How to Bet on the NFL in West Virginia
Since West Virginia legalized sports betting in 2018, it has risen in popularity among sports fans. Football remains the second most popular sport to bet on worldwide, second only to soccer.
To the newcomer, NFL sports betting can seem very complicated. Once you learn the essentials, you will be wagering on your favorite teams this NFL season like a pro!
The Basics in West Virginia
Who can bet on sports?
Anyone over the age of 21 can bet in the state.
Where can you bet on sports?
At this time, you can participate in sports betting at the Hollywood Casino, Mountaineer Casino, Mardi Gras Casino and Resort, Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack, and the Greenbrier Resort.
The Hollywood Casino offers an impressive 24 monitors displaying game odds, huge tv screens, and a place to hang out at the Skybox Sports Bar. They are partnered with DraftKings Sportsbook.
The Greenbrier is a private casino club and has a partnership with FanDuel. This sportsbook is not open to the public, so you will have to be a guest at the resort to participate in sports betting here.
Are there online options?
Yes, there are many online sportsbooks WV residents can use. The top operators in WV include DraftKings, Caesars Sportsbook, BetMGM, BetRivers, FanDuel, and PointsBet.
Online How-Tos:
If you want to start betting on NFL games online in WV, you will head over to one of the sites listed above and create an account. This will require you to insert basic information like name, date of birth, email address, phone number, the last four digits of your SSN, a username, and a password. Once you complete your account, you need to deposit money into your account to be able to place a wager. Funds can easily be transferred through most sites. You will then select NFL odds and you will be able to view odds for upcoming games. Next, you will fill out a bet slip and place your wager!
Many of these sites have welcome offers for new users like a free $50 bet when you sign up and make a minimum deposit. Make sure you shop around before settling on which sportsbook is for you!
Types of NFL Bets
There are many different ways to bet on NFL games. Some are more suited for beginners, and some require time and experience to build a strategy.
Moneyline betting is when you bet on who will win the game. This is by far the most simple way to bet, so this could be a good option for novices.
Point Spread betting is based on how many points a team must win by. For example, if the spread for the Miami Dolphins is +4 and the Cincinnati Bengals is -4 that means the Bengals are considered the favorite and the Dolphins are considered the underdog. To win money by betting on the Dolphins, they would have to win or they would have to lose the game by less than 4 points. On the other side, to win with your bet on the Bengals, they would have to win the game by 4 or more points. Whoever covers the points spread wins the game.
Totals betting is when you wager on the combined total of points during a game. You can bet that the total points scored during a game will be under or over the total listed in the odds.
Parlay bets are when multiple bets are combined.
Props are bets made on specific events of a game. For example, you can bet that a certain player will rush x amount of yards, or score x amount of touchdowns. You also place wagers on individual quarters of the game.
Betting on the Super Bowl
Want to bet on the largest US sporting event of the year? Anyone of legal age within the state lines of West Virginia can bet on the Super Bowl. Bet online with one of WV’s many online sportsbooks and end the NFL season with a bang!
Mac Daniel is a South Carolina-based freelance writer for PlayOnlineCasino and PlayOnlineSportsBetting. He has experience writing about a wide variety of topics, including healthcare, tourism, non-profit organizations, and most recently casino and sportsbetting news. To check out more of his work, visit: www.playonlinemichigan.com