Best Virginia Sports Betting Sites in 2026

Written by: Richard Janvrin |✅Fact Checked and Updated March 2024 by: Michael Savio

Online sports betting has been a massive hit in the United States since the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was overturned in May 2018. Since then, over 30 states have legalized some form of sports betting, whether online or in person.

One of those states is Virginia. They were a new addition to the fold in early 2021 as a mobile-only state. Now, there are a couple of retail betting sites.

Here, our US Legal Sports Betting experts will fill you in on all Virginia sports betting, including the legality, ranking of the live sportsbooks, the money the state has generated, and much more.

Is Sports Betting Legal In Virginia?

Yes. Sports betting has been legal since early 2020 but didn’t launch until 2021. In March 2020, the Virginia General Assembly and Senate passed two bills—HB 896 and SB 384. From there, Governor Ralph Northam considered them but sent them back with amended versions, which were then approved.

The application window for sportsbooks coming to the state opened in October 2020.

Finally, on January 21, 2021, sports betting launched. The first site to launch was FanDuel, and over the next week, three more sites launched.

1. DraftKings Virginia - Top Choice for Wagering on VA Sports Teams
2. FanDuel Sportsbook  Virginia - Premier Choice for VA DFS Betting
3. BetMGM Sportsbook  Virginia  - The Top VA Sports Betting App
4. Caesars Sportsbook Virginia - Top-Tier VA Odds and Odds Boosts
5. Fanatics Virginia - Most Unique Rewards Program
6. BetRivers Sportsbook Virginia  - Leading Louisiana Rewards Program
7. Bet365 Sportsbook Virginia - Enticing VA Welcome Bonus
8. ESPN BET Sportsbook  Virginia  - Highly Anticipated VA Rebrand
9. SuperBook Sports Virginia  - Excellent User Interface in VA
10. Betfred Sportsbook Virginia  - Best Weekly Welcome Bonus in MD
11. Betr Sportsbook Virginia  - Fascinating VA Micro Betting Platform
12. SI Sportsbook Virginia  - Legendary Outlet Lands In VA
13. Bally Bet Sportsbook VA - Excellent VA Customer Support
14. Betway Sportsbook VA - Accessible VA Bonus Bet Offer

Right now, there are 16 online sportsbooks that are live in Virginia. Below, we have reviews, information on the Virginia sports betting promos, and more for each of the best Virginia sportsbooks.

After looking over the 16 sites above, below are the most common bonuses. And yes, more are being added all the time. 

• Bonus Bets: Getting bonus bets can be accomplished through various means, such as "bet and get" promotions, deposit bonuses, or getting them after a wager ends in a loss. When you place a bet using Bonus Bets, any winnings from the stake are yours to keep, but the actual Bonus Bet amount is not included in your payout.
• Deposit Bonus: A Deposit Bonus involves receiving a percentage-based match when you deposit funds to your betting account. A popular example is getting a 100% match up to $1,000.
• Loyalty Programs: Loyalty Programs provide players extra incentives for continued wagering. Through these programs, you can earn points or a similar currency that can be redeemed for various perks and benefits.
• Odds Boosts: Odds Boosts involve an online sportsbook artificially enhancing the odds of a game or a combination of events to make them more enticing.

Find the latest Virginia online sports betting news below:

📰 June 6, 2026: FanDuel Sportsbook maintains stronghold over Virginia online sports betting market.

📰 January 19, 2026: A new bill that would legalize betting on in-state college teams is introduced.

📰 December 4, 2023: Sports betting handle hits $520 million, a 63% increase from August.

📰 November 2, 2023: Penn Entertainment announces Barstool will become ESPN Bet on November 14.

📰 October 20, 2023: SuperBook launches in Virginia.

📰 October 18, 2023: Overturned injunction that banned skill-based games.

📰 September 27, 2023: Bally Bet goes live.

Below is a timeline of events on how we got to where we are today with VA sports betting. 

May 2018: PASPA is overturned.

• 2019: Sports betting was discussed along with online casinos. However, there wasn’t enough support.
• 2020: HB 896 and SB 384 pass through the necessary channels, and the Governor signed them into law. Rules and regulations, along with applications, are decided on late in the year.
• 2021: Online betting launches on January 21.
• 2022: Lawmakers vote down bills that involve wagering on in-state college teams.
• 2023: Allowing a casino within Richmond is back on the ballot; it will be voted on in November 2023.

When it comes to sports betting, each state is different. Below are some of the unique provisions in their betting laws. 

• Operators on a sliding scale for a three-year license. 
• The tax rate is 15%
• Official league data is mandatory.
• Real-time data is mandatory.
• Cannot wager on in-state teams.

The Virginia Lottery regulates sports betting in Virginia.

Below are the sports betting handle figures VA sees each month.

While sports betting launched in Virgina back in January 2021, there are always new bettors coming on board. Below, we’ll touch on the process for how to get started. 

1. Pick a Site: Explore our reviews to identify the sportsbooks that align with your preferences. Keep an eye on the enticing welcome bonuses they offer.
2. Create an Account: Once you've decided on the sportsbooks that interest you, visit their site or download the Virginia betting apps you’re interested in. Next, create an account, making sure to apply any required promo codes to activate your chosen welcome bonus.
3. Welcome Bonus: With your account created, it's time to claim your welcome bonus. Depending on the specific offer, you may need to deposit, place a wager, or complete other terms and conditions.
4. Add Funds: Whether you take advantage of the welcome bonus, you must have funds to play. A link to this is usually found in the upper right of the page.
5. Start Wagering: Now that your account is funded, return to the homepage and explore the available sports and games. Add your chosen games to your betting slip, and await the results.
6. Withdraw Your Winnings: Look for a cashier page or a similar option to initiate the withdrawal of your winnings. Choose the method you wish to use, request a withdrawal, and receive your winnings.

Yes. All 16 sportsbooks in Virginia come with a mobile app. There are few places to bet on sports in-person and VA is considered a mobile-first state. 

How Do I Use A VA Sportsbook Mobile App?

Registration

Depending on your device (iOS or Android), visit the respective mobile app store and search for the online sportsbook of your choice. Download the Virginia sports betting apps, open it, and create an account. During this step, provide a promo code and add all required personal information.

Depositing Funds

Once your account is created, you'll find a link, often in the upper right corner, to deposit funds. Go here to see the payment methods offered by the sportsbook. Choose the method and complete the process.

Placing Bets

After successfully depositing funds, navigate to the homepage within the app. Here, you can peruse the sports and games available for betting. Select the games you're interested in and add them to your betslip. When placing a wager, add it to your bet slip, input the amount you want to wager, and wait for the results.

Football

NFL

Regarding sports betting betting in VA, every platform is an NFL betting site, even though there aren’t any professional teams in the state. It’s still a heavily-wagered-on sport. All  betting sites will have opportunities available before, during, and after the season. 

Super Bowl

When February rolls around, expect each platform to battle to become the best betting site for the Super Bowl, as it attracts a lot of new bettors.

NCAA Football

Virginia is home to solid NCAA football betting sites, but since you cannot wager on in-state teams, you won’t get those VA-team-specific offers—still, plenty of games to wager on throughout the year that aren’t VA-based.

Basketball

NBA

Betting on the NBA is available in VA, but there aren’t any professional teams. You’ll be able to bet on the regular season, numerous futures, props, and yes, betting on the NBA Finals is, of course, available.

NCAA Basketball

Once again, these would be great NCAA basketball betting sites, but you can wager on non-VA teams.

March Madness

March Madness betting sites in the state will offer odds on the games, and some will even provide bracket-based game modes.

Baseball

MLB

With a season as long as baseball at 162 games, these platforms can’t help but become MLB betting sites, especially in that time between the NBA season ending and the new NFL season starting. Betting on the World Series is always available, too, and is strongly encouraged as new bonuses become available.

Hockey

NHL

Betting on the NHL is available in VA, but again, there are no pro teams here. In addition to the regular season and futures bets, the Stanley Cup Finals round out the year. When betting on the Stanley Cup, you’ll find unique offers like the World Series.

Golf

None of the sites here stand out as the best of the golf betting sites, but you’ll still be able to wager on major tournaments throughout the year, including the PGA Championship.

NASCAR Auto Racing

With NASCAR betting, you can bet on the winners of the race, top finishers, props, and more.

Boxing

When major events happen, especially those involving Jake Paul or Tyson Fury, all betting platforms in VA will compete to be the best of the boxing betting sites as these events also draw new potential bettors.

MMA

At the top MMA betting sites in VA, you’ll find numerous ways to bet, including the winner, how the fight ends, props, and more. Now, if you’re looking for the best  UFC betting sites instead of MMA in general, DraftKings has several props available for each fight.

Horse Betting

Horse betting is available in VA. However, it wasn’t legal from 1897-1997.

Soccer

In terms of soccer betting sites, look no further than FanDuel, where there can be 80,000 or more betting options available.

Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS)

Daily Fantasy Sports are available in VA. These include building lineups or prop-based challenges.

Tennis

When wagering on Tennis you can bet on the winner of tournaments and such, but there are plenty of micro-betting opportunities, too, for live betting.

College Sports Betting in Virginia

Regarding Virginia legal sports betting, you cannot bet on VA-based teams or player props in the state.

Prohibited Sports Betting in Virginia

You cannot bet on high school sports or politics in VA.

Professional Sports Teams in Virginia

There are no professional sports teams in Virginia.

College Sports Teams in Virginia

While there are college programs throughout Virginia, you cannot bet on them.

Yes. DFS became legal in VA in 2016.

Yes. Horse race betting is legal in VA. There are live racing tracks at Colonial Downs and Shenandoah Downs.

• Hard Rock Bristol: Located in Bristol, Hard Rock became the first-ever retail sportsbook in the state. It opened in July 2022.
• Rivers Casino Portsmouth: Another retail site opened in January 2023. On-site, there are over 1,000 slots, 50 table games, and a BetRivers Virginia Sportsbook site.

There are three legal sports betting states near Virginia.

Maryland Sports Betting

Maryland sports betting took some time to come around on online betting but eventually came to be in late November 2022—the first retail site owned in late 2021. You can bet on in-state college teams in MD.

North Carolina Sports Betting

North Carolina sports betting is in for an exciting time as online betting is legal and will launch in early 2026. Those in the state can expect up to 11 sportsbooks at launch. Some expected ones include DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars, BetMGM, and the newly minted ESPN Bet.

West Virginia Sports Betting

West Virginia sports betting was early to the market. Laws for it passed in March 2018, before PASPA was overturned, and the first online platforms launched in August 2019.

No. Online casinos aren’t available in Virginia, but you can visit retail casinos to play your favorite games. With that, though, this could signal that Virginia casino gambling online is in the cards for the future.

After graduating from the University of New Hampshire with a BA in Journalism, Richard Janvrin has been covering iGaming and sports betting since December 2018. His first freelance writing opportunity was with Gambling.com. Since then, Richard has covered sports and iGaming for notable outlets such as Bleacher Report, Forbes.