FanDuel, DraftKings Slowly Taking Over WV Sports Betting Market

• FanDuel released its state-wide mobile sports wagering app in West Virginia on August 26.
• DraftKings launched its WV sportsbook app on August 28, 2019.
• DraftKings has been able to bring in $203,638.37 to Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races since the app launched.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – To say that FanDuel and DraftKings have become popular sports betting apps in West Virginia would be an understatement. Since the platforms launched three weeks ago, West Virginia sports betting revenue figures have shot up to be the highest in the state’s history.

“There’s probably no better time a year to launch then around the start of September and the kick-off to football,” said Mike Raffensperger, the CMO of FanDuel. “I think West Virginians have responded admirably as admirable sports fans do. They have brought a lot of activity both in NFL play and college football.”

FanDuel operates in the state through its partnership with The Greenbrier. According to revenue figures provided by the West Virginia Lottery, The Greenbrier has been able to rake in $96,849.08 since the FanDuel app has launched.

FanDuel’s only online competitor in the state, DraftKings, has also enjoyed much success since they launched only two days after FanDuel.

DraftKings operates in the state through its partnership with Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races. Hollywood casino has brought in $203,638.37 since the DraftKings app was released to the public.

Both apps launched during the first week of college football. During that week alone, the state of West Virginia set a record with a sports betting handle of $6 million. To reference, the state’s highest wagering time prior to that was for the entire month of January when WV sportsbooks brought in $4.9 million worth of bets.

The increase in WV sports betting is well needed since revenue figures have been underperforming so far this year. According to our sports betting revenue tracker, the state’s total handle had been decreasing every month since January.

This could be explained by there being fewer sports to bet on during the summer. But it could also be explained by the fact that two of the state’s five casinos, along with the original sports betting app in WV were shut down indefinitely in March.

Those operations are expected to return at some point. When they do, they will have to compete with both FanDuel and DraftKings for the legal sports betting market in WV. Both companies seem to already have established a footprint in the state and that presence may only grow bigger throughout the football season.

News tags: DraftKings | FanDuel | Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races | Mike Raffensperger | The Greenbrier | West Virginia | West Virginia Lottery