West Virginia Sports Betting Apps

West Virginia Sports Betting Background 

One of the earliest embracers of wagering in sports after the decline of PA PSA was the Mountain State. Mountain State is now home to both online and distributed sports betting. Those who want to wager their bets over sports in West Virginia have a variety of great options closer than they would know: it's either a short drive away or in the palm of their hand.

With West Virginia making sports betting legal within the borders of the state, casinos, and race tracks have been launching WV sportsbooks in the state to go along with land-based sportsbooks.

Every online sportsbook in West Virginia offers an option to bettors to wager their bets not only from the confines of their home but also on the move, using their mobile sports betting application.

First-time bettors must take advantage of offers such as free bets, risk-free bets, or deposit bonuses given by online betting sites. While the majority of online betting sites in West Virginia offer such offers to first-time players, they are wagering their bets on sports.

Why play at West Virginia Sports Betting? 

West Virginia state became one of the first new markets for legal sports betting in-person at commercial casinos and racetracks and has aggressively embraced sports wagering since PASPA was overturned in 2018. Not only that but it was also one of the first to launch online sports betting, which is now available everywhere in the state.

The WV legislature officially authorized sports betting in the state in 2018 after failed attempts in the two years prior.

The bill sponsored by Sen. Ryan Ferns enjoyed bipartisan support and a relatively smooth path through both chambers, though it remained inactive until the US Supreme Court overturned PASPA two months later. At the time, the Mountain State was just the fourth in the country to legalize single-game wagering.

Despite certain interference by the governor and the sports leagues, diligent regulatory work facilitated the launch of WV sports betting in time for the following NFL season.

The state’s first legal bet was placed at Hollywood Casino on Aug. 30, 2018, and the first online sportsbook (BetLucky WV) subsequently debuted on Dec. 27. Although the latter no longer exists, several more-reputable online/mobile options have come to the market since.

Requirements to Obtain a WV Online Gambling License

Licensing Costs

West Virginia requires operators to initially pay $250,000 for an internet gambling license. Licenses last for five years and come with a $100,000 renewal cost.

Online casinos and poker sites must cover a 15% tax rate. Meanwhile, internet betting operators pay a 10% rate.

List of Eligible WV Land-Based Casino Partners

Internet gambling operators must partner with one of West Virginia’s land-based casinos. The state’s five brick-and-mortar casinos are:

• Hollywood Casino (Charles Town) - Owned by Penn National, this racino features over 2,500 slot machines, table games, and a poker room.
• Mardi Gras (Cross Lanes) - Owned by Delaware North, Mardi Gras offers almost 1,000 slots and a poker room.
• Mountaineer (New Cumberland) - Mountaineer features a poker room, a thoroughbred racetrack, 1,100 slots, and over 30 table games.
• The Greenbrier (Greenbrier County) - Opened in 1778, The Greenbrier resort received permission from the state to launch a private casino in 2008.
• Wheeling Island (Wheeling Island) - Also owned by Delaware North, Wheeling Island spreads over 1,100 slot machines and a poker room.

Suppliers license requirements.

1 Supplier license

The commission may issue a supplier license to a person to sell or lease interactive wagering equipment, systems, or other gaming items necessary to conduct interactive wagering, and offer services related to such equipment or other gaming items to a West Virginia Lottery Enr. HB 2934 14 interactive wagering licensee while the license is active.

The commission may establish the conditions under which the commission may issue provisional licenses, pending completion of final actions on an application. The commission may adopt rules establishing additional requirements for a West Virginia Lottery interactive wagering supplier and any system or other equipment utilized for wagering. The commission may accept licensing by another jurisdiction that it specifically determines to have similar licensing requirements, as evidence the applicant meets West Virginia Lottery interactive wagering supplier licensing requirements.

Supplier specifications

An applicant for a supplier license shall demonstrate that the equipment, system, or services that the applicant plans to offer to the interactive wagering licensee conform to standards established by the commission and applicable state law. The commission may accept approval by another jurisdiction, that it specifically determines have similar equipment standards, as evidence the applicant meets the standards established by the commission and applicable state law.

License application and renewal fees

Applicants shall pay to the commission a nonrefundable license and application fee in the amount of $10,000. After the initial one-year term, the commission shall renew supplier licenses annually thereafter. Renewal of a supplier license will be granted to any renewal applicant who has continued to comply with all applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, upon submission of the commission-issued renewal form 24 and payment of a $10,000 renewal fee.

Inventory

A licensed interactive wagering supplier shall submit to the commission a list of all interactive wagering equipment and services sold, delivered to, or offered to a West Virginia Lottery interactive wagering licensee in this state, as required by the commission, all of which must be tested and approved by an independent testing laboratory approved by the commission. An interactive wagering licensee may continue to use supplies acquired from a licensed interactive wagering supplier, even if a supplier’s license expires or is otherwise canceled, unless the commission finds a defect in the supplies.

West Virginia Sports Betting Apps Review 

West Virginia has an agglomeration of options for legal sports betting apps. Considering every casino is allowed to offer three skins each, there’s no reason why other West Virginia sports betting apps could not enter the market in the future.

DraftKings Sports Betting 

DraftKings WV Sportsbook is one of the best places to bet on sports, the main reason being that they have one of the most welcome bonuses around. Players that have freshly joined the site can get up to $1,025 in bonus money and free bets when they sign up for an account and begin playing with the DFS giant.

If the bettors use the link provided by the app to register, they will get up to  $25 without any need to deposit. It will be waiting for the bettors when they finish making their accounts. Bettors can also get their first deposit matched up to $500, and finally, their first bet on DraftKings is completely risk-free, again up to an amount of $500.

FanDuel Sports Betting App 

After years of hard work, the FanDuel sports betting app has become an omnipotent power in the sports betting industry.

One of the most nerve-wracking things about sports betting is the potential for losing the bet that the player has placed. To help with this, FanDuel will insure the first wager placed by the player on site all the way up to $1,000. All that the player has to do is register, deposit, and make a selection. FanDuel is also one of the best places to find a constant rotation of promotions, so if the bettors are in the hunt for a good deal, they don’t need to look any further.

BetMGM sports betting app

BetMGM Sportsbook in West Virginia has a marvelous pedigree. The app is a member of the MGM Resorts International family along with being a part of one of the largest and most successful casino companies in the world.

If bettors are new to the venerable site, they can get every dollar of their first deposit matched up to $500 by entering the promotional code as they submit their funds. BetMGM also awards players a free $10 bet each week, which gives them a pretty good reason to stop by this book.

William Hill Sports Betting App

William Hill has become one of the biggest names in all of sports betting and has hundreds of William Hill betting shops scattered across the world, while West Virginia is now home to retail and online versions.

If bettors want to try their luck on William Hill, here are 150 reasons to do so. First-time depositors can get a win to $150 matched when they sign up and play on William Hill West Virginia.

Betley Sports Betting App 

Betley Sportsbook is the latest to enter the West Virginia sports betting landscape and is the successor to BetLucky at Mardi Gras Casino and Wheeling Island.

Betley is still in the early stages and doesn’t have any promotions running right now, but, if bettors live near Charleston, they might consider taking a look, since Betly is their “home” sportsbook now.

West Virginia Sportsbook Bonus and Rewards

Regardless of which West Virginia sportsbook the bettor chooses to frequent, they will have the opportunity to redeem several types of bonuses. Online sportsbooks have to contend with having competitors a button press away, so they are always looking for ways to instigate loyalty and repeat visits from their customer base.

Bonuses and rewards at West Virginia sportsbooks tend to come in a vast variety. Each type of bonus has its own positives and admonitions, so it’s important that the bettors know what they’re agreeing to when they claim one of these offers. Here are the bonus types:

No deposit

A ‘No Deposit Bonus’ is one of the most wonderful things in all of the sports betting. For almost nothing, the sportsbook will fill the account of the bettor with a certain amount of money. This money is the bettors to wager as they see fit.

In order to redeem a no deposit bonus, the bettor usually needs to either use a secure link to trigger the site itself or need a promotional code to enter as they register.

The only thing that they will surrender in a no deposit bonus is the time that it takes to create their new account.

Deposit/match/reload

The opposite type of bonus to a no deposit bonus is the deposit bonus. This type of bonus perpetrates the sportsbook to match a designated percentage of the deposit amount deposited by the bettor, effectively doubling a portion of their deposit in their account.

The percentage can be as high as 100%, where the sportsbook will match the bettor’s entire deposit completely, but, there will always be a limit as to the entire amount of money the sportsbook will match.

For example, a typical offer for a new player might be a 100% match up to $500, so they can deposit any amount they want, but the book will only match up to $500 of their deposit.

Bettors might also come across offers that will match a smaller portion by up to a certain amount. For instance, a 20% match up to $500 means that they can still receive $500 in bonus money, but they’ll have to deposit $2,500 to get it.

Cashback/insurance

A cashback bonus will ensure that the worst a bettor can do is break even. In this type of bonus, the sportsbook will refund all of the bettor’s net losses in a certain timeframe or on designated markets.

Cashback bonuses will always come with a limit to them, however, the bettor can only receive compensation up to a certain dollar amount. In rare cases, a cashback offer might only allow the bettor to recoup a percentage of their losses.

It is important to understand that cashback bonuses only apply to net losses only. If the bettor happens to break even or come out ahead overall after the designated time period, the bettor will not receive any money back — even if they lost quite a bit along the way.

Refunds are usually delivered via site credits or bonus money. A common cashback offer will have a 1x playthrough requirement and hence bettor won’t just get their money back as nothing happened.

Bettors may also see sportsbooks that have insurance bonuses. These bonuses work in a very similar way to cash-back bonuses.

Event Repeat/drip

Sports are repetitive, in a single game, a good player may perform the same move over and over en route to a victory. At their core, this is what the statistics measure.

Sportsbooks usually offer bonuses that reward the bettors for these repetitions. Every time a player or a team performs a certain action, the bettor will receive a flat bump of cash.

These bonuses can be affixed to any statistics. For instance, the bettor might be promised a $3 payout for each reception by a chosen NFL receiver.

The catch is that the bettor will have to make a certain type of bet at a certain price in order to redeem the bonus. There usually will be a great deal of uncertainty about whether the bettor can recoup their outlay of cash from however many times they manage to receive another bit of money.

These bonuses are also called drip bonuses because of the way they slowly send bits and pieces of dollars in the bettor’s direction. If nothing else, then they can make minor events in a game or match more appealing.

Rewards/loyalty

A rewards or loyalty program is a way for sportsbooks to hold the bettors and allow them to keep playing as long and as much as they can. If the bettor spends money on a site, they can earn points or credits to be tallied on their permanent account.

There are two ways in which these points function: first, the bettor can use the points to redeem various prizes onsite, i.e. free bets, bonus dollars, and many other exciting goodies are all available for a price.

These points can also serve to create various levels of status or standing within the rewards program. As the bettor plays more, they can receive better deals and more perks on both the site as well as at the sportsbook’s land-based casino partner.

Rewards programs are always free to join, and if the bettor finds a sportsbook that says otherwise, the bettor needs to find a new sportsbook.

These programs can be a nice little gain and assistance for bettor’s time onsite. But the bettor needs to take care not to let the earning of points become their reason for playing. Winning with points is fun, but it will not be as good as the feeling of when a bettor wins a bet by paying.

Odds boost

The last type of bonus that the bettor might see may not look exactly like a bonus. The odds boost hides in plain sight, right in front of the bettor, because of its prominence on many sportsbook websites, however, an odds boost is certainly a type of bonus.

In an odds boost, the sportsbook will manually adjust the odds on a bet in favor of a player;  for instance, the money line at +220 might now be listed at +240.

The result is that there is an increased payout potential on the placed bet. Thus, it is a more attractive bet to make, since the bettor is due to earn 10% more. The actual outlook of the game hasn’t changed because of the odds boost. The team given in the example is still a 2:1 underdog to win the game.

However, if the team can manage to pull out a W, the bettor will be paid as if it were a 2.2:1 underdog. So the bettor will be getting their money’s worth on the bet.

Odds boosts are more prominent, the reason being that they are one of the main ways that sportsbooks can inspire wagering on low-priority games, and they are usually in their own section. They keep changing each day as the games play out.

West Virginia Sports Betting Apps 

The first thing to do when the bettor decides if they want to give West Virginia online sports betting a try is to choose one of the sportsbooks listed in their links. It is important that the bettor clicks through their link in order to set themselves up for the best bonuses.

Before the bettor clicks on their choice, they need to make sure to take note of any bonus codes listed.

Clicking through the link, the bettor will see a page where options to download the app for both Apple (iOS) and Android devices will be given. The bettor needs to look for the logo that goes with their device.

Once the bettor presses the button for their phone or tablet’s format, they will be directed to the download page for the sportsbook’s app. For Apple users, there will be almost no difference between downloading a sportsbook app and any other kind of app, so they should proceed as they usually do.

Android users must go around Google’s ban on gambling apps in the Google Play Store before they can download and install the app, and they do so by navigating into the settings for their phones and opting for the device to accept “downloads from unknown sources.”

After they’ve set their phone in this way, the bettor should be able to download the .apk file into their phone and install it. The bettor may get a warning message, but since they are the ones who downloaded the file in the first place, the bettor can dismiss the warning without much concern.

West Virginia Sports Betting Registration 

Regardless of what steps the bettor had to take in order to download, the procedure for registering for an account is completely identical. The bettor needs to look for a large button in the top right of the display marked “sign up,” “register,” “join” or some other similar phrase, and click it to start the process.

Pressing the button will take the bettor to the registration screen(s) for the sportsbook of their choice. The bettor will have to submit various pieces of personal information to the site to create an account. Common details that they will have to supply include:

1. Name

2. Date of birth

3. Email address

4. Mailing address

5. Phone number

6. Social Security number (or last four digits)

7. Choice of username

8. Choice of password

Bettors might also have to select a few security questions from drop-down menus and give answers to them. These questions will be prosaic personal questions, but they and the answers provided by the bettor will give an extra level of security to their account.

There will also be a blank to input any promotional codes that the bettor may have received at the time of registration.

The bettor needs to make sure that they keep the login information for their account safe and secure. Sports betting online is fun, but the bettor will have to input their financial and banking information soon, and it would not be ideal for that information to find its way into the wrong hands.

West Virginia Sports Betting Game Selection 

West Virginia is not a home state to any teams from the major sports leagues, but its most popular hometown team is the West Virginia Mountaineers football team.

The scarcity of options for homegrown teams does not mean that West Virginians do not have favored professional teams and cannot bet on those teams. The cities mentioned below, close to the state, are home to major professional sports squads and teams:

1. Pittsburgh: Steelers (NFL), Pirates (MLB), Penguins (NHL)
2. Baltimore: Ravens (NFL), Orioles (MLB)
3. Washington D.C.:  Nationals (MLB), Wizards (NBA), Capitals (NHL), Football Team (NFL),
4. Cincinnati: Bengals (NFL)
5. Philadelphia: Flyers (NHL), Phillies (MLB), 76ers (NBA)
6. Cleveland: Browns (NFL), Indians (MLB), Cavaliers (NBA)
7. Columbus: Blue Jackets (NHL)

This list of teams is not exhaustive in terms of what the bettor can bet on in West Virginia, however, there are numerous markets available at every sportsbook in the state. Mentioned below are the sports that bettors will find in West Virginia sportsbooks:

1. Australian Rules Football
2. Baseball
3. Basketball
4. Boxing
5. Cricket
6. Cycling
7. Darts
8. Football
9. Golf
10. Hockey
11. Mixed martial arts
12. Motorsports
13. Rugby league
14. Rugby union
15. Snooker
16. Soccer
17. Table tennis
18. Tennis

Bettors may also find other one-off sports choices at various sportsbooks. No matter what — even during the COVID-19 pandemic — the bettor can always find something to bet on.

West Virginia Sports Betting Banking 

Once the bettor has created a profile with the West Virginia sportsbook of their choice, the bettor will need to fund their new account. Although many books will front the bettor some site credit as a welcoming present, it is unlikely that the bettor will avoid having to transfer money to the book at some point.

Depositing

Player deposits are a sportsbook’s subsistence, hence the operators make it as painless as possible to transfer money onto the site. Many sites maintain several modes of transfer in order to maximize flexibility and appeal to the widest swath of players.

Typical deposit options that the bettor will find at West Virginia sportsbooks are listed below.

Credit and Debit Cards

Most of the sportsbooks accept credit or debit card deposits from Visa and Mastercard. A few may also accept Discover or other cards. However, before the bettor uses this method, they should check with their card’s issuing bank. Many of the banks, including banks like Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and Chase, do not allow deposits into gambling sites at any cost. Even if the bettor’s bank does allow them to proceed, they might find themselves hit with high fees for cash advances. So, the bettor needs to be careful before they use plastic on a West Virginia sportsbook.

Electronic Checks

Electronic checks function in almost the same way as their paper counterparts. Bettors order a charge against their account, and the order must go through a clearinghouse before the transaction is completely done.

The good thing about e-checks is that they process a much faster rate than many methods of deposit, including paper checks. Most e-checks are handled within a few minutes, and the bettors have access to their funds soon after that.

Electronic Wallets

Electronic wallets are intermediary sites that serve as a repository for any funds the bettor wishes to use online. Sites like PayPal, Skrill, or Neteller serve as third-party waystations between the bettor (or bettor’s bank) and the online sportsbooks.

In some cases, the usage of an e-wallet might allow the bettor to go ahead with the deposit transactions in even more ways than the sportsbook itself offers. If bettors are having problems getting their money to go through and/or they already use one of these services, it can be a relatively easy way to fund their account.

Online Banking and Wire Transfers

Many people use online banking and/or online bill pay to manage their utility payments and other daily purchases. It turns out that online sportsbooks are more than happy to accept deposits from these sources, as well.

Using online bill pay can be a very speedy way to fund the bettor’s account. As long as they set up the book as a merchant and do the work on the back end, the actual transaction is quite quick itself..

Another way to fund the bettor’s account is similar to online bill pay but is decidedly more old fashioned. Bettors can still process a wire transfer at some online sportsbooks. If this method is the one that the bettor prefers, however, they might want to reach out to customer support to make sure that everything is set up to receive from their bank on the sportsbook’s end before they send the order.

Prepaid Card

A prepaid card is like a gift card that the bettor can give to themselves. The bettor loads up their card with money in whichever manner they want, then uses the loaded amount to fund their account.

Many sportsbooks will maintain and keep their own branded prepaid cards.. These are often created in association with the top prepaid card company or the industry, Play+. Because these cards bear the brand logo and have such a close tie to the sportsbook, they are likely the fastest and most painless method to move money into and out of the sportsbook that the bettor chooses.

Cash

It is quite unbelievable that it is possible to fund an online sports betting account using cash. If the bettor is used to working on paper money, they will often find at least one of the following options available onsite at West Virginia online sportsbooks.

The first choice is called PayNearMe, which is an online service that lets the bettor to start a deposit of a certain amount with their book. The service will then create a unique barcode for the bettor to print or carry on their mobile device. The bettor takes the barcodes to a 7-Eleven, CVS Pharmacy, or other approved vendor, and the clerk at the counter can scan the code and help the bettor complete the transaction.

Depending on the sportsbook, the bettor may also find that they are able to both deposit and withdraw from their account at the retail location for the sportsbook in West Virginia. It is advisable that the bettor calls ahead to the cage before they make the journey, however, as it might need some time to prepare the papers.

Withdrawals

The bettor will surely want to withdraw their winnings from West Virginia’s sportsbooks from time to time. There are usually a few methods to take profits on each site.

But surprisingly, the most common method at many sites use remains to be a paper check. The bettor initiates the withdrawal, and the sportsbook will send the bettor a check to their mailing address on file.

Other common withdrawal methods include e-checks, PayPal, and cash at the cage. It is very common for there to be far fewer withdrawal methods available than there are deposit methods.

Bettors can read nefarious intent behind this fact if they would like (i.e. the sportsbook wants to make it harder to get their money back than put it in), but it’s mostly universally well-known truth about trying to transact online. No matter the reason, withdrawing is always more of a pain than depositing, no matter where the bettor plays. The best thing to do, for the bettors, is to prepare themselves for the chance that it will be a hassle.

West Virginia Sports Betting Taxes

West Virginia is one of the few states with legal online casinos. After passing legislation to legalize online casino gaming in 2019, the first West Virginia casino sites were launched in the summer of 2020. West Virginians can also use online sports betting and play daily fantasy sports. In fact, the online lottery is the only type of online gambling that is not currently permitted in the Mountain State.

The West Virginia online gambling industry may be young, but it offers some great options to gamblers in the state. West Virginia passed legislation legalizing sports betting in March 2018. Following the Supreme Court’s overturning of PASPA, the law became active. The first sports bet in West Virginia was taken in August 2018, and by 2019, online sports betting was launched in the state.

Do I have to pay taxes on my winnings?

The state only taxes winnings gained through the West Virginia State Lottery. Therefore, online casino and betting winnings aren’t subject to WV taxes.

However, people do need to list the following gambling wins on federal tax forms:

1. Online slots - Wins of $1,200 or greater
2. Online sports betting - Wins of $600+ (without TIN) or $5,000+ (if TIN is provided)
3. Online poker tournaments - Wins of $5,000 or greater

Casino gaming winnings from West Virginia are not taxable. Unless winnings were from the West Virginia State Lottery, they are not taxable. Do not file a West Virginia return if this was your only income.

West Virginia source income of a nonresident does not include the following income even if it was included in your federal adjusted gross income:

• Gambling winnings, other than prizes awarded by the West Virginia State Lottery.

Gambling losses claimed as itemized deductions on the federal income tax return cannot be deducted on the West Virginia tax return. Consequently, there is no provision in the West Virginia Code to offset gambling winnings with gambling losses.

The state taxes West Virginia online gambling revenue at a rate of 15%. West Virginia sports betting revenue is taxed at a rate of 10%.

What are the tax rates on winnings?

Tax rates depend on your annual income and tax bracket. Gambling income is subject to state and federal taxes but not FICA taxes, and the rate will depend on your total taxable income (not just wages) minus deductions (standard or itemized).

Gambling winnings are subject to a 25% withholding for federal tax, though the actual amount you owe on your gambling win will depend on your total income. That tax is automatically withheld on winnings that reach a specific threshold.

The state tax rate in West Virginia is 6.5%, which is the rate your gambling winnings are taxed. These are broken up differently starting with your Marginal tax rate which is the bracket your income falls into. Then you have your Effective tax rate which is the actual percentage you pay after standard deductions, etc., and operate on a sliding scale depending on filing status and total taxable income. The rules state that when gambling, a person's winnings are to be combined with their annual income; which could move them into a higher tax bracket, hence why it’s important to be aware of gambling income before starting tax preparation.

How to pay taxes?

Gambling winnings in the amounts shown on the table below must be reported to the IRS on Form W2G, Certain Gambling Winnings, which must be completed by the gambling operator before the prize is awarded. For the operator to complete the W-2G form, the prize winner must provide a name, address, and social security number, or taxpayer identification number (TIN).

• In addition, the prize winner must provide verification of this information in the form of a driver’s license, social security card, voter registration card or other proper identification.
• If the winner does not provide proper verification, the payor is required to issue the W-2G form without the social security number and withhold the tax before awarding the prize.
• If the prize winner provides the necessary information and proper verification for issuance of the W-2G form, backup withholding is not required.

Backup withholding applies to all gambling winnings if: The winner of reportable winnings does not furnish his or her name, address and social security number AND proper verification of that information; and, Regular withholding has not been applied; and, The winnings are: o at least $600 and at least 300 times the wager, or o at least $1,200 from bingo or slot machines, or o $1,500 from Keno, or o more than $5,000 from a poker tournament.

To calculate winnings, prize amounts are reduced by the amount of the wager. Non-cash prizes, such as automobiles, are subject to withholding and are calculated on the basis of the fair market value of the prize.

If the winner pays the withholding, the 24% federal withholding rate applies. If the payor pays the withholding, a special federal withholding rate of 31.58% applies. Prizes awarded by the West Virginia Lottery Commission are considered West Virginia sourced income, including prizes won by nonresidents.

West Virginia Sports Betting Restrictions 

Sports betting regulations are still in the public comment period and therefore can be subjected to change. Here is what the working documents include right now:

Three skins per license: Managers used a light way when drafting the framework for mobile/online sports betting. Each casino licensee can offer up to three independently branded online platforms (or “skins“). Each skin partner needs to display the logo of the license-bearing casino within its platform(s).

No high school betting or age limits on esports: Operators do not book action on high school sporting events. Sports betting is a fair game, but all participants need to be at least 18 years old. Rules and regulations do not impose any prohibitions on college sports betting, including on teams and events within the state.