- West Virginia’s mobile sportsbooks brought in 72% of all handle for the month of May.
- Overall, sports betting in West Virginia has been on the decline since the end of the 2020 NFL season.
- Sportsbooks in the state should begin to see an uptick in activity as the 2021 NFL season will begin in a few months.
CHARLESTON, W.V. - The West Virginia sports betting market has seen a slow and steady decline in wagering activity since football season ended, however, May figures have shown that mobile sportsbooks held the lead.
Although handle numbers were low, a revenue spike was recorded for May. Gamblers were less lucky with their wagers last month and the house proved to be luckier, which brought in the revenue.
What’s Going On With West Virginia Sports Betting?
The West Virginia Lottery Commission reported $25.5 million in handle posting a drop of 3.8% month-over-month as April had a handle of about $28 million. Of the collected bets for May, 72% of them were done using online sportsbooks.
Mobile sports betting brought in $18.4 million of the $25.5 million in wagers for May. But the state is still on the decline overall for sports betting, even with the continued popularity of online betting activity.
In December, during the end of the NFL season schedule, handle was at over $57 million and around $43 million through March Madness. But May’s figures are less than half of what West Virginia sportsbooks brought in to close out their 2020 year.
Advertising Disclosure
USAOnlineSportsbooks.com provides you with the most current information regarding sports betting and fantasy with the help of commissions we receive from links you may click on our site.
Revenue for May jumped 38% from April with $2.7 million. April had $1.9 million in revenue. Taxes were also up to $228,485 from $165,922 the month before. Online sportsbooks took in $540,000 worth of revenue in a seven-day period the week of May 15, a high for that aspect of the market.
Looking Ahead
The NBA Playoffs should help the West Virginia sports betting industry to bring in more handle for June.
Even with handle on a downward spiral, it’s encouraging to see that the revenue collected for the state managed to jump. And being on the cusp of prime sports wagering season with football right around the corner, the state’s industry should see an upswing.
As far as mobile sportsbooks are concerned, they should continue to bring in the lion’s share of bets for West Virginia as is the nationwide trend.
Christina has been writing for different platforms for years. She has a particular interest in writing about any and all sports-related news. If there is a game on, she’s watching it. She has been writing for USAOnlineSportsbooks since 2019.
