-year increase in revenue for January, announcing a total of $6 million in revenue for the month.

A Brief Timeline of the Legality of West Virginia Sports Betting

Let's give you a year-by-year breakdown of how West Virginia got into and expanded its betting programs:

Leading up to 2018, WV Legalizes Early

West Virginia does not take guff from anyone! And that includes the federal government, this state's attitude was evident when, even before the PASPA decision, they declared that "the US Congress has no power to prevent state governments from authorizing sports betting." Take that!

With this in mind, the state technically legalized sports betting a few months before the federal government officially allowed them to do so.

2019 Sees Betting Lift-Off

With sports betting already allowed, the state was well-prepared to move even forward on this front. In March 2019, over the state lottery's objections, both chambers passed sports betting legalization on the Internet. This bill faced very little other opposition and did not even require a signature from the governor. And with that, betting goes live across the state borders!

How To Bet On Sports In West Virginia?

Most West Virginia apps share near identical betting options. This includes all the major sports, plus smaller ones too. Furthermore, the betting odds are practically the same too. But no matter where you end up gambling at, you’ll likely gravitate toward betting on these markets the most:

How To Bet On Football In West Virginia?

West Virginia falls in line with the rest of the country by making football its number-one betting market. Most states, including West Virginia, get the lion's share of their tax revenue from September to December when both NFL and college football is in full swing. We like football betting as much as the next guy, but given how much general interest there is in it, betting odds are almost always matured. It’s harder to find mispricings as a bettor here.

How To Bet On Basketball In West Virginia?

If you haven’t jumped on the live betting bandwagon yet, we recommend doing so with basketball specifically. Unlike baseball or football, scoring is way more common in hoops, happening almost every play if the teams are hot. This creates a lot of volatility with in-play odds that follow the real game. It’s chaotic but it’s fun and worth a try if you’re still new to live wagering.

How To Bet On Baseball In West Virginia?

Betting should be fun, but let’s be honest, we want to win and actually profit from this thing. Let us tell you, no sport gives you a better chance at doing so than baseball. Daily betting opportunities for six months straight is unlike any other sport, that's for sure.

How To Bet On Fighting In West Virginia?

Combat sports deliver fight cards almost every weekend, yet most casual bettors only show up for the headline matchups. The reality? There’s nonstop action if you’re willing to look a little closer. West Virginia bettors can dive into all the big promotions — whether it’s UFC, boxing, PFL, Bellator, or even the up-and-coming Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. Fight-game opportunities are everywhere during the weekends.

Betting On West Virginia Teams

Here’s the thing: West Virginia doesn’t have any pro sports teams. The state doesn’t have a big enough city to warrant one. However, the state is centrally located near a ton of major cities — Pittsburgh, Washington DC, Baltimore, and even New York City isn’t that far away. Therefore, those teams seep their way into the local culture, creating a hodge-podge state with favorites all over the Northeast.

You already know those teams will be bet- able at West Virginia apps, especially if it’s a “Big 4” league. Locals will get their fix, trust us.

The state does have some collegiate programs that count as “home” teams though. The West Virginia Mountaineers are the big one, but there’s also Marshall, which is famous for being Randy Moss’ alma mater.

West Virginia Betting Revenue Statistics

Due to a small population, West Virginia revenues for betting probably won’t wow you. Not when the state is next to bigger markets like Pennsylvania, for instance. But there’s one thing interesting going on with the numbers the state provides every month: they’re doing an exceptional job at “holding” what’s bet.

In June 2024, the state reported an impressive hold of 11.9% during the month. That was better than the previous two months — 11.3% in May and 10.3% in April. All double digit holds though. For reference, a hold of 8% or so is considered average so West Virginia is blowing the norm out of the water.

Could it be that local bettors are just really bad at “beating” the sportsbook and casino? Or is the hold high because of something the Mountaineer State is doing? It’s probably a little bit of both if we’re being honest.

Other Types Of Betting In West Virginia

Outside of sports wagering, West Virginia has become big on casinos — and we mean big! Casino games like slots, table games, video poker, and so on can be had a resort-style casinos but also racinos that are hybrids with race tracks. The state is also one of a few that allow iGaming to be done online. West Virginia legalized online casinos as early as 2019.

We mentioned racetracks and those are on the table too. Horse-race betting can be made there or via online apps — both work across the state.

Lottery is also available. We don’t recommend it from an estimated-value perspective, but for locals who want to test their luck, lottery games can be purchased at local stores. They offer random draw games and scratch-off tickets.

Sports Betting Rules In Each State

West Virginia isn’t the only state we’ve whipped up one of these guides for. No way — we’ve actually done it for all other 49 states too. See below for a complete list of ‘em. Feel free to click around in case you’re visiting one of these soon and want to know the betting rules:

Responsible Gaming In West Virginia

Every bettor in West Virginia should follow this golden rule: set a betting budget. Anytime we’ve seen a bettor “go off the rails”, it typically could’ve been prevented with basic risk management. Most of the bad things happen when bettors lose control of themselves and this hobby. A budget, however, helps maintain some control.

Here’s our budgeting advice: start by determining how much disposable income you’re truly okay with losing—this has to be money that won’t impact your essentials like rent, bills, or savings. Once you’ve set that amount, break it down into daily or weekly limits and stick to it. Chasing losses will only dig you deeper, so when you hit your limit, it’s crucial to step back.

If you start noticing that betting is negatively affecting your life, it’s important not to ignore it. West Virginia has resources to help with problem gambling including the following:

West Virginia Problem Gambling Help Network (http://www.1800gambler.net)

A 24/7 confidential helpline offering support, counseling, and treatment referrals. Call 1-800-GAMBLER for immediate help.

First Choice Services – Problem Gamblers Help Network of West Virginia (https://firstchoiceservices.org/)

This organization offers free and confidential support, including counseling and treatment programs for individuals affected by problem gambling.

Gamblers Anonymous WV (https://www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/locations)

This national organization has local chapters and meetings.

And here are more nationalized resources:

Gamble Aware (https://www.gambleaware.org/)

A non-profit organization providing resources and support for individuals struggling with gambling addiction.

International Center for Responsible Gaming (https://www.icrg.org/)

The International Center for Responsible Gaming (CRG) is a research institution dedicated to promoting safe gambling practices and addressing gambling-related issues.

24/7 Gambling Support Line (https://www.ncpgambling.org/help-treatment/about-the-national-problem-gambling-helpline/)

A round-the-clock helpline offering immediate assistance and guidance for those experiencing gambling-related problems.