In West Virginia, sports betting experienced its most sluggish week since the initial two weeks of legalized sports gambling in the state. The total amount of bets placed in the Mountain State dropped below $1.4 million for the first time since September 2018.
The USA Women’s World Cup team’s popularity is expected to bring in more bettors to online WV casinos, potentially giving them a much-needed boost. WV sportsbooks have recently hit a new low and could greatly benefit from this surge in excitement.
The betting activity remained relatively stable for approximately 3 months, but experienced a notable decline during the week ending on June 22.
The decline might be attributed to the emergence of online sports betting in Pennsylvania, although it is difficult to determine. At the time of this report, the SugarHouse PA Sportsbook had been operational for three weeks.
Currently, Pennsylvania, also known as the Keystone State, boasts three online sportsbooks in operation, whereas there has been no notable advancement in the revival of online gambling in West Virginia.
It is not unexpected for those who have been keeping track of the WV sports betting market to learn about this news. The absence of online sports betting in WV is causing the state to lag behind current trends.
It is uncertain when exactly, but three prominent online sportsbooks will eventually be introduced in WV. The West Virginia Lottery mentioned that we might have to wait until “football season” to witness the arrival of a WV sports betting app.
The available mobile choices in WV will initially consist of:
- DraftKings WV Sportsbook
- FanDuel Sportsbook
- William Hill Sportsbook
The recent handle and revenue figures have demonstrated the crucial role of online betting in ensuring a thriving betting industry. With limited access to only three operational sportsbooks, residents face geographical constraints and time limitations, making online betting a necessity for their participation.
Although the handle had a terrible week, there was a slight recovery in revenue figures. After being in a loss last week, sportsbooks managed to generate approximately $25,000 in profits.
The report for this week encompasses the activities of all five WV sportsbooks from June 16-22.
- Hollywood Casino Sportsbook
- Mountaineer Sportsbook
- The Greenbrier is proud to present the FanDuel Sportsbook.
- Mardi Gras Casino Sportsbook
- Wheeling Island Sportsbook
Although Mardi Gras and Wheeling Island’s sportsbooks remain closed for betting, they are still honoring and paying out on recently settled wagers.
WV Sports Betting Summary
Since August 2018, the WV Lottery Commission has released the most recent figures on WV sports betting revenue tracking.
- Handle: $126,274,420.80
- Revenue: $11,785,989.12
- Taxes: $1,178,599.02
In WV, the week starting from June 22 witnessed a notable decline in sports betting activity. The total handle experienced a significant drop of 37% compared to the previous week, reaching a new low of $1,394,106.96.
This week’s revenue figures showed improvement, although they were not exceptionally impressive. The sportsbooks managed to generate $26,363.41, marking a significant 164% increase compared to the previous week.
WV sports betting revenue for the week ending June 22, 2019
A Closer Look At WV Sports Betting Handle
In terms of handle, WV sportsbooks had a disappointing week as they fell short of reaching the $2 million mark. This marked the sixth time in the past ten months of legal sports betting that they were unable to achieve this milestone.
During the initial month of accepting wagers, the first four occurrences took place.
Despite having one of its worst weeks, Hollywood Casino remained the frontrunner among active sportsbooks. However, it fell short of reaching the $1 million mark in bets, a first since its opening week.
Before this catastrophic week, Hollywood experienced 38 consecutive weeks of handling millions of dollars.
The rest of the land-based sportsbooks also had poor performance.
For the first time in 18 weeks, Mountaineer Casino’s earnings fell below $400,000.
In a first-ever occurrence at the sportsbook, The Greenbrier secured the third position this week, with its handle falling short of $10,000.
These are the rankings of WV sportsbooks based on their weekly handle.
- The Hollywood Casino has a total of $997,458.55 in revenue, while the Mountaineer Casino has earned $387,416.91. The Greenbrier has generated $9,231.50 in revenue, while both the Mardi Gras Casino and Wheeling Island have not made any profit.
Major takeaway: Hollywood Casino owns the market share
Despite a disappointing performance this week, Hollywood Casino maintains its stronghold over the WV sports betting market, accounting for an impressive 71.5% of the state’s total handle.
Although Hollywood did not reach $1 million in handle this week, the other two active sportsbooks have only achieved this milestone once.
The WV sports betting industry owes its existence largely to the Hollywood Casino Sportsbook.
The strategic location of Hollywood has truly set it apart from other sportsbooks in the state, being conveniently situated within an hour’s reach from cities such as Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.
It’s equally remarkable that Hollywood has managed to maintain its success even without the presence of an online sportsbook.
It is evident that the state requires a mobile option in its entirety, however, if Hollywood’s DraftKings Sportsbook becomes the first to launch, Hollywood will further solidify its dominance in the West Virginia industry.
A Closer Look At WV Sports Betting Revenue
After experiencing a loss of over $40,000 last week, revenue figures showed a positive increase of nearly $70,000 this week. While this signifies a commendable recovery, it is important to note that $26,000 in revenue is not a significant cause for excitement.
Mountaineer Casino regained the top spot from Hollywood this week, generating over $30,000 in revenue. While this amount may not be exceptionally high, it marked a positive recovery compared to the previous week.
The WV market’s current state is evident from The Greenbrier’s achievement of securing second place with less than $2,000 in revenue.
After two months of continuous profit, Hollywood Casino experienced a loss of approximately $6,500, placing them in last position at the end of the week.
Settled wagers at Wheeling Island and Mardi Gras Casino amounted to approximately $140 in payouts.
These are the rankings of WV sportsbooks based on their weekly revenue.
- Mountaineer Casino ($31,129.51)
- The Greenbrier ($1,827.25)
- Wheeling Island ($-18.85)
- Mardi Gras Casino ($-118.00)
- Hollywood Casino ($-6,456.50)
Major takeaway: Hollywood Casino controls revenue, too
Hollywood stands unrivaled in revenue generation within West Virginia, with Mountaineer Casino being the sole sportsbook that comes close. Despite a challenging week for Hollywood, its dominance in the revenue category remains unparalleled.
Hollywood has accumulated close to $9 million in sports bets over a span of 10 months, making it the leading earner. Mountaineer Sportsbook, on the other hand, has managed to surpass the seven-figure mark with $1.6 million in profits.
Even during a slow sports betting period, Hollywood consistently earns more than $100,000 in a week, while some sportsbooks struggle to reach that amount.
It is hoped that once online sportsbooks resume operations in West Virginia, the other casinos in the state will be able to catch up and bridge the gap. Nevertheless, with DraftKings partnering with Hollywood Casino, it may prove to be a challenging task.
On the board for WV Sportsbooks
FIFA Women’s World Cup
The semifinals matchups for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup are now determined. The upcoming games will witness Team USA facing off against England, while Sweden competes against the Netherlands.
The odds to win the title, as stated by DraftKings Sportsbook in New Jersey, are as follows:
- USA -134
- England +400
- Netherlands +500
- Sweden +600
Major League Baseball
As teams gear up for the All-Star break next week, the MLB season has reached its midway mark in games. With just a couple of months left in the season, DraftKings NJ presents the following odds for the MVP races.
AL MVP
- Mike Trout -200
- DJ LeMahieu +500
- Alex Bregman +1300
- Joey Gallo +1500
NL MVP
- Cody Bellinger +100
- Christian Yelich +150
- Nolan Arenado +900
- Freddie Freeman +1500
Wimbledon
The highly anticipated Grand Slam event has commenced, featuring a men’s draw that follows the expected pattern and a women’s draw that holds more uncertainty. Surprisingly, in the first round, 15-year-old American qualifier, Cori Gauff, caused an upset by defeating Venus Williams.
The gentlemen’s final odds to win are provided by NJ online sportsbooks as follows:
- Novak Djokovic +110
- Roger Federer +300
- Rafael Nadal +759
The top contenders for victory among the women are:
- Ashleigh Bartley +480
- Karolina Pliskova +480
- Serena Williams +850
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