New Numbers: Almost $10 Million Wagered In WV Sports Betting Since Launch
How much money has flowed through West Virginia sports betting since launch this summer?
New numbers from the WV lottery indicated that more than $9.5 million in wagers have been placed in the state through the week ending Oct. 13, with about $2.4 million in revenue.
The state has realized $240,000 in revenue from WV sports betting since official launch on Sept 1.
Big lead for Hollywood Casino sports betting
So far, the numbers show that Hollywood Casino at Charles Town (HCCT) is far ahead of its only competitor, FanDuel Sportsbook at The Greenbrier Resort.
In fact, the two properties aren’t really in the same ballpark. HCCT held just under $2.3 million in revenue since launch; the Greenbrier only managed to hold about $75,000.
Now, there are two caveats to this comparison. The first is that the Greenbrier does not offer gambling to the open public, and thus, restricts its ability to generate unbridled revenue.
The second proviso is that the Greenbrier only opened its sportsbook in the middle of September and missed two weeks of wagering, including the opening week of NFL play. That said, it’s unlikely that the private casino had any kind of chance to catch the larger property.
Of course, it’s also unlikely that the Greenbrier had any kind of desire or plan to stay with HCCT in terms of numbers. The unique exclusivity of the Greenbrier’s casino means that the casino acts more like an amenity than a revenue generator for the property.
That’s not to say that Greenbrier management wants to position a casino operation as some kind of loss leader. However, it’s safe to say that the Casino Club is an ancillary draw for potential guests to the resort.
Overall, things are going pretty well for WV sports betting
The disparity between the two properties aside, the numbers for the state overall are encouraging. In the month of September, West Virginia casinos accepted just over $7.3 million in wagers, and $9.5 million counting the start of October.
That’s not as much as some other states handled at launch. The leader of the group is New Jersey, which accepted just under $41 million in wagers in its first full month (July 2018). However, New Jersey is aided by its geographic proximity to larger cities, including New York City and Philadelphia.
The biggest week came from the most recent data, the week beginning Oct. 6. The state’s two sportsbooks handled $2.2 million in revenue in the week. Handle has grown each week:
- Week of Sept. 1: $457,787.85
- Sept. 8: $1,104,008.32
- Sept. 15: $1,801,608.05
- Sept. 22: $1,904,569.60
- Sept. 29: $2,054,281.10
- Oct. 6: $2,215,942.10
It’s still early days for sports betting in WV. Only two of the five sportsbooks are open; once the Mardi Gras Casino and Wheeling Island join the party, things should really start to take off. And that’s not to mention online sports betting.
Suffice it to say, big things are ahead for West Virginia sports gambling.
