Andrew O'Malley 13. December 2019 | UPDATED ON: 19. December 2022 Are you looking for somewhere to place your bets in West Virginia no matter where in the state you may be? Lucky for you, there is legal online sports betting available to people in the state, with a few different choices for you to consider. Is Online Sports Betting in West Virginia Legal? Yes! West Virginia was the fifth state in the country to legalize sports betting following the ending of the federal ban in May 2018. It was in August 2018 that West Virginia opened its first sportsbook, with Nevada, Mississippi, Delaware and New Jersey also having legal sports betting at the time. The first bet was placed during a soft launch on August 31, 2018, at the Hollywood Casino, which is in Charles Town. It was in December 2018 that West Virginia legalized mobile sports betting, being only the third state to do so at the time. There were some teething problems with the online offering, unfortunately. Progress in the market to date This saw the first released app having to shut down towards the beginning of 2019. This was the BetLucky app, which was only in operation for less than four months before closing and it will not be reopening. Delaware North also had to close its online sportsbook operation in collaboration with Miomni as a result of the operator’s dispute with a third-party vendor. However, since August 2019 there have been two reputable online sportsbooks in operation in West Virginia. Both FanDuel and DraftKings are well-respected names in the space and they are both partnered with local gambling operations to provide their mobile sportsbook. There is the ability for Wheeling Island and Mardi Gras to open online sportsbooks in West Virginia, but these licenses are suspended for the time being. The goal of this guide This guide will walk you through the online sports betting environment in West Virginia. The available online sportsbooks will be broken down to see where their strengths lie and what areas of potential weakness exist. This will help you to make a fully informed decision as to which of the available platforms will be best suited to your needs. Note: Online sports betting is superior to retail sports betting in many ways. It is a lot more convenient for starters and you usually get access to better odds and offers, as well as having a lot more markets to choose from normally through online sportsbooks. How are these West Virginia Online Sportsbooks Ranked? There are a lot of considerations to take into account when assessing the merits of a given sportsbook. By breaking down the different variables, you can easily compare one offering with another, seeing which one comes out on top in different areas. There are a few key areas that are looked at as part of these reviews. This includes: How may sports are on offer Depth of the available markets Payment methods on offer How easy it is to use the platform The strength of the mobile offering Coverage capabilities for live betting markets Reputation of the site Customer support availability Promotions and welcome offers Top West Virginia Online Sportsbooks Legal in : DraftKings Sportsbook - Ticks most of the boxes DraftKings originally made its name as a leader in the fantasy sports space, but with the federal ban on sports betting coming to an end, it has now been a key player in this sector too. As well as being licensed in West Virginia, it also has operations in the likes of Indiana, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It is partnered with the Hollywood Casino in Charles Town in West Virginia. There is an impressive range of sports on offer at the DraftKings online offering, with 17 different sports available to choose from. Each of these sports has its own diverse sets of markets, both for pre-game and live betting. For the live in-game betting, the interface updates the scores and markets in real-time, allowing you to make informed decisions as the action of a given event continues. The overall platform does not have too many frills, with a green, black and gray color scheme. However, all of the text pops out nicely and the navigation system is very easy to utilize. DraftKings is always bringing some great promotions to the table, tailored towards the events that are happening in a given week. There are also pool competitions that allow users to make predictions on given events, with large cash prizes on offer for those whose predictions turn out the best. Of course, there is a welcome offer for new signups. This is in the form of a 20% deposit bonus, allowing you to obtain bonus funds of up to $500. Compared with other deposit bonuses in the industry, this is a bit on the low side in terms of the percentage of your first deposit that is matched. For mobile bettors, you have access to all of the same markets that are on offer through the desktop version. You can download the iOS app from the App Store or from the DraftKings site. Android users can only download the dedicated app through the DraftKings website as it is not on offer through the Google Play Store. There is a solid set of payment options and the customer support team works around the clock, which is ideal. Overall, the DraftKings offering in West Virginia ticks the majority of boxes and is a good fit for those bettors looking for a wide range of markets. Pros Regular custom promotions Massive selection of sports and markets 24/7 customer support Easy to use platform Cons Deposit bonus match size is a bit low Visit DraftKings Online Sportsbook Now FanDuel Sportsbook - A modern looking offering FanDuel is another fantasy sports leader turned sportsbook operator. It holds a license in West Virginia through its partnership with the Greenbrier. Its platform is better looking than that of DraftKings, with the interface being a lot more modern and having a bit more substance to it. The menu is not as cluttered, with everything easily laid out for you to see. There are 13 different sports currently on offer through FanDuel. There are dozens of different markets for the major sports, such as NBA, NFL and MLB betting. The live betting interface is not as well laid out as DraftKings, but it still updates the current standings in a given event in real-time. The promotions for existing customers are tweaked and tailored to the various events that are happening in a given time period. There is also a risk-free bet up for grabs for those signing up for a FanDuel account in West Virginia for the first time. This sees new players getting a risk-free bet of up to $500. This means that if your first bet on your new account is a loser, you will get the stake back in the form of a free bet. There is a comprehensive customer support section at FanDuel, with an FAQ section providing answers to many questions. You can also email, ring the team or use the live chat function. These are all open on a 24/7 basis. Finally, you have a wide range of deposit and withdrawal options to choose from. Overall, the FanDuel offering is similar to DraftKings in terms of the range of markets and the overall perks. There is not much separating the two platforms, except for the style of the platforms and the promotions on offer. Pros Slick interface $500 risk-free bet welcome offer Diverse range of markets available 24/7 customer support Cons Live betting interface is a bit clunky Visit FanDuel Online Sportsbook Now Bottom Line West Virginia currently only has a couple of online sportsbooks in operation, but this is likely to grow in the coming years. As mentioned, there have been some initial teething problems experienced, but lessons have been learned. Now there are two reliable operators at the helm of mobile sports betting in the state. While you don’t have much choice in terms of which online sportsbook to use in West Virginia, at least they are two good options. To pick between the two choices, you should ask yourself what matters the most to you when it comes to online sports betting. The answer to this question will differ from person to person. By focusing on the fundamentals of your online sportsbook preferences and not getting distracted by flashy offers and promotions, you can make a decision that makes sense for you. Some homework is needed on your part, all of which will be worth it in the long run. Key Aspects of Online Sportsbooks in West Virginia Sports betting has been a popular pursuit across the US for many years despite not being legal for the most part. The black market thrived in most states, with sports fans wanting to bet on their favorite teams and also perhaps make a bit of money on the side. Thankfully, there are licensed retail and online sportsbooks for West Virginia residents to use. This means that they will be properly protected and won’t have any issues with securing the likes of payouts. In order to be able to place sports bets in West Virginia, you do need to be at least 21 years old. There is also a requirement that you are inside of West Virginia state lines when placing bets, otherwise, your selections will not be processed. There is the option to create an account outside of West Virginia, but that is the height of what you can do. A key part of starting a new online sports betting account in West Virginia is complying with the verification process. This is a step that is vital in this day and age to prevent underage gamblers from using platforms. It also is a way to prevent criminals from laundering money through an online sportsbook. This process usually requires you to send a copy of your photo ID and proof of address to the respective customer support team of a given platform. Generally, you will get a response to your verification process within a day or so. Where Else is Online Gambling Legal in the US? AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY DC FAQ Will there be more online sportsbooks coming to the West Virginia market? Currently, there are two online sportsbooks in operation in the state. Two other licenses were given out, but they are suspended for the time being. It is likely that in the future these licenses will be either re-activated or re-distributed to another operator. Each casino license holders (currently five in the state) can have as many as three online sports betting platforms. What other forms of gambling is there legally available in West Virginia? Many forms of gambling are illegal in the state of West Virginia. There is a state lottery in operation, as well as five gambling facilities. These offer standard casino games, but only in a retail setting. There are some online horse betting platforms also available for you to use. What age do you need to be in order to place sports bets in West Virginia? Just like in most states, sports bettors need to be 21 years old in order to place sports bets. Age checks are needed when setting up an account to ensure that people are not pretending they are of age when they are not. What restrictions are in place on the sports betting space in West Virginia? While there is a wide range of sports and markets to choose from, there are a few restrictions. There is no betting allowed on high school events and esports bets on events that have players who are under the age of 18 are also not allowable. Will there web online poker and/or online casinos in West Virginia? While currently these online offerings are not legal, there has been a push to make online casinos and online poker a legal activity in the state. About Andrew O'Malley Alex has been writing about the gambling industry for more than five years, covering everything from sports betting to casinos and poker. With the sector constantly evolving, he loves nothing better than staying up to date with the latest movers and shakers in the space. View all posts by Andrew O'Malley →
