Once again, West Virginia sports betting had a challenging week as bettors enjoyed another victorious outing. Sportsbooks experienced their third loss in the past four weeks and recorded their lowest total handle since December.
Despite a relatively small decrease in revenue of just over $64,000, West Virginia online casinos failed to experience a recovery following a payout of nearly $750,000 in Super Bowl futures just one week ago.
Since they began accepting sports wagers in September, sportsbooks have experienced a lack of profitability for the fifth time this week.
Nevertheless, only two sportsbooks managed to generate revenue, and it is likely not a mere coincidence that they are the sole ones equipped with an online betting platform. Despite this, the income generated from mobile sports betting remains considerably lower when compared to the revenues derived from mobile betting in other states.
The recent report from the WV Lottery encompasses the activities of all five WV sportsbooks from Feb. 10-16.
- Hollywood Casino located at Charles Town Races
- Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort is a destination that combines the thrill of casino gaming, the excitement of horse racing, and the luxury of a resort.
- The Greenbrier is home to the prestigious Casino Club.
- The Casino and Resort of Mardi Gras
- Wheeling Island Hotel
The sole sports betting app in West Virginia is BetLucky Sportsbook, catering to the Mardi Gras and Wheeling Island casinos. The noteworthy revenue figures achieved by the app this week are consolidated with the respective casinos’ overall totals.
WV Sports Betting Summary
Since August 2018, the industry has provided the latest figures for WV sports betting revenue tracking.
- Handle: $77,536,995.78
- Revenue: $7,499,998.22
- Taxes: $749,999.91
During the week of Feb. 16, sports betting in WV experienced its slowest week in quite some time, with the total handle dropping to $3,948,434.48. This marks a 17 percent decrease from the previous week and is the lowest it has been in seven weeks.
Despite the ongoing decrease in revenue, there was a notable improvement compared to the previous week. The combined revenue generated by the sportsbooks was slightly in the negative, amounting to -$64,086.99. This figure represents a substantial 91 percent increase from the previous week.
WV sports betting revenue for the week ending Feb. 16, 2019
A Closer Look At WV Sports Betting Handle
Once again, Hollywood Casino unsurprisingly emerged as the leader in overall handle. However, similar to most other sportsbooks, it did experience a slight decline this week. With the exception of The Greenbrier, every other book observed a decrease in handle.
The decline in Hollywood’s sportsbook is remarkable as it marks the first instance since September that it hasn’t received over $2 million in bets. Nevertheless, the casino continues to maintain a dominant position in the West Virginia market.
Although there has been a slight decline from the previous week, Mardi Gras and Wheeling Island remain near the top in terms of popularity. The presence of the mobile app BetLucky has proven to be advantageous for these two establishments, unlike their rivals who have not yet introduced an online sportsbook.
Regrettably, this week proved to be a forgettable one for the Mountaineer Casino as it recorded its lowest handle since the casino began accepting sports bets back in November.
These results could be heavily influenced by the sports calendar. While the football season has come to an end, excluding the new AAF league, basketball and hockey are still awaiting their postseasons.
Sports betting numbers will likely remain low until the commencement of March Madness in the upcoming month.
These are the rankings of the WV sportsbooks based on their weekly handle.
- The Hollywood Casino has a total amount of $1,916,162.42. The Mardi Gras Casino has a sum of $869,957.34. Wheeling Island has accumulated $610,061.27. Mountaineer Casino holds $363,396.3, while The Greenbrier has $188,857.15.
A Closer Look At WV Sports Betting Revenue
The revenue generated from sports betting has significantly improved compared to last week, as sportsbooks had to distribute payouts for several Super Bowl futures. This week’s report offers valuable insights into the performance of WV casinos in relation to sports gambling.
What is notable is that the only two sportsbooks generating profits this week are the ones offering online betting. Mardi Gras and Wheeling Island, the only establishments with the BetLucky app, secured their position at the top of the revenue chart by earning a combined total of over $36,000.
In contrast, both the Mountaineer and Hollywood casinos have recorded a decline in revenue for the third consecutive month.
This is the ranking of WV sportsbooks based on their weekly revenue:
- Mardi Gras Casino ($46,351.84)
- Wheeling Island ($38,431.22)
- The Greenbrier ($-1,024.35)
- Mountaineer Casino ($-30,634.85)
- Hollywood Casino ($-117,210.85)
WV March Madness
Despite the Mountaineers’ unlikely participation in this year’s NCAA Tournament, there is still excitement brewing among the WV sportsbooks. The Lady Mountaineers, on the other hand, have a strong chance of creating some March Madness of their own, giving hope to the local team.
The NCAA selection committee provided a sneak peek at the potential top seeds ahead of Selection Sunday on March 17. With the first play-in games starting on March 19, bettors are eagerly preparing themselves to place bets on the upcoming Big Dance.
The current odds to win the Men’s NCAA Basketball Championship on Feb. 26 are as follows, according to the BetLucky mobile app.
- Duke +200
- Field +300
- Kentucky +700
- Gonzaga +800
- Virginia +1000
- Michigan +1200
- Tennessee +1200
- Michigan State +1200
- North Carolina +1200
You can find the complete odds list on the BetLucky app.
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