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.
Gambling on sports in West Virginia follows the same process it does in other states. It starts with choosing WV sports betting app or site and signing up. Signing up is followed by making a deposit, after which bettors can choose what event to bet on. Most beginners pick a sportsbook without considering the necessary factors. They end up leaving the site without having a fulfilling gambling experience. It is necessary to choose a sportsbook carefully as it will ensure one has a rewarding experience.
The most popular sport to bet on in the US and even in the world is football. It is the same in West Virginia. Football is the most common sports-people in the state place wagers on. Since West Virginia has no major sports team, bettors in the state place bets on other teams. Most of them go with Pittsburgh Steelers, a team that has a large fan base in WV. It is not so clear which teams West Virginians support in other sports. Their loyalty is evenly split between different teams from nearby cities.
Gambling on horse racing is very common in West Virginia. The state has five land-based casinos and four of them hosts live horse racing events. Placing bets on horse races is simple. Bettors have to predict which horse or horses will finish the race in the top three. The top three positions are win, place, and show. Bettors can bet on these three positions in any form they wish.
There are many legal sports betting sites in West Virginia and there are also fraudulent ones. But even the legal sports betting sites do not offer the same quality and options. To get the best gambling experience on gambling sites, there are certain factors that must be considered. We have explained some of the important factors below.
The banking methods offered by a sports gambling site is an important factor that must not be overlooked. Without effective banking methods, punters cannot make deposits and withdrawals easily. Hence, many sports gambling sites in WV provide many banking methods to give players different options to choose from. Also, players have to consider how long it takes for the site to process withdrawal requests. Some casinos and gambling sites process withdrawal requests within a few minutes while some others process in hours and days. Once the payment methods and processing time are convenient, the bettor can choose that gambling site. Some payment methods which are popular on sports gambling sites include Skrill, Neteller, Paypal, Check, Visa, Mastercard, and Online banking.
Large amounts of money are being transferred to and from gambling sites daily. These transfers also include players’ personal and financial details. Hence, gambling sites must put in place every possible measure to ensure payments are done safely. They must also make sure that players’ data do not get into the wrong hands.
To attract and keep players active on their platforms, gambling sites feature many promotions and bonuses. These promotions may come in the form of welcome bonuses, cashback bonuses, free bets, weekend bonuses, reload bonuses, and many more. The welcome bonuses and free bets are the most popular at online casinos and sports betting sites. Some casinos may give it as no deposit bonus or deposit bonus.
Players love the deposit bonuses more, as it allows them to bet on the site without using their own money. Deposit bonuses are given after the player makes a deposit and the size usually depends on the amount of deposit made. The bonus money can be used to play online casino games and also win money. Free bets are more popular on sports betting sites. It is given to encourage new users to continue using the site after their first bet. It applies only to bettors who lose their first bet. After that first loss, the site refunds the loss to the punter, meaning the players have nothing to lose from their first bets.
Another important factor to check before online wagering is the reputation of that gambling site. One way bettors discover how reputable a site is by how long that it has been operating for. Online casinos and sports betting sites that are not reputable cannot stand the test of time.
Also, there are many sites that provide trustworthy and accurate reviews of gambling sites. Bettors depend on these reviews to decide whether or not to sign up at a site. If the review or comments about any sports betting app or site is poor, bettors avoid that site. Players must also be certain that the site can operate legally in the region where they are. Gambling sites have to secure operator licenses from different authorities in different regions. Without these licenses, it will be illegal to operate in that region. For example, West Virginia sports betting online sites are regulated by the WV Lottery Commission.
Gambling sites and casinos make available loyalty programs to reward their regular players. These programs are usually structured in similar ways and the rewards are similar. Loyalty offers are structured in different stages. Users of the site will move from one stage to another, depending on their activities on the site or how much they wager. Users enjoy more benefits and special offers as they move up the levels.
A gambling site should have a professional support team and many support options. Players may have questions to ask about the site offers or how to use the site. When a professional support team is available, they can get these answers easily and quickly. It is also possible for players to have challenges with payments or other functions of the site. The support team is responsible for helping players overcome such challenges. The FAQ section and live chat options are popular on most sites. When these two options are effective at a site, players can get answers quickly and easily.
Apart from wagering on sports, gambling sites also offer a variety of games including slots, pokers, online casino games, virtual sports, lotteries, and e-sports. Players have to make sure they will enjoy playing the collection of games on that site. Some players also check how many games the website has. Some sites may offer a few hundred games while others offer thousands of games.
Mobile sports betting is easier when bettors can make use of apps readily. This saves them the stress of visiting the site on their browsers each time they want to wager. Players do check if a site offers sports betting app that can be downloaded to their device.
The software providers of online casino games are also as important as the game itself. The software provider determines the quality and features of a game. Expert bettors already have their preferred software providers and this affects their choice of a casino or gambling site.
FanDuel offers high-quality sports betting app which is available for use on Androids and iOS devices. It offers different mobile sports betting options and even live betting to its users. The sportsbook opened in West Virginia in September 2018 but came online in August 2019. It includes many payment options like ACH, e-check, and Paypal. Withdrawals are processed and approved within a day while it may take 3 to 5 days for the money to get to punters’ bank accounts. The welcome bonus on FanDuel is a risk-free bet of up to 500 dollars. It also includes a friendly and efficient support system. At the moment, it does not offer any VIP or loyalty program for sportsbooks users.
The sportsbook secured a license to operate in West Virginia in September 2018 but launched the West Virginia site in August 2018. The mobile app is available for downloads on Android and iOS devices. It offers many gambling options including live betting on the app. It makes use of Visa, Mastercard, Paypal, and Online Banking for processing of payments. The welcome bonus for new users is 20% up to $500 and risk-free bet up to $500. At the moment, there are no rewards or loyalty programs at Draftkings. It has an excellent support system including a live chat option and help section.
BetMGM Sportsbook launched its sports betting app for West Virginia in January 2020. It offers gambling on all major sports including live betting. It also gives a welcome bonus of 100% up to $500 to new users. Many payment methods including Paypal, Skrill, eCheck, Bank Transfer, Play+, Visa, and Mastercard are all available for use on BetMGM. The site has a comprehensive FAQ section and also includes live chat, email, and telephone to support users. There are no loyalty programs featured at BetMGM at the moment.
Users begin to input private information on gambling sites from the sign-up process. Details like names, phone numbers, email addresses are always required by gambling sites. Some sites may even require players to upload a form of identity proof to the site. While it is safe to do this at legal sports betting sites, it also involves some risks. Fraudsters are always ready to take advantage of little mistakes made by players or the operators. This is the reason operators ensure they put in place every necessary security measure. After ensuring that the site is secure, players also have to take some measures to ensure safety. Here are a few tips for beginners to secure their data on gambling sites.
Sports gambling became legal in the state after passing the West Virginia Sports Lottery Wagering Act. The law permitted only five casinos in the state to offer sports gambling at their venues and also through mobile apps and sites. Any sportsbooks operator willing to operate in the state must partner with one of the licensed land-based casinos. Sports gambling operations are regulated by the West Virginia Lottery Commission. Here is a summary of West Virginia sports betting regulations:
This kind of gambling is common to all sports. It is a prediction that a particular team will win or not lose by an established margin.
A total bet is a wager on how many points will be gotten by both teams in a match. It is also called over/under bet.
This is placing bets on an event that hasn’t happened. For example, a punter may bet on which team will win the World Series or which team will have the highest points by the end of the season.
This kind of bet involves predicting the different things that could possibly happen in a game. The prediction may be about the team or a player, or about the game itself. For example, a punter may predict that a player may score in the game. Bets can also be placed on the match will end with extra times.
Parlays are combination bets done on more than one game or event. If a punter bets on four different games in a parlay, he predicts the winner of each game. If any of the prediction fails, then the whole bet is lost.
A teaser or pleaser bet is similar to the Parlay bet. It is a combination of bets on two different games. Punters can tweak the point spread in this game in return for a lower payout.
Round robins are another version of Parlay bets in WV sports betting sites. When the parlay is a combination of straight bets, it is called a round-robin. Thus, a round-robin can include 3 or 4 different parlays in the same wager. The difference is that the round-robin bet is not lost if one of the parlay bets fails.
The coronavirus impact was felt on the West Virginia sports gambling Industry from March 2020. It caused a 45.4% drop in gambling activities and revenue in the week ending March 14 compared to the previous week. That week was when many American sports were paused and March Madness was suspended.
Mobile betting apps – DraftKings and BetMGM, joined FanDuel to seek permission to offer gambling options on the 2020 presidential elections.
If you are a West Virginia resident who wants to bet on the NFL, NBA, or college sports, you’ll need an online sports betting account.
A sports betting app — also known as an online sportsbook — is required to place bets. Mountain State residents can bet on sports at brick-and-mortar casinos, or on their mobile phones or computers.
This guide explores the best West Virginia sports betting sites by comparing the total number of sports and bets offered, odds, live betting features, mobile apps, educational resources, ease of use, and current bonuses and promotions.
Best Overall for Beginners
DraftKings delivers the ultimate package for sports bettors, including unique contests and bet types, industry-leading pre-game statistics, excellent education for beginners, daily fantasy contests, and private pools with friends. This outstanding all-round experience makes DraftKings a top overall sportsbook in 2021. Read full review
Best Mobile App
FanDuel is a winner in 2021 for its easy-to-use website and mobile app, variety of prop bets, and its top-of-the-line live betting. FanDuel combines all of that with competitive odds and daily fantasy sports integration to deliver an excellent sports betting experience. Read full review
Best for M Life Members
BetMGM Make no mistake, despite being a casino-based brand, BetMGM is all in on sports betting. The BetMGM Sportsbook app provides users with a wide variety of sports and bets to wager on, in addition to a full suite of casino and poker games for applicable states. Read full review
Good Odds
William Hill is a viable sports betting option that combines excellent odds with an above-average mobile app. The sportsbook offers an average selection of sports and bets, but is light on education and ongoing promotions. Read full review
To determine which West Virginia sports betting sites offer the best odds, we recorded and analyzed data from hundreds of games for spread, moneyline, and total bets. The sportsbooks that provide the best odds for each sport are listed below.
Feature | DraftKings Sportsbook | FanDuel Sportsbook | BetMGM | William Hill |
NFL Moneyline | Best | Best | Average | Above Average |
NFL Spread | Below Average | Average | Below Average | Average |
NBA Moneyline | Above Average | Worst | Average | Best |
NBA Spread | Below Average | Average | Below Average | Average |
MLB Moneyline | Average | Average | Best | Average |
MLB Spread | Average | Above Average | Below Average | Best |
NHL Moneyline | Best | Worst | Above Average | Above Average |
NHL Spread | Below average | Above Average | Average | Best |
Soccer Moneyline | Above Average | Above Average | Below Average | Above Average |
NCAAF Moneyline | Worst | Below Average | Below Average | Below Average |
NCAAF Spread | Below Average | Average | Below Average | Average |
Here is a comparison of deposit options from top West Virginia sportsbooks.
Feature | DraftKings Sportsbook | FanDuel Sportsbook | BetMGM | William Hill |
Minimum Deposit | $5 | $10 | $10 | $5 |
Total Deposit Methods | 8 | 7 | 8 | 5 |
No Debit/Credit Card Deposit Fees | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Deposit Min/Max - Debit/Credit Card | $5/$2,000 | $10/Varies | $0/Varies | $20/$1,000 |
PayPal | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Deposit Min/Max - PayPal | $5/$2,000 | $10/Varies | $10 | $5 |
Here is a comparison of withdrawal options from top West Virginia sportsbooks.
Feature | DraftKings Sportsbook | FanDuel Sportsbook | BetMGM | William Hill |
Minimum Withdrawal | $1 - $15 | None Listed | $10 | $20 |
Total Withdrawal Methods | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
No Withdrawal Fees - Check | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Check Payout Speed is < 10 days | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Withdrawal Min/Max - Check | $5/Varies | $10/Varies | $0/Varies | N/A |
Withdrawal Min/Max - PayPal | $5/Varies | $10/Varies | $10 | $20 |
Here's a short timeline of how West Virginia sports betting became a reality:
Below is a summary of the best online sportsbooks currently available in West Virginia.
Feature | DraftKings Sportsbook | FanDuel Sportsbook | BetMGM | William Hill |
Overall | 5 | 5 | 3.5 | 4 |
Sports & Bets Offered | 5 | 4.5 | ||
Odds | 3.5 | 4 | 2.5 | 5 |
Banking Options and Fees | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 3.5 |
Live Betting | 5 | 5 | 4.5 | 3.5 |
Mobile Betting | 5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4 |
Education | 4 | 3.5 | 0.5 | 3.5 |
Bonuses & Promotions | 0 |
DraftKings delivers the ultimate package for sports bettors, including unique contests and bet types, industry-leading pre-game statistics, excellent education for beginners, Daily Fantasy contests, and private pools with friends. This outstanding all-round experience makes DraftKings our top overall sportsbook in 2020. Read full review
Minimum deposit: $5
FanDuel Sportsbook is a winner in 2021 for its easy-to-use website and mobile app, variety of prop bets, and its top-of-the-line live betting. FanDuel combines all of that with competitive odds and daily fantasy sports integration to deliver one excellent sportsbook. Read full review
Minimum deposit: $10
Make no mistake, despite being a casino-based brand, BetMGM is all in on sports betting. The BetMGM Sportsbook app provides users with a wide variety of sports and bets to wager on, in addition to a full suite of casino and poker games for applicable states. Read full review
Minimum deposit: $10
Excellent odds and an above-average mobile app are two plusses for the William Hill sportsbook. The biggest strikes against it are its thin selection of sports and bets offered. It also falls short when it comes to education features and ongoing promotions. Read full review
Minimum deposit: $5
Residents of West Virginia can bet on sports in person at the following casinos and racetracks. This list was updated in January 2021.
Here are the forms of legal gambling in West Virginia:
Residents of West Virginia can bet on all professional and collegiate sports, which include some of the following collegiate teams in West Virginia:
Almost all domestic and international leagues are available to bet on with West Virginia sportsbooks:
Odds represent the likelihood of an outcome occurring. In sports betting, each team is assigned odds that represent the likelihood of them winning the game. American odds are what you will see displayed on every U.S. sportsbook and sports betting app.
The first thing you will notice when reading odds will be that:
Betting Odds are written in terms of 100 as an industry standard. The easiest way to think of the plus and minus signs is as follows: If it is a plus, you will receive more than a $100 payout on a $100 bet. If it is a minus, you will have to bet more than $100 to win a $100 payout.
Thankfully, you can view your potential winnings on each bet before placing it at an online sportsbook. That said, it is beneficial to understand the betting odds.
Keep in mind for both spreads and totals, if the game ends in a draw for the bet, you get your stake back but do not win or lose any additional money.
A moneyline bet is a wager on which team will win the game outright. Both the favorite and the underdog are given odds to win the game. View sample bet slip.
Moneyline Odds | How to Read it | What it Means |
---|---|---|
Lions +130 | Lions plus 130 | By betting $100 you will win $130 if the Lions win |
Packers -150 | Packers minus 150 | To win $100, you must wager $150 on the Packers to win |
A spread bet is a wager on which team will cover the spread or point spread. Underdogs will be given additional points with the spread, while the favorite will have to win by a certain amount of points to cover the spread. View sample bet slip.
Spread Odds | How to Read it | What it Means |
---|---|---|
Lakers + 5 (-110) | Lakers plus 5 points at minus 110 odds | The Lakers must win the game, or lose by less than 5 for you to win your bet |
Rockets -5 (-110) | Rockets minus 5 points at minus 110 odds | The Rockets must win the game by more than 5 points for you to win your bet. A tie is a push, meaning you don't win or lose. |
An over/under bet focuses on how many points are scored, regardless of who wins the game. After a total point score has been set, bettors can wager whether the game's actual score will be over or under the preset point score. View sample bet slip.
Total Odds | How to Read it |
---|---|
Over 7 (-115) | In order to win $100, you must bet $115 on the overall combined run score to be higher than 7 |
Under 7 (-110) | In order to win $100, you must wager $110 on the total combined run score to be less than 7 |
More of a visual person? Here's a YouTube video covering moneyline, spread, and total bets.
A parlay bet is a group of bets, typically spread, moneyline, or total bets, combined into one bet to increase the payout odds. Every separate bet must win to win a parlay bet. View example bet slip.
A futures bet is a bet on an event that takes place in days, weeks, or months. The most common future bets are placed on what team will win the finals before the season starts. View example bet slip.
Rollover requirements are requirements bettors MUST fulfill before they can withdraw the bonus money. Each type of bonus has different terms and conditions, which you should examine before accepting.
Rollover requirements for sports betting often range between 1X-10X, with some extreme requirements going all the way up to 15X. For example, let’s say you deposit $100 and receive a $50 bonus with a 5X rollover. Before you can withdraw the $50 in bonus funds, you have to wager $750 (($100 + $50)x5). Clearly, the $50 bonus is a lot harder to obtain if you don’t bet frequently.
This table gives you an idea of how much you will have to wager before withdrawing your bonus at multiple rollover rates. We will assume each deposit made is $100.
Bonus Percentage ($100 Deposit) | Bonus Amount | Bonus Withdrawal with 1X Rollover | Bonus Withdrawal with 3X Rollover | Bonus Withdrawal with 5X Rollover | Bonus Withdrawal with 10X Rollover |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
25% Deposit Match | $25 | (100+25)x1 = $125 | (100+25)x3 = $375 | (100+25)x5 = $625 | (100+25)x10 = $1,250 |
50% Deposit Match | $50 | (100+50)x1 = $150 | (100+50)x3 = $450 | (100+50)x5 = $750 | (100+50)x10 = $1,500 |
100% Deposit Match | $100 | (100+100)x1 = $200 | (100+100)x3 = $600 | (100+100)x5 = $1,000 | (100+100)x10 = $2,000 |
West Virginia sports betting is legal online and at brick-and-mortar casinos and racetracks. It became legal in March 2018 when Governor Jim Justice allowed S 415 and H 4396 to proceed into law without his signature. The first legal sports bet in West Virginia was then placed on August 30th, 2018. Jason Barrett bet $50 (to win $3,000) on West Virginia University to win the 2020-2021 football national championship. Unfortunately for Barret, even the wonkiest college football season of all time couldn’t stop Alabama’s Crimson Tide from taking home another championship.
The legal betting age in West Virginia is 21. Even non-West Virginia residents who are 21 and within West Virginia state lines can legally bet on sports.
Your location is a key part of the question of legality: If you travel to a state where betting isn’t legal, you will not be able to bet. (Don’t even try: Phones and laptops use geo-technology to make sure you’re within state lines.) The only people prohibited from betting on sports (even within the state) are athletes, coaches, refs, and other related personnel.
According to the IRS, “Gambling winnings are fully taxable, and you must report the income on your tax return.” Use Form W-2G to report gambling winnings and gambling losses. On the bright side, your gambling losses may be deductible from your taxes.
For online gambling winnings over $600 and at least 300 times the amount of the wager, residents of West Virginia must file Form W-2G with the IRS.
Residents can legally bet on horse racing in West Virginia at racetracks or with legal online providers such as TVG, BetAmerica, and TwinSpires. You cannot bet on horses at West Virginia sportsbooks.
No, West Virginia does not currently offer an online lottery system. They do allow residents to purchase lottery tickets at retail locations throughout the state, which can be found on the lottery website .
DraftKings is a safe and legal sports betting option for residents of West Virginia. DraftKings obtained its license from Hollywood Casino at Charles Town.
FanDuel is a safe and legal sports betting option for residents of West Virginia. FanDuel obtained its license from The Greenbrier.
Bovada, BetOnline, and MyBookie are considered offshore sportsbooks and are illegal in West Virginia. These sportsbooks are not approved by the West Virginia Lottery Commission, which regulates all legal West Virginia sportsbooks.
For the first BettingBuck.com annual best online sportsbooks review a total of 2,300 data points were collected over six months and used to score 18 sportsbooks.
Sports betting sites were scored across seven core categories to compute an overall rating: sports and bets offered, odds, live betting, mobile apps, educational resources, ease of use, and bonuses and promotions.
Additionally, odds data was collected on over 1,400 bets to give each sportsbook a comparative odds ranking. We collected odds for spread, moneyline, and total bets for over 75 NFL games, 75 MLB games, 75 NBA games, 75 NHL games, 75 Soccer games (various leagues), 75 NCAA Football games, and 75 NCAA Basketball games. When collecting odds, we made sure to collect the same games at the same time for each sportsbook, ensuring data accuracy.