Online Sports Betting in West Virginia
Published:West Virginia offers legal online sports betting options, along with retail sportsbooks in the state. The active sportsbooks in-state are DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Betly, Caesars, PointsBet, Barstool, BetRivers, and Golden Nugget.
Known as the “Mountain State” in the US, West Virginia almost wasn’t called West Virginia. The state was originally set to be named “Kanawha” in honor of a Native American tribe. After the state’s succession from the Commonwealth of Virginia, government officials wanted to keep a part of Virginia in their name. So the honorific name was scrapped in lieu of West Virginia. The third most forested state in the United States, the Monongahela National Forest actually covers nearly a million acres of agricultural land in WV.
For those who enjoy international travel, West Virginia is actually a cheat code of sorts. You can visit Athens, Cairo, Berlin, Geneva, and Shanghai… all from within the state’s borders. That’s right – West Virginia holds the record for having the most towns named after cities in other countries.
West Virginia sports betting, summed up in one take
As long as you are over the age of 21 and inside state lines, you can legally wager on both professional and collegiate sports. There are no restrictions on sports outside of the nationwide ban on betting on high school sports. With seven active online books, you have no shortage of options to choose from either. Speaking of those options…
… if you’re looking for a sportsbook geared toward your specific needs, please read below!
DraftKings is the best sportsbook for betting on those four major American sports leagues.
FanDuel is the best from a user experience standpoint, offering super intuitive navigation settings.
BetMGM offers the widest variety of selections, from your classic sports offerings to niche/esoteric sports leagues.
PointsBet offers PointsBetting, an aptly named unique wagering system where the amount you win or lose depends on how correct or incorrect your bet was.
Caesars has the best collection of rewards programs and welcome bonuses.
Here are some quick facts about Sports Betting in West Virginia
- West Virginia actually legalized sports betting ahead of the PASPA Supreme Court decision back in March 2018
- In December 2018, West Virginia became one of the first states to allow online sports betting
- The first online sportsbook in West Virginia (BetLucky) closed in March of 2019, and sports betting in the state didn’t return in an online capacity until August 2019. The reason for the closure was a dispute between owners and suppliers.
- Each of the state’s five casinos can offer both retail and online options.
- Wagering on college, professional, and esports options is all legal in West Virginia. Esports wagering is a relatively recent betting option, passing as a measure back in April 2022.
- West Virginia is home to the country’s sole legal private sportsbook. The Greenbrier has a sportsbook that only guests or members can utilize for placing wagers.
Favorite Sports Teams of West Virginians
With no professional sports teams located in-state, the top rooting interest for West Virginians is the local state university. The West Virginia Mountaineers draw the majority of their fans during the college football season. However, West Virginians also root for some of the nearby professional teams. You can check those teams out below:
- NFL: Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Commanders
- NBA: Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, Washington Wizards
- MLB: Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Guardians, Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates, Washington Nationals
- NHL: Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals
Most Popular West Virginian Athletes
- Jerry West (Basketball Hall of Famer, “The Logo,” NBA Champion, NBA Finals MVP despite being on the losing team, 14x NBA All-Star)
- Mary Lou Retton (Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics)
- Hack Wilson (Baseball Hall of Famer and MLB record holder for most RBIs in a single season with 191)
- Randy Barnes (Olympic gold medalist in shotput)
- Hal Greer (Basketball Hall of Famer, NBA champion and 10x All-Star)
- Sam Huff (NFL Hall of Famer, NFL Champion, 5x Pro Bowler, Ring of Honor for both the Commanders and the New York Giants)
- Randy Moss (NFL Hall of Famer, Offensive Rookie of the Year, 6x Pro Bowler, 4x First-Team All-Pro)
- Chuck Howley (NFL Hall of Famer, Super Bowl Champion, Super Bowl MVP, 6x Pro Bowler)
- Nick Saban (7x National Champion as a head coach, 10 SEC titles, 2x Coach of the Year)
