Two WV Sportsbooks, BetLucky App Shut Down For March Madness

Written By Kim Yuhl on March 20, 2019 – Last Updated on March 15, 2025

On March 7, the sports betting scene in West Virginia experienced a major shake-up as three out of six books decided to shut down their betting windows. This sudden development resulted in the absence of BetLucky Sportsbook, the sole mobile sports betting app in WV, along with two out of five WV sportsbooks.

Ever since the suspension, there has been complete silence with no update provided, except for a temporary status notification.

After much anticipation, the West Virginia Lottery has finally joined the conversation.

According to a statement by John Myers, the Director of the West Virginia Lottery,

As the parties involved work towards a solution, we are diligently keeping an eye on the situation. Continuous discussions are taking place, and we remain optimistic that an agreement between the provider and its vendor will be reached soon, resulting in the reopening of the sportsbooks at Mardi Gras and Wheeling Island. However, it has become evident that wagering at these locations will not resume in time for the early rounds of the NCAA Basketball Tournament.

WV Lottery comments on the closing of three sportsbooks

The WV Lottery is stating the obvious.

Due to ongoing negotiations between the management services provider and a third-party technology vendor, sports wagering is currently not available at Delaware North’s Mardi Gras Casino & Resort and the Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack.

However, its significance lies in the fact that it is engaged and that holds importance.

The WV Lottery statement guarantees:

There is a lack of attention from sports bettors towards the occurrence of oversight.
Regulations are enforced in the industry.

Above all, however, it likely soothes certain anxieties.

WV sports bettors antsy for information

Sports bettors are eagerly seeking information, specifically answers to their inquiries:

Why did this happen?
Could you please let me know when it will be repaired?
How can we ensure that this does not happen again in the future?

If you take a glance at BetLucky’s attempts to respond to questions on Twitter, you can easily notice the increasing anger among users. It is clear that the statement provided by the WV Lottery fails to address any of the inquiries.

Although having someone monitor the situation might provide some comfort, it is improbable that it will alleviate the distress.

March Madness betting in WV is currently in progress, intensifying the pain even more. Despite WVU not qualifying for the tournament, the immense popularity of March Madness in the world of sports betting cannot be ignored.

Regrettably, March Madness is taking place without its sole mobile sports betting application and two remote casinos lacking alternative betting facilities in close proximity.

The fact that the WV Lottery has finally voiced their opinion is commendable. However, it would be even more beneficial if Delaware North, the operators of the three books, would step forward and provide some much-needed answers to their customers.

Currently, the WV Lottery has requested players to directly reach out to the casinos for any inquiries or to address any concerns.