Is sports betting legal in virginia?
Yes, sports betting is legal in Virginia following the passage of amended House Bill 896 and amended Senate Bill 384 on the same day in April of 2020. The bills were both amended by Governor Ralph Northam and once they passed in both chambers, they were considered law. Nine months later, just in time for Super Bowl LV, Old Dominion residents and visitors began wagering on sports throughout the state.
Virginia Quick Facts
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Launch Date: January 2021 -
ImageLegal Betting Age: 21
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ImageOnline Sports Betting: Yes
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ImageOnline Casino Sites: No
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ImageOnline Poker Sites: No
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ImageBest Available Sportsbook: FanDuel
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ImageRegulatory Body: The Virginia Lottery
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ImageLegal Online Sportsbooks: 14
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ImageCollege Sports Betting: Yes, but no in-state team wagering
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ImagePolitical or Entertainment Betting: No
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ImageHigh School Sports Betting: No
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ImageEsports Betting: Yes
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ImageNFL Draft: No
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ImageRemote Registration: Yes
Timeline of Betting Legislation & Latest News
Virginia lawmakers accepted Governor Ralph Northam’s amendments to HB 896 and SB 384 in April of 2020, making sports betting legal in the state. It took an additional nine months for sports betting to actually begin in Virginia as FanDuel accepted the state’s first Wager in January of 2021.
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Feb. 5 & Feb. 11, 2020
HB 896 from Del. Mark Sickles passed in the house (70-27 vote) and SB 384 from Sen. Jeremy McPike passed in the senate (27-12 vote), both bills seek to legalize sports betting in the state.
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April 11, 2020
This day was the deadline for Gov. Northam to sign the legislation or let it become law without his signature. Instead, he made minor amendments, including one to allow the state’s two NASCAR tracks (Richmond Raceway and Martinsville Speedway) to collaborate on marketing.
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April 22, 2020
Gov. Northam’s amendments to HB 896 and SB 384 accepted by lawmakers in both the house and senate, making online and retail sports betting in Virginia legal.
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Jan. 21, 2021
Sports betting launches in Virginia.
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Jan. 11, 2024
SB 142 introduced in the Virginia General Assembly to allow betting on in-state college teams.
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Jan. 31, 2024
SB 142 passed through the Virginia Senate General Laws and Technology Committee and is headed for the full Virginia Senate for further discussion and a vote.
How to start betting in virginia
Getting started betting in Virginia is easy since the state allows for remote registration, meaning you can register for a sportsbook and deposit money into an account without leaving your house. Virginia bettors can download their favorite sports betting app on a smartphone, deposit money, verify their identity, and start betting right away.
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Select a Sportsbook
First, decide which sportsbook you want to use and download that sports betting app on your phone. Some sportsbooks will allow you to get started from their website on a computer as well. With the help of this article, make sure the app you’ve chosen is regulated in your state.
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Create Account
Click the button on your sportsbooks’s app that says “signup” or “get started,” while you’re inside state lines, to begin creating an account. You’ll be required to fill in some personal information and verify your identity.
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Deposit
To fund the account, select the payment option you prefer. Each sportsbook has different options for deposits, but common options include: Credit/debit card, bank transfers, PayPal, etc. Remember to keep an eye out for any fees that might be associated with the deposit.
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Choose your bet and bet size
There are a variety of wagering options within each sportsbook. If you’re just getting started, moneylines are the most straight-forward bet and allow bettors to wager on who will win an event. Point spreads, over/unders, parlays, player props and futures bets are also popular choices.
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place a wager
Every sportsbook runs independently from each other so they each may offer different point spreads or odds on the same wager. Before placing your wager, try shopping around at other betting apps to get the best price. Once you’ve found odds you like, type in your wager amount and submit your wager. If your wager wins, your winnings and your original bet will be deposited back into your account shortly after the event you bet on finishes.
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Withdraw funds
Each online sportsbook has different methods and processes for cashing out money if you’re successful betting. It’s normal for withdrawals to take longer than deposits, but the money is typically received within a couple days.
Home Field Advantage
Virginia is a robust sports market with a population of 8.7 million people, 79 percent of those adults. But it’s also the largest U.S. state without a major professional sports team competing within its borders. The Old Dominion’s two major pro sports venues are the NASCAR tracks in Richmond and Martinsville.
The six major pro sports teams that capture the bulk of Virginia’s attention are based across the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., or in neighboring Maryland:
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ImageNFL – Washington Commanders: While the Commanders haven’t done much of anything since winning three Super Bowls as the Redskins between 1982 and 1991, they remain the sports team to many in the metro DC area, Virginia included. The Commanders haven’t had a winning season since 2016, but there is reason for optimism with the addition of Heisman Trophy winner, Jayden Daniels.
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ImageNFL – Baltimore Ravens: The Ravens have captured two titles since 2000 and are best known for their dominant defenses in the 1990s and 2000s that featured Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. The Ravens are always a fun team to bet on these days because of annual MVP candidate Lamar Jackson who racks up a lot of yards on the ground for a quarterback. Baltimore is entering its 17th season under head coach John Harbaugh who has only finished under .500 twice.
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ImageMLB – Washington Nationals: While they’re in rebuilding mode now, the Nationals have been extremely competitive for most of their short history, winning a World Series title in 2019 behind the arm of Stephen Strasburg. That said, the Nats haven’t had a winning season since that title and have a lot of work to do to catch up with the Braves and Phillies in the NL East.
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ImageMLB – Baltimore Orioles: The Orioles won the 1983 World Series and are enjoying a recent resurgence, but only had three postseason trips from 1998 to 2022. The AL East has been dominated by the Yankees and Red Sox in recent memories, but the Orioles have made it clear the last two seasons they are no longer lovable losers.
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ImageNBA – Washington Wizards: Yikes, where to begin. The Wizards won the NBA championship as the Bullets in 1978, and haven’t done much since. Even with an over-the-hill Michael Jordan in the early 2000s, they couldn’t make the playoffs, and they last reached the conference finals in 1979. Yet bets on the Wizards and the NBA remain mainstays of Virginia sportsbooks, most of which offer a full menu of team and player props.
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ImageNHL – Washington Capitals: Winner of one Stanley Cup title (in 2018), the Capitals in the current era are a consistent playoff contender thanks to a core of great players headlined by captain Alex Ovechkin. Virginia sportsbooks offer a variety of bets on the Capitals and other NHL teams, ranging from traditional bets like game lines and puck lines to unique props and parlays.
USA Betting News
The Virginia Council on Problem Gambling (VCPG) was created to increase the well-being of Virginians impacted by gambling. The VCPG’s website offers information about events such as webinars and digital symposiums related to problem gambling as well as tips for gambling responsibly and help identifying problematic gambling behavior. The Virginia Lottery offers a voluntary exclusion program for those seeking help who want to ban themselves from betting activity in the state for two or five years.