With sportsbooks slowing down for the summer months, West Virginia online casinos continue to trend upward.
June and July online casino revenue has produced the Mountain State’s best months since launching in August 2020. The latest July figures show a total of $14.4 million in revenue, falling just short of June’s record.
Online casinos are continuing to grow, with no signs of letting up.
WV online casinos generating highest revenue totals in summer months
The West Virginia Lottery breaks down gaming revenue by week, however, PlayWV is able to calculate a monthly revenue total. These are an approximation based on where the first and last day of the month falls.
June and July by far have been the best months ever for West Virginia. In June, online casino operators generated a record $16.4 million in monthly revenue. While July revenue dipped to $14.4 million, it’s still the second-best month of all time.
All five of West Virginia’s highest totals for online casino revenue have come in 2023:
- June: $16.4 million
- July: $14.4 million
- March: $14.3 million
- February: $13.1 million
- April: $13 million
The online casino industry appears to be getting stronger in the Mountain State. Despite WynnBet ceasing operations, Betly has relaunched in the state and now offers online casino games.
BetRivers Casino and Hacksaw Gaming reached an agreement last week to provide more online casino games, as well.
Shawn Fluharty, Minority Whip in the West Virginia House of Delegates, told PlayWV in an interview:
“[Operators are] very good at adapting to the consumer’s wants and making more content available. I think what you’re seeing is an expansion of available products and that’s what is helping people come back.”
Available games and products are likely to keep expanding in the Mountain State.
West Virginia sports betting experiencing summer slide with $22.3 million in July bets
The sports betting industry is seasonal, and during the summer months, it’s as slow as it can possibly be.
West Virginia sportsbooks reported $22.3 million in July handle, easily the lowest output for the year. That number isn’t surprising with NFL playoffs, March Madness and NBA playoffs occurring in the first half of the calendar, however, handle is down 13% year over year.
FanDuel, BetMGM and Golden Nugget have commanded approximately 62% of the market share combined so far in 2023. DraftKings, PointsBet and Barstool have recorded about 33% of market share, with Caesars around 4%.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens as PointsBet and Barstool exit the market in favor of Fanatics and ESPN Bet. Fanatics Sportsbook is expected to turn heads once it launches.
Handle for WV sportsbooks will increase in September when college football and the NFL are back in full swing.
