The first time Virginia tried to legalize sports betting was in 2019, right after the Supreme Court struck down the PASPA Act to open the door for each state to draft its own betting legislation. Virginia legislators pushed ahead to approve sports betting and a few casino-related sections. Still, progress stalled and went as far as the state commissioned a study to look further into VA betting legalization.
Although the first try didn’t go beyond the study itself, the findings showed huge potential for legalizing sports betting in the state. It predicted Virginia’s annual sports betting handle and tax revenue could reach $462 million and $55 million respectively.
Looking to explore that potential, legislators set up another mission to legalize sports betting in VA. They put two separate bills forward, HB 896 and SB 384. After legislative debate and added amendments, Governor Ralph Northam signed them into law in April 2020.
However, Virginia’s sports betting didn’t officially launch until January 2021. Initially, the rules allowed for up to 12 Virginia sportsbook apps and 12 in-person sportsbook licenses.
But more legislation allowed for 18 or more betting apps in Virginia, which includes five in-person licenses tagged to each of the state’s casinos. Another license reserved for a partnership of FanDuel VA and the Washington Football Team.
Virginia’s Betting Legal Landscape
The Virginia Lottery enforces all regulations that VA sports betting operators have to follow. These regulations include:
- Betting apps operators must pay a 15% tax on all sports betting revenues.
- A three-year license to operate a VA sports betting app costs $250,000.
- No betting on high school sports.
- No betting on Virginia college teams.
- All bettors must be over 21.
- Bettors must be physically in Virginia to place bets.
- All VA sportsbook apps must use official sports league data.
Sports Betting Operators In Virginia
Virginia officially launched its sports betting market in January 2021, with the first sportsbook app launched by FanDuel in partnership with the Washington Football Team. By March 2021, there were nine sportsbook apps licensed in VA.
FanDuel Sportsbook VA
- Overview: FanDuel was best known for its DFS platform before the legalization of sports betting but has since developed into one of the biggest sports betting brands in the US.
- Features: FanDuel offers a wide selection of great bonuses for both new and existing players in Virginia, including attractive odds boosts offered daily.
- Bonus Offers: Check out our offers page to make sure you maximize your FanDuel Sportsbook welcome bonus!
DraftKings Sportsbook VA
- Overview: Following FanDuel’s footsteps, main DFS rival DraftKings was also one of the first to launch its VA sportsbook app.
- Features: The DraftKings sports betting app provides excellent coverage across a wide range of sports. Bettors love their selection of prop and future bets. In addition, DraftKings’ live betting market is unparalleled.
- Bonus Offers: Check out our offers page to make sure you maximize your DraftKings Sportsbook welcome bonus!
BetMGM Sportsbook VA
- Overview: BetMGM is the sportsbook platform of hospitality giant MGM International. It is a major challenger of FanDuel and DraftKings for dominance of the US sports betting market.
- Features: The BetMGM sportsbook is known for generous promotions and player-friendly bonuses. It also provides a smooth and convenient betting experience.
- Bonus Offers: Check out our offers page to make sure you maximize your BetMGM Sportsbook welcome bonus!
BetRivers Sportsbook VA
- Overview: BetRivers operates in several US states as part of Rush Street Interactive. In addition, BetRivers VA will be associated with the Rivers Casino that is being built in Portsmouth, Virginia. They will have an in-person sportsbook venue at that location.
- Features: BetRivers Sportsbook VA is famous for offering competitive odds and generous bonus wagers.
- Bonus Offers: Check out our offers page to make sure you maximize your BetRivers Sportsbook welcome bonus!
Unibet Sportsbook VA
- Overview: One of the world’s biggest sports betting operators, Unibet is traded on the NASDAQ Nordic Stock Exchange. Founded in 1997, the Swedish betting giant serves over 11 million customers in over 100 countries. Unibet launched its US sportsbook app in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Indiana and rolled its Virginia app in April 2021.
- Features: It offers VA bettors a sophisticated and comprehensive sports betting platform with a clean and sleek design. Unibet pairs extensive international sports coverage with impressive bonuses and promotions.
- Bonus Offers: Check out our offers page to make sure you maximize your Unibet Sportsbook welcome bonus!
William Hill Sportsbook VA
- Overview: Caesars Entertainment bought British sportsbook William Hill, subsequently earning a reputation for being one of the most experienced betting operators in the US market.
- Features: William Hill offers VA customers a state-of-the-art betting platform famous for usability, live betting, and streaming services. William Hill is the remote betting partner of a Caesars casino that is being built in Danville, VA.
- Bonus Offers: Check out our offers page to make sure you maximize your William Hill welcome bonus!
WynnBET Sportsbook VA
- Overview: Virginia is home to two famous NASCAR racetracks: Martinsville Speedway and Richmond Raceway. There was a tough battle to become NASCAR’s official betting partner in the state. WynnBET won that title by inking a partnership for these venues.
- Features: Virginia sports bettors use the WynnBET app to find improved odds and special bets on their favorite NASCAR drivers. Also, there’s a wide selection of other sports and benefits that can be found on our promotions pages.
- Bonus Offers: Check out our offers page to make sure you maximize your WynnBET welcome bonus!
Placing Bets In Virginia
Betting in Virginia is easy, safe, and 100% legal. You don’t have to be a Virginia resident to place bets on VA sportsbook apps. As long as you are over 21 and physically located in the state, you can download a betting app and start wagering in minutes.
Follow the quick and easy steps below to place your bets today:
- 1) Browse our offers pages and pick one of the best Virginia betting apps.
- 2) For example, download and install the Virginian BetMGM app, or go to the BetMGM website.
- 3) Complete the quick sign-up process for BetMGM.
- 4) Go to the BetMGM’s banking section and select a banking method.
- 5) Follow instructions to deposit and fund your sportsbook account.
- 6) Go to BetMGM’s home page, search markets, events, and teams you want to wager on from the state of Virginia.
- 7) Follow the instructions to place your bets, which will appear on your online bet slip. For example, bet a parlay on the Mets and Red Sox to both win.
- 8) Wait for the scores and cross your fingers.
- 9) If you have a winner, go to BetMGM’s banking section and follow the easy steps to withdraw your winnings.
Mobile Sports Betting In Virginia
Thanks to advanced mobile technology, it’s easy to bet from anywhere you are in Virginia. As long as you are in Virginia, over 21, and have a mobile device and internet connection, the US best betting apps are at your fingertips.
All Virginia sportsbook apps work on HTML5 technology, which makes them responsive and optimized for mobile. So you can use the same account details and enjoy a seamless betting experience across desktop and mobile devices. You can access VA sportsbooks on a mobile browser or download and install a native mobile betting app on your smartphone or tablet.
Most VA sportsbook apps are available to download through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. If the app you are looking for isn’t available in the app store, you’ll usually find a download link on the bookmaker’s website.
However, the best place for VA players to find betting apps is on our offer pages, where you can compare offers and find all the information and links in one place.
Which Sports Are Popular For Betting In Virginia?
Virginia sportsbooks allow you to bet on various sports from all over the world, including golf, tennis, MMA, and international soccer, along with the leading US professional leagues such as the NFL, NBA, and MLB. Once you choose your sporting event, you can place wagers ranging from money line and spread bets to parlays, prop bets, and in-play betting, one of the fastest-growing betting niches.
Virginia is one of the US states that isn’t home to major league sports teams. However, location is key, and Virginia’s neighboring states provide plenty of action from some of the nation’s most famous teams. Moreover, both the NFL’s Washington Football Team and the NHL’s Washington Capitals have their training facilities in VA.
Virginia NFL Betting
Although no NFL team calls Virginia home, there’s a clear link between the state and the Washington Football Team. In fact, it almost moved to Virginia in the mid-1990s, as team owner Jack Kent Cooke reportedly considered switching to a new stadium in Alexandria, VA. That didn’t happen, but the Washington Football Team still has a strong presence in Virginia, as both its training base and headquarters are in Ashburn, Virginia.
Whichever football team you support, VA betting apps let you put a stake on all of the big NFL. Moneyline and spread bets are popular through all-season games, and parlays become huge during playoffs, where Virginia bettors cover all the action with different parlay betting segments. In addition, live betting allows bettors to dig deep into each down and make a football game even more exciting.
Virginia NBA Betting
With no NBA team in Virginia, the only big basketball team in the state is the Richmond Elite, which plays in the semi-professional American Basketball Association. Therefore, most of the state’s basketball interest focuses on the NBA’s Washington Wizards in the north, while fans in the south follow North Carolina’s Charlotte Hornets. VA sportsbook players also like to bet on the Philadelphia 76ers and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
When it comes to NBA betting, the point spread market is king, and you will find a wide range of NBA spread betting on Virginia betting apps.
Virginia MLB Betting
There are also no MLB franchises in Virginia, but the state is home to the Norfolk Tides, a Triple-A affiliate of MLB’s Baltimore Orioles. The Tides play their home games at Harbor Park in Norfolk.
Most baseball fans in Virginia support the Washington Nationals. Still, there is some support for the Orioles in the northeast of the state, and some Virginia sports betting app users in the southwest of the state are Atlanta Braves fans.
MLB fans love to wager on the run line, money line, and series markets. You can have access to all of these betting opportunities through Virginia sports betting apps.
Virginia NHL Betting
Although there is technically no NHL team in Virginia, many hockey fans follow the Washington Capitals because of its offices and training center in Virginia. The Capitals won the Stanley Cup in 2019 and claimed five consecutive Divisional Championships between 2015 and 2020.
There is plenty of support for the Carolina Hurricanes in the south, and for those hockey fans who want to root for a genuine Virginia team, there are two third-tier options. The Norfolk Admirals play in the ECHL, while Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs, previously the Mississippi Surge, play its home games at the Berglund Center, Roanoke, as part of the SPHL.
For fans of the Capitals or any other NHL franchises, Virginia sports betting apps offer a wide variety of the most popular markets, including the money line and live betting.
Sports Betting Partnerships In Virginia
A notable feature of the development of US sports betting is the change in attitude towards the betting sector by sports organizations. Before the 2018 Supreme Court decision, most major sports bodies opposed the legalization of sports wagering. Many joined the various lawsuits on the side of the anti-legalization lobby. Those attitudes are long gone. From 2018 onwards, US leagues and sports franchises have been lining up to sign deals and partnerships with betting operators.
The biggest partnership in VA is between FanDuel and the Washington Football Team. In fact, FanDuel’s Virginia betting license is based on this arrangement. NHL team Washington Capitals, which has a training base in Virginia, has also signed a deal with William Hill to be its official betting partner.
Another partnership attracting a lot of attention from all over the country is the partnership struck between BetMGM and the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA). The multi-year deal makes BetMGM the official betting partner of the LPGA Tour. In addition, the BetMGM sportsbook app and logos feature on LPGA signs along the golf course and the tour’s social media and websites. And like most other Virginia sportsbook apps, BetMGM provides special odds and bets on women’s golf competitions.
The first major event that debuted the partnership was the Pure Silk Championship, held in Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Virginia. This alliance is one of many sponsorship deals that sportsbook operators are making to capitalize on the rise in betting on women’s sports. MGM Resorts, BetMGM’s parent company, is also a WNBA official gaming partner since 2018, and it owned WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces until it sold the team to Mark Davis in 2020. Other women’s sports betting sponsorships include PointsBet, which collaborates with the WNBA league, DraftKings, and FanDuel, sponsoring WNBA’s New York Liberty.
Virginia Sports Betting Bonuses
A growing number of sportsbook operators are fighting for new customers. One of the most effective methods for attracting new business is to offer bonuses and promotions. Because of the competitive market, anyone signing up for a new VA sports betting account will surely receive a bonus offer.
To help you navigate this sometimes complex array of betting offers, here is a quick guide to the main types:
- Welcome Offer: This is the most popular promotion offered through Virginia sports betting apps. The welcome offer can vary from a simple free bet to a deposit match offer. They only give this offer to new players.
- Sign-Up Bonus: New bettors can claim a sign-up bonus for simply registering with a Virginia sportsbook app. When you get a sign-up bonus, often provided as a free bet, it hits your account immediately following the registration process.
- Deposit Bonus: Sportsbooks often provide a deposit bonus after you make your first deposit on the app. Usually, the sportsbook will match your initial deposit with a percentage of bonus money.
- Risk-Free Bets: There’s no surprise that it’s one of the most popular promotions around. Here’s how a risk-free bet works: the sportsbook will refund your wager if you lose. You get to keep the winnings if your bet wins.
- Parlay Insurance: A parlay consists of several segments wrapped into one bet. To win a parlay, all segments must win. Therefore, parlay insurance refunds your stake if a single segment ruins your parlay bet.
- Odds Boost: A betting promotion that increases the odds of particular selections.
- Event Bonus: An event bonus can take many forms, but it’s always associated with a particular event. This could be anything from March Madness to the Super Bowl. These big betting occasions are the perfect opportunity for sportsbooks to attract new players.
- Loyalty Rewards: Virginia sports betting apps typically offer loyalty programs. This lets you earn points for betting, which apply directly to perks and other rewards.
How Safe Is It To Bet On Sports In Virginia?
To get a license to run a VA sportsbook site, all betting operators need to satisfy several strenuous background checks and other requirements. One of the most important aspects is that the operators must show that they can adequately protect financial details and all other customer data and the stringent rules on fairness. Besides the initial checks, the Virginia Lottery also carries out regular reviews and spot checks.
For additional reassurance, bettors in Virginia can rely on their winnings always being paid out on time. This is because the Virginia Lottery requires operators to hold player funds in a separate account. So it guarantees they can meet their obligations to pay out all winners, regardless of the financial condition.
Virginia Sports Betting FAQs
Although sports betting is fun and exciting, it can be overwhelming to bet on an app if you don’t know what you are doing. So to help you get up to speed, we answer a few questions that often come up with new bettors.
What kinds of sports bets are legal in Virginia?
Plenty! There is minimal restriction on the type of sports bet you can make through Virginia sports betting apps. It is possible to bet on all the major US sports, along with every international sport. Although market variety will vary according to which sportsbook app you use, most will offer the full range of bet types. However, Virginia college and high school betting are not legal.
Can I also bet on sports in person in Virginia?
Not yet, but you will be able to soon. Online sportsbook operators received the first betting licenses, but in-person sportsbooks will follow. There are plans to build five casinos in the state, and they will all offer in-person sports betting.
Will they tax my winnings in Virginia?
There is no tax applied to winning bets in the state of Virginia, but if your earnings in a particular year reach a significant level, you may find yourself subject to federal taxation. Check out your tax jurisdiction for more information.
Can I bet on college sports in Virginia?
No. US states vary in their approach to college sports, and Virginia is one of the stricter jurisdictions. When using Virginia sports betting apps, you cannot bet on in-state college teams. Also, it’s prohibited to bet on high school sports.
Can I use my mobile phone to bet in Virginia?
Yes. Virginia sports betting sites have HTML5 technology, making them responsive and optimized for iOS and Android web browsers. Most Virginia sports betting apps also offer a native mobile app to download and install on your device. Check our offers pages for all information and download links.