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West Virginia Sports Betting

The state of West Virginia is by no means a sports hub of any kind. There are no professional sports teams and only a few college athletic programs worth mentioning. While they lack athletic prowess, they have no shortage of enthusiasm for sports, with die hard sports fans throughout the state. This explains the surge in interest for betting on sports in West Virginia. We created this guide to provide some insight for WV residents who are interested in legally betting on sports and assist them in reaching the prime destinations for engaging in licensed and regulated betting options. This guide will address the legality of this type f betting entertainment, allowing players to make informed decisions about their level of involvement. This guide also includes a section specifically for betting on football in West Virginia.

Top Online Sportsbooks for West Virginia Residents

Site Bonus Ratings Visit
Bovada Sportsbook 50% Max $250 5 Star Rating Visit
BetOnline Sportsbook 25% Max $1000 5 Star Rating Visit
Sportsbetting.ag 25% Max $1000 5 Star Rating Visit

Is Sports Betting Legal in West Virginia?

There are indeed legal sports betting opportunities in West Virginia, if you know the right destinations at which to place your bets. The Federal Wire Act of 1961 and the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act combine to effectively ban online and offline sports betting in the United States. The only exceptions are the four states that are exempt from PASPA, meaning they can offer brick and mortar bookmaking services to their residents and visitors. These states include Delaware, Montana, Nevada and Oregon. These federal laws ensure that there are no state licensed bookmaking services in the state of West Virginia. There are no state laws addressing sports betting or online gambling in West Virginia.

The US federal laws governing sports betting in the US do not prohibit US residents from enjoying betting opportunities from legally licensed and regulated sportsbooks located offshore. These legal destinations are not subject to, nor do they violate any US federal laws or WV state law. Therefore you can bet on your favorite teams and sports without worrying about breaking the law. Both federal and state law do prohibit players from participating in unlicensed and unregulated gambling operations. This means it is critical that you only visit and bet at gambling sites that are legitimately licensed and subject to regulatory oversight. The brands recommended in this guide qualify as legal sportsbooks gambling sites. You can review the state gambling laws yourself by visiting the West Virginia state legislature website.

What is the Legal Gambling Age in West Virginia?

The legal gambling age in West Virginia is 21 years of age. This includes the minimum legal age for betting on sports online. Anyone who attempts to place bets prior to their 21st birthday is doing so in direct violation of the law. Among other penalties, those caught engaging in underage gambling will loose their winnings and any other funds associated with their gambling session. We strongly urge you not to consider this course of action. It is not worth the consequences.

What Types of Betting Lines Will I Find at Legal West Virginia Sportsbooks?

While we cannot speak for all sportsbooks, the brands represented in this guide all offers a tremendous selection of sports events covered in their betting lines. This includes lines on football, baseball, basketball, tennis, golf, hockey, soccer, NASCAR and other motor sports, boxing, Olympic events, and other mainstream sports categories. You will also find lines covering those categories that are not as mainstream, including cricket, rugby, cycling, swimming, and boating, among others. Professional, collegiate, and European leagues are included, so you'll have lines covering NFL, NCAA, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, as well as leagues from Europe and other countries. Many of our featured brands also offer lines on non-sports related events that include celebrity gossip, reality competitive TV shows, current events, and politics. By doing this they often attract gamblers who enjoy betting but are not strong sports fans. You will also notice that many of our recommended brands also offer other gambling venues, such as casino gambling, horse betting and poker.

West Virginia Betting Trends for Sports Teams

The Marshall Thundering Herd

Most people who know of Marshall outside of the state of West Virginia typically know them for two reasons. Number one, they made a movie about them recently, "We Are Marshall," which was the story of how the team kept going even though the entire team and staff died tragically in a plane crash. Secondly, people know them for the combination of Chad Pennington and Randy Moss that wreaked havoc on the collegiate world for a couple of great years in the late '90s. In recent years, however, Marshall hasn't had much going for it. Will things ultimately turn around for the embattled program?

Marshall actually did better than expected last year, and that's primarily because they play outside of teams that you're going to find in top-25 bowl contention. They play in C-USA, alongside teams like Alabama Birmingham, Louisiana Tech, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, and Old Dominion, to name a few. Even still, the betting structure is still the same, and gamblers still win and/or lose real money on the team.

Last year, the Thundering Herd were actually 9-5 ATS (against the spread), 2-0 after a bye, and 4-1 in non-conference games. As the away favorites, they were 4-2, and one of their worst categories was in-conference games, where they went 5-4. They're a better team this year, though they're currently 1-1 on the record and ATS. But we do expect a solid Marshall performance, with a 10-4 ATS record in all games.

The West Virginia Mountaineers

The Mountaineers of West Virginia were way down on the list last year in terms of NCAA rankings, at roughly #67. Part of this was because they lost their top QB Geno Smith to the Jets in the NFL draft, and another part was that they play in a very tough conference. Unlike Marshall, the Mountaineers play in a legit power-five conference, the Big 12, with teams like Baylor, TCU, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech. Now, the Big 12 isn't like the SEC or anything, but it's certainly a far cry from C-USA.

In all their games last year, the Mountaineers managed to go 7-6 ATS, and actually really surprised people as underdogs by going 4-1. This meant that they were a competitive team that didn't get blown out often. And they did this primarily outside of their conference, as teams like Baylor and TCU simply put up too many points to sustain a cover.

The Big 12 has actually stepped up this year instead of down, so we don't expect great things for West Virginia. Look for a year where they might improve on their ATS to the tune of 8-5, but don't expect much more than that. They're an iffy bet, at very best, and anyone betting on them might want to look elsewhere in the Big 12, e.g. TCU or Baylor.

Top WV Sportsbooks
Bovada Sportsbook
Bovada Sportsbook
Bonus Offer: 50% Max $250
BetOnline Sportsbook
BetOnline Sportsbook
Bonus Offer: 25% Max $1000
SportsBetting.ag
SportsBetting.ag
Bonus Offer: 25% Max $1000