West Virginia sports betting has officially hit a plateau while operating just three WV sportsbooks. With no mobile sports wagering apps available in the Mountain State, betting figures have stagnated.
After seeing a slight increase a week ago, total handle again fell for the week ending April 20. It is now the third-consecutive week that the handle has failed to reach $3 million.
Hope is on the way, though. Last week, the WV Lottery approved one-year online sports betting licenses to five different companies in a very encouraging sign for mobile sports betting.
Among the five that will bring new mobile betting apps to the state are:
Even with the good news, it’s still difficult to tell when these online options will actually launch. The WV betting market needs a mobile sportsbook as soon as possible.
Despite the disappointing handle, revenue figures saw an uptick. This is now nine-straight weeks sportsbooks have earned a profit.
This week’s report includes activity from April 14-20 for all five WV sportsbooks:
- Hollywood Casino Sportsbook
- Mountaineer Sportsbook
- The FanDuel Sportsbook at The Greenbrier
- Mardi Gras Casino Sportsbook
- Wheeling Island Sportsbook
WV Sports Betting Summary
Here are the latest figures released by the WV Lottery Commission since WV sports betting revenue tracking began in August 2018:
- Handle: $107,045,063.87
- Revenue: $10,647,720.56
- Taxes: $1,064,772.14
The week of April 20 was slow once again for sports betting in WV. The overall handle relatively flat at $2,658,479.78.
Although it wasn’t too significant, revenue was up. The total of $207,528.18 generated is a 13% increase from the week prior.
WV sports betting revenue for the week ending April 20, 2019
| Casino | Handle | Mobile Sports Betting Revenue | Retail Sports Betting Revenue | Total Revenue | Taxes (10%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollywood Casino | $2,071,720.08 | N/A | $189,841.48 | $189,841.48 | $18,984.15 |
| Mountaineer Casino | $528,754.95 | N/A | $71,104.45 | $71,104.45 | $7,110.45 |
| The Greenbrier | $58,004.75 | N/A | $-8,787.00 | $-8,787.00 | $-878.70 |
| Mardi Gras Casino | N/A | $-27,660.60 | $-1,226.70 | $-28,887.30 | $-2,888.73 |
| Wheeling Island Hotel | N/A | $-8,468.45 | $-7,275.00 | $-15,743.45 | $-1,574.35 |
| Total | $2,658,479.78 | $-36,129.05 | $243,657.23 | $207,528.18 | $20,752.82 |
A Closer Look At WV Sports Betting Handle
The handle breakdown shows a lot more of the usual. Hollywood Casino continues to control the market share in WV as it totaled more than $2 million for the second week in a row.
To put it in perspective, Hollywood has recorded only one week with less than $1 million in handle. That was the sportsbook’s opening week at the beginning of September.
The two other active sportsbooks in the state have a combined one week of posting a handle of $1 million or higher.
Without the Hollywood Casino and its consistent production, WV sports betting would be in a much darker place.
In spite of not pulling in a massive amount of bets, the Mountaineer Casino did increase its handle from last week. It was able to exceed the $500,000 mark after coming up short in the previous report.
The Greenbrier hasn’t hit six figures in three-straight weeks. It dropped down again to just under $60,000.
This is now several weeks in a row where the handle is hovering around the same mediocre point. It’s obvious that WV residents need an online sportsbook or the weekly figures are going to look the same, if not worse.
Certain sporting events can create a spike in betting, and the Kentucky Derby is certainly one of them. With WV having a long history with horse racing, it’s entirely possible that the sportsbooks are in for a very good showing.
Here’s how the WV sportsbooks rank for the weekly handle:
- Hollywood Casino ($2,071,720.08)
- Mountaineer Casino ($528,754.95)
- The Greenbrier ($58,004.75)
- Mardi Gras Casino ($0)
- Wheeling Island ($0)
A Closer Look At WV Sports Betting Revenue
WV sportsbooks continue to generate positive revenue, even if the amounts aren’t overwhelmingly impressive. Hollywood leads the pack here as well earning nearly $200,000.
While still leaps and bounds ahead of the other sportsbooks, Hollywood hasn’t been doing great lately. This week’s profit is under $200,000 for the second time in three weeks. Hollywood previously had five-straight weeks of at least $235,000 in revenue.
Mountaineer Casino rebounded nicely this week after being in the red last week. It surpassed $70,000 in revenue for the first time in a month.
Meanwhile, The Greenbrier fell back into the negative for the second time in three weeks. The casino lost almost $9,000.
Wheeling Island and Mardi Gras Casino are still on the hook for bets they accepted before closing down. They paid out around $45,000 for the week.
The overall handle for the state is typically a good indicator of what the revenue might look like. Although it can vary for several reasons, it’s impossible to make a lot of money without a high volume of wagers.
Until these mobile apps go live, it will be tough for any of them to see some of the revenue they were making during the football season. Hopefully, for sportsbooks and bettors alike, online betting is available soon.
Here’s how the WV sportsbooks rank for weekly revenue:
- Hollywood Casino ($189,841.48)
- Mountaineer Casino ($71,104.45)
- The Greenbrier ($-8,787.00)
- Wheeling Island ($-15,743.45)
- Mardi Gras Casino ($-28,887.30)
On the board for WV Sportsbooks
Kentucky Derby
Horse racing’s biggest day is upon us. The 145th running of the Kentucky Derby takes place on Saturday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
The start of the Triple Crown always brings in a lot of attention from bettors. Official betting odds aren’t released until Wednesday. However, it’s been reported that one of the following three horses will be listed as the favorite:
- Omaha Beach
- Roadster
- Game Winner
Champions League
The UEFA Champions League semifinals kick off tomorrow when Tottenham take on Ajax in the first leg of their matchup. Here are the odds of the game according to DraftKings Sportsbook in New Jersey:
- Tottenham +130
- Ajax +220
- Draw +230
The other semifinal begins on Wednesday with Barcelona and Liverpool. DraftKings lists the following odds for that tilt:
- Barcelona -113
- Liverpool +310
- Draw +260
