West Virginia is dipping its toes in the daily fantasy sports landscape. PrizePicks announced that it is entering the Mountain State and launching PrizePicks Arena, which involves peer-to-peer competition.
PrizePicks has a strong reputation for being one of the top fantasy sports providers in the US. Discovering a new form of daily fantasy could boost the vertical’s popularity.
West Virginia to welcome peer-to-peer fantasy sports gaming
West Virginia sports betting is the preferred way to wager on games in the Mountain State. However, the state appears open to different forms of fantasy sports for bettors.
PrizePicks’ Pick’Em game is notably known for parlaying player props together, with numerous markets for bettors to choose from. Just like sportsbooks, the more props entered into a pick, the higher the payout.
The company, though, is adding another form of gaming, which includes being able to compete in groups.
In a press release, PrizePicks announced it is debuting PrizePicks Arena in multiple states, including West Virginia. The other states are:
- Alabama
- Tennessee
- Wyoming
PrizePicks VP of Innovation, Brian Huss, said:
“We’re focused on expanding PrizePicks’ reach by creating new, innovative game types that push the PrizePicks brand and truly put sports fans at the center of gameplay. PrizePicks Arena is an exciting new twist on the PrizePicks experience that paves the way for future product innovations.”
Users are placed into groups based on entries, fee and experience level on the PrizePicks app. The games offer players chances to win unique earnings from PrizePicks Arena.
Could daily fantasy sports thrive as sports betting matures?
Daily fantasy sports are not a huge talking point among states with legalized sports betting and online casinos. After all, those two verticals carry much of the discussion, let alone the majority of revenue.
However, sports betting in West Virginia has appeared to mature. Here are the handle totals from the final quarter of 2022 and 2023:
2022
- September: $49.9 million
- October: $57 million
- November: $72.9 million
- December: $58.7 million
2023
- September: $44.5 million
- October: $47.7 million
- November: $56.4 million
- December: $54 million
With handle decreasing pretty drastically, it makes sense to add another form of sports gambling. PrizePicks is available in 33 states and has a quality reputation as a daily fantasy sports operator. The creativity of launching a game to compete in groups could be the next wave of fantasy sports.
And who knows, the popularity of PrizePicks Arena could reignite legal sports betting interest again in the Mountain State in 2024.
