West Virginia Sports Betting. West Virginia officially became the fifth state in the United States to offer legal sports betting in August of 2018, following only Mississippi, New Jersey, Delaware, and Nevada. It is also the third state in the union with legal online sports betting as of December 2018. West Virginia joined the growing group of states with legal sports betting with the legislature passing the Sports Wagering Act on March 3, 2018. The first West Virginia sportsbooks launched on August 30, 2018, though there are now five casinos/racinos in West Virginia that accept sports bets (including the world-famous Greenbrier). The Greenbrier and FanDuel are pleased to announce the opening of the retail sports wagering service location inside The Casino Club at The Greenbrier, America's only private casino. Guests of the resort can now enjoy sports betting in addition to live entertainment, international cuisine, and world-class gaming experiences in the warmth.

How to Bet on Sports Online in West Virginia

Over the last twelve months, things have changed quickly for West Virginia sports betting fans. In March 2018, H 2934 was passed, expanding gambling to cover sports betting and online play. When PASPA was overturned in May, the first retail sportsbooks opened for business in West Virginia and in late summer, WV online sportsbooks launched.

West Virginia sports betting apps and websites allow you to place bets from anywhere within state lines. Big brand names in sports betting like FanDuel, DraftKings and BetRivers are already active in WV, with others sure to follow.

This page will give you everything you need to get the most from WV sports betting – both online and live on this page.

Best WV Online Sportsbooks

Retail Sportsbooks in West Virginia

There are 5 venues with gambling licenses in WV. Sportsbooks at two of them (Mardi Gras and Wheelers Island racetracks) are currently suspended.

#1 DraftKings Sportsbook at Hollywood Casino

The first sportsbook to open was at the Hollywood Casino in Charles Town. This racetrack and casino is operated by Penn National – and the sportsbook is branded with DraftKings. There is a casino and packed thoroughbred racing calendar at this track. Simulcast betting is available along with betting on the live races.

You can bet on pro, college and international sports from their book – located on the second floor. This is located next to the Sky Box bar, which supplies food and beverages to enjoy while you bet.

• Address: 750 Hollywood Dr, Charles Town, West Virginia, 25414.
• Telephone: 1-800-795-7001
• Opening Hours: 10am to midnight Sunday to Thursday, 10am to 1am Friday, 9am to 1am Saturday.

#2 William Hill Sportsbook at the Mountaineer Racetrack and Casino

Located on the Ohio river in northern WV, the closest large city to the Mountaineer Casino and Racetrack is Pittsburgh, PA. Originally known as Waterford Downs, this venue hosts thoroughbred racing. There is a casino featuring slots and table games, a poker room – plus event center and dining options.

The sportsbook at the Mountaineer Casino is operated by William Hill. This global betting giant has years of experience operating Nevada sportsbooks.

• Address: 1420 Mountaineer Cir, New Cumberland, WV 26047
• Telephone: 1-800-804-0468
• Opening Hours: 10am to midnight Monday to Thursday, 10am to 1am Friday, 9am to 1am Saturday, 9am to 12am Sunday.

#3 – FanDuel Sportsbook at the Greenbrier Resort

The Greenbrier is different to the other WV casinos. It is a private club, and not a racetrack for horses or greyhounds. This club includes a casino, OTB office (for simulcast horse race betting) and small poker room. There are also extensive golf facilities at this club.

FanDuel run the sportsbook at the Greenbrier, they also partner with them for their mobile sportsbook. This new sportsbook boasts 21 video screens, allowing you to watch all the action in luxury surroundings.

• Address: 101 Main Street West, White Sulphur Springs, WV 24986
• Telephone: (855) 453-4858
• Opening Hours: Not listed

The other venues in West Virginia that are expected to run both live and WV online sportsbooks are the Mardi Gras racetrack and casino, and the Wheelers Island racetrack and casino. Both of these venues were live with both retail betting and an app (BetLucky). After issues with their service provider – Miomni – betting is currently suspended. When these venues announce new partners, you will hear it here first.

Online Sports Betting in West Virginia

FanDuel and DraftKings started accepting online sports bets in WV in September 2019. These sites are open to anyone 21 or over within state lines. There is no requirement to be a permanent WV resident to bet online.

Each online sportsbook in WV is licensed to a live venue. With up to 3 licenses available for each casino, there could be more brands entering WV in the near future. Mardi Gras and Wheeler Casinos have yet to announce their new online partners. In other states many major gambling brands have partnered with local venues to bring sports betting online.

Based on the live sites in other regulated states, here are the initial bonus offers we expect to see:

FanDuel Online Sportsbook:

• WV Partner: The Greenbrier
• Welcome Bonus: $500 Risk Free Bet
• Bonus Code: None needed

William Hill Online Sportsbook:

• WV Partner: Hollywood Casino
• Welcome Bonus: TBC
• Bonus Code: TBC

DraftKings Online Sportsbook:

• WV Partner: The Mountaineer
• Welcome Bonus: $25 in free bets
• Bonus Code: TBC

What to Expect from the West Virginia Online Sportsbooks?

For many people, the regulated WV sports betting sites will be their first opportunity to bet online. This section gives you an overview of what you will find terms of the apps, sports covered and the different ways to bet. Taking advantage of bonuses and promotions at online sportsbooks in WV is a wider topic, this is covered in depth lower down this page.

Technology: You will be able to access the new West Virginia online sportsbooks by downloading apps, or in your regular browser window. If your main way of betting is via your phone, the apps are useful. Sportsbook websites are designed to resize for your screen.

Sports Covered: Major leagues are literally the tip of the iceberg when it comes to sport coverage. College action, smaller pro leagues and international action is also covered. As well as NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB you will find soccer, golf, tennis, cricket, rugby, auto racing, boxing, MMA and more covered in depth.

How to Bet: Bets which work for most sports include money line, spreads, totals, parlays, teasers, round robins, prop bets, futures and period betting. On top of this are many sport-specific bet types. A new way of betting at online sportsbooks is called either live or in-play betting. This means you get to bet in real time, with the odds changing as the action unfolds.

Depositing and Withdrawing: A big advantage of using regulated sportsbooks is that mainstream payment methods can be used to deposit and withdraw. These include credit or debit cards, bank transfers, cash payments and 3^rd party wallet systems such as PayPal.

Other Forms of Online Betting in West Virginia

While sports betting online in West Virginia is brand new, there are other ways to bet online which are already established in the Mountain state. These are Daily Fantasy Sports contests and betting on horses online with Advanced Deposit Wagering.

You can also enjoy both casino and poker games online from WV at sweepstakes gambling sites. These are not covered on this page.

Daily Fantasy Sports Contests Online

Two of the three brands offering online sports betting in West Virginia already run the top fantasy sports sites. DraftKings and FanDuel are the giants of this area, which take picks contests – and allows you to bet real money on them.

Greenbrier Casino And Resort

These are legal in West Virginia. While there is no specific legislation regulating DFS contests on the statues, the Attorney General published an ‘opinion’ that these contests are permitted.

You can enter these contests by picking a roster / line-up of players under a specific salary cap. Several major sports are covered. You then enter your line ups in different contests. These can be head-to-head matches (or small contests with several players), or bigger tournaments. Within these formats, there are many variations, for example 50-50 tournaments allow half the players entering to double their money.

Horse Race Betting Online

Legal horse racing sites let you enter the betting pools at racetracks around the country. This is known as ‘Advanced Deposit Wagering’. You can bet on horses to win, place or show – or pick the finishing order of multiple selections.

Sites offering this service in West Virginia are country-wide. They include TVG, TwinSpires and BetAmerica. They all accept mainstream deposit methods and include extras like past performance data and live feeds of the races.

Live Horse Race Betting

There are two major racetracks offering busy schedules of thoroughbred racing in West Virginia. These are the same places you will find two of the major live sportsbooks – the Mountaineer and Hollywood Casino at Charlestown Races.

While there is a long list of stakes races and events with big purses, the highlight of each year is the West Virginia Derby. This is a grade III race, with a purse of $500,000. It is open to 3 year olds. Over the years, the West Virginia Derby has been held at 3 different racetracks. Its current home is the Mountaineer, based on the Ohio River in the far north of WV.

Casino Club At The Greenbrier

Other notable races at the Mountaineer Park racetrack include the West Virginia Governors stakes, Independence Day stakes and Mountain Slate Stakes.

Rival track Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races has an event with an even bigger purse. The ‘Charles Town Classic’ started in 2009. The purse has since grown to a staggering $1,500,000 – big enough to attract some of the top-class horses often found in the Triple Crown events.

Live Greyhound Race Betting

West Virginia is one of only a handful of states which allow greyhound racing. There are two tracks, Wheeling Island and Mardi Gras.

Wheeling Island is dark on Monday and Tuesday, with between 15 and 20 races on the other days. They offer simulcast betting on races from other tracks (as well as their full sportsbook and casino). You will be able to take part in Greyhound handicapping contests at this venue.

Mardi Gras run races in the evenings from 7pm. These take place Wednesday to Sunday. Other times you will be able to enjoy simulcast betting. This covers greyhound racing, horses and harness races from around the country. This venue now has a full sportsbook, bust casino and entertainment / dining options.

What West Virginia Sports Teams Can You Bet On?

Greenbrier County Wv

There are minor league, junior and college teams in the Mountain state. There are no major league teams. You’ll find that West Virginia has a rich history of sports – with the list of historical teams far longer than the current ones.

If you want to watch major leagues live, then you’ll need to cross state lines. While you won’t be able to use the WV online sportsbooks elsewhere, you can make your bets before you leave home.

The closest major pro league venues are:

• Pittsburgh, PA: With 3 major sports teams covering Hockey (Penguins), Football (Steelers) and Baseball (Pirates). This city also has successful college and minor league teams. Known as the ‘City of Champions’, Pittsburgh is also represented in soccer and rugby.
• Columbus / Cincinnati, OH: If you are in the west of WV, then there is plenty of sporting action available in Ohio. You can watch the Cleveland Blue Jackets (NHL), Cincinnati Reds (MLB) and Cyclones (NHL)
• Washington / Baltimore: Heading east there are plenty more teams in Washington DC and Baltimore. These include the Washington Capitals (NHL) and Redskins (NFL). You can see the Baltimore Ravens (NFL) close by.

There are options to the north and south of West Virginia for those prepared to travel a little further.

West Virginia Online Gambling Laws

The recent legal changes in WV are due to Bill H 2934. This was approved by the house and senate in March of 2018. It was sent to the office of governor Jim Justice. While he did not veto the bill, he did not sign it. The bill became law by default after 15 days.

Known as the West Virginia Lottery Interactive Gaming Act, this covers online sports betting, casinos and poker rooms.

At the time this bill became law, a federal ban on sports betting was in place. An act, known as PASPA (the professional and amateur sports protection act) was being challenged in the Supreme Court. After numerous appeals instigated by New Jersey, this was overturned in May of 2018. That triggered clauses in the WV act, kicking off the process of setting up live and online sportsbooks.

Details of Act 2934 include:

• Licenses are available to the four racetrack casinos and the casino club at the Greenbrier.
• Each license holder can run up to 3 ‘skins’ or separate sports betting brands
• A single online casino and poker room license is also available to each property
• Interactive gaming licenses cost $250,000 with $100,000 renewals every 5 years. The operators are taxed at 15%.
• The Lottery commission has been given jurisdiction over the interactive gambling licenses.

West Virginia online sports betting started very quickly. The Mountaineer and Wheeling Island casinos launched an app called ‘BetLucky’. This was a partnership between two providers, Minomi and EnterG. Unfortunately, the app quickly went offline. Delaware North, owners of the two WV casinos, cite a disagreement between the two providers.

Live betting at both venues also closed – just days before the busy March Madness betting got underway.

You can now bet online at the FanDuel and DraftKings websites – with William Hill expected online very soon. All eyes are now on the process for casino regulation. The West Virginia lottery commission is expected to publish details of the process in mid-2020, with the first WV online casinos following by the end of the year.

How to Get the Best from Online Sportsbooks in West Virginia

This section takes you through the steps to get the best from the new online sportsbooks in WV. It includes information about getting your money safely onto the sites (and withdrawing your profits), taking advantage of bonuses and more details on the types of bet and sport coverage.

Online Sportsbook Banking Methods in West Virginia

State regulation of sports betting sites has a big advantage in making it both safe and easy to deposit and withdraw. Which of the many banking methods you choose depends on your preferences and how comfortable you are using your bank cards online. There are 3^rd party services which (for a small fee) mean you’ll never have to give your bank or credit card information to any gambling site. These have the added advantage of keeping betting transactions away from your bank statement.

The banking methods at WV online sportsbooks will include the following options:

• Credit or Debit Cards: Expect Visa and MasterCard to be universally accepted, with some sites also welcoming Amex and / or Discover cards.
• Prepaid Cards: Some online sportsbooks have branded debit cards. These can be topped up from your bank, then used for deposits and withdrawals.
• Bank Transfers: There are two primary options, ACH (eCheck) transfers, which are faster after 3^rd party pre-verification, and Bill Pay. Bank wires are also accepted, though slower and more expensive.
• Cash Payments: You will be able to load your online account at the casino cage of the license holding casino. Alternatively, PayNearMe allows for cash payments at your local 7-Eleven.
• Electronic Wallets: The best-known example of an e-wallet is PayPal. Alternatives often used by online sportsbooks are Skrill and Neteller.

Common withdrawal methods include prepaid (branded to the sportsbook) debit cards, cash at cage, electronic wallets, ACH transfer or (if all else fails) a paper check.

Taking Advantage of Online Sportsbook Bonuses

As with any deal online, it can pay to read the small print of bonuses at online sportsbooks. With the potential for 3 licenses each, there will be competition between the West Virginia books for your business. You can take advantage of several bonuses, giving your bankroll a boost before you decide which books you prefer.

Long-term bonuses are just as important as the welcome deals. While the welcome offers will be used very quickly. Promotions like odds boosts, parlay insurance or point collection bonuses make a big difference over time.

The list below shows bonuses which are commonly offered by state regulated online sportsbooks:

• Free Bets: No deposit bonuses are a popular way to encourage registrations. These are small (think $10 to $25) and require some wager-through before you can withdraw them. If you get lucky, you could build a betting bankroll without ever needing to deposit.
• Risk Free First Bet: By refunding your first bet if it loses, the sportsbooks take the risk off of the table. These go as high as $250 in some state regulated books, though $50 to $100 is more common. Make sure you check whether the refund is in cash or as a bonus bet.
• Matched Deposit Bonus: Look out for offers which match your first deposit at 100%. These can ‘clear’ incrementally as you bet, or pay instantly, allowing you to use the bonus money to place bets subject to wager-through rules.
• Reload Bonuses: If you need to top up your sports betting account, reload bonuses can give you a boost. These work in a similar way to matched welcome offers. Expect the percentage matches to vary.
• Loyalty Schemes: Point collection schemes which offer additional rewards like cash or free bets are popular. These are sometimes flat-rate and sometimes tiered, giving better deals as you move up the levels.
• Promotions: Odds boost offers are a common reward at online sportsbooks. It is worth checking all the books before you bet for these in case your teams are covered. Parlay insurance can refund your bet when one leg loses, overtime insurance works in a similar way. There are many one-off and even-specific promotions, as well as these reoccurring ones.

Online Sportsbooks in West Virginia: Types of Bet

Moving online opens two new types of betting to WV residents for the first time.

• Live Betting: Place wagers while matches are underway. The odds will change based on the on-field action.
• Cash Out Betting: Also known as ‘early redemption’, you can cash out a bet at any time, the sites will give you an offer which you can accept or decline.

Regular bets include many which are sport specific. The list below are the general bets, which you’ll be able to place on a lot of different sports:

• Money Line
• Spreads
• Totals
• Parlays
• Teasers
• Round Robins
• Player Props
• Period Betting
• Futures

What Sports Can I Bet on at West Virginia Sportsbooks

Major and minor pro leagues, colligate and international sports are all covered in depth at the new online sportsbooks. Here is a flavor of what to expect:

• Football
• Basketball
• Hockey
• Baseball
• Soccer
• Golf
• Tennis
• MMA
• Boxing
• Auto-Racing

Some sportsbooks go deeper, offering international and region-specific games like Aussie rules, cricket and snooker.

Other legal sports betting states

Greenbrier Casino Reviews

West Virginia Sports Betting: Wrapping Up

You can now bet on pro, college and international sports in West Virginia. The options are to do this at the 3 retail sportsbooks – or use the new mobile betting sites. Big brand names including DraftKings, William Hill and FanDuel have years of experience offering quality betting apps and websites. They also offer some generous sign-up bonuses for their mobile sportsbooks – take advantage now!