Virginia Sports Betting – Is Sports Betting Legal in Virginia? Best VA Sportsbooks

Want to bet on sports in Virginia? Sports betting is now legal in Virginia, as are daily fantasy sports and off-track horse betting.

In this guide, we’ll review the 5 best Virginia sports betting sites and explain everything you need to know about sports betting in Virginia.

The Best Virginia Sports Betting Sites List 2021

Here are the 5 best Virginia sports betting online sites for 2021:

1. BetOnline – Best Virginia Sports Betting Online Site Overall 2021
2. MyBookie – Best Sports Betting App Virginia
3. Bovada –  Virginia Sportsbook Best for Bitcoin Promos
4. BetUS – Virginia Sportsbook with Biggest Bonuses
5. XBet – Best New Virginia Sports Betting Site

Best Virginia Sportsbooks Reviewed

Want to learn more about the best Virginia sportsbooks? We’ve put together detailed reviews of our top picks:

1. BetOnline – Best Virginia Sports Betting Online Site Overall 2021

BetOnline is one of the best sports betting Virginia sites around, it is one of longest established sportsbooks, as it was founded in 2001. We can instantly see why this VA sports site is so appealing, you can wager on a huge range of sports, it offers extremely competitive promotions and is known for speedy payouts  – what’s not to like?

The main feature here is the hefty welcome bonus offer, you are able to claim up to a mammoth $1000! If this wasn’t enticing enough, there are also a range of casino, poker and cryptocurrency offers to choose from.

BetOnline also offers a vast choice of sportsbooks market. This covers the main popular sports like baseball, basketball and soccer, to horse racing, tennis, golf and martial arts.

This top Virginia sports betting site also has significant NBA live betting feature, so if you fancy a live in play bet, you can do so without missing a thing. With all things considered, BetOnline is our best recommended site for legal sports betting Virginia.

Pros:

• • Massive welcome bonus – up to $1000!
  • Large range of sports to wager on
  • Prominent and reliable sports betting site
  • Speedy payouts

Cons:

• Doesn’t support PayPal

2. MyBookie – Best Sports Betting App Virginia

MyBookie is another popular sports betting Virginia site popular among bettors. It has an impressive mobile platform and is well established as of the best Virginia sports betting apps available. As well as covering a hefty amount of sports, the bookie also has a great ‘Top Bets’ feature, enabling bettors to get great insights and look at the top betting picks.

With a good mixture of wager options, you can place your bets on all major sports such as the NFL, NCAA, NBA, hockey, motorsports and much more. If this wasn’t enough, you can also bet on international events, as big as the Olympics!

This popular VA sportsbook also offers a generous promo of a 100% deposit match bonus up to $1,000, much like BetOnline. However, if Bitcoin is your preference then we’ve got you covered as there is a great bitcoin promo with a bonus of up to $1000!

Pros:

• Excellent mobile app platform
• Multiple sports and promo offers available
• Supports crypto payments

Cons:

• Small choice of Esports

3. Bovada – Virginia Sportsbook Best for Bitcoin Promos

Bovada is one of the largest sports betting sites around. It too offers all of the popular mainstream sports as well as a good selection of Esports. Bovada has a great HD live streaming service to support live betting, so that you can place in-game wagers in real time.

If you’re looking for a sportsbook that offers a large range of promotions, then Bovada is the one for you. Their offer is a generous $1,000 deposit match bonus for all new bettors, which you can claim now with the Bovada promo code BVD1000. Bovada also offers an immense 75% up to $750 bitcoin bonus, one of the largest around. With the big bitcoin bonuses and fast crypto payouts, Bovada is one of the best bitcoin betting sites available in Virginia right now.

Pros:

• Top bitcoin offers
• Live betting and streaming service
• Comprehensive sports coverage

Cons:

• No bonus available for cash deposits

4. BetUS – Virginia Sportsbook with Biggest Bonuses

BetUS is one of the leading online sports betting Virginia sites, founded in 1994 and supporting over 1 million clients. You can wager on a vast amount of sports, from all of the major sports such as football, basketball, hockey and baseball. To some of the less mainstream sports like Esports, table tennis and motorsports. Something can be found for every bettor at BetUS.

This top VA sports betting site is by far the most generous in its promotions. If you join now with the BetUS promo code JOIN125, you can bag yourself a 125% deposit match bonus – worth up to $3,125! It’s also worth noting that this includes a combined 100% sports bonus and a 25% casino bonus, giving you even more options to bet on anything you like.

Another thing we like about BetUS is their news and analysis sections, you’ll never miss out on breaking Virginia sports betting news or the latest odds when using this VA sportsbook.

Pros:

• Largest offering of promotions and bonuses
• Excellent and responsive customer service
• Latest sports and gambling new and articles

Cons:

• Low Esports coverage

5. XBet – Best New Virginia Sports Betting Site

Last but not least, another top sportsbook worth considering is XBet, one of the most popular new betting sites in Virginia. Their sign up bonus is up to $500 which is lower when compared to others but this sports betting site shouldn’t be overlooked.

XBet offers a tempting refer a friend promotion with unlimited $100 bonuses on offer, on top of that you can claim up to 7% daily cash rebate when you wager on races on qualifying tracks, it’s paid daily too!

The bookie also has an all-new, state of the art betting app, which allows you to place live bets on the go! Making it popular for Virginia mobile sports betting,  XBet is also renowned for it’s customer support, which is available 24/7.

When it comes to payment and withdrawals, there are a good variety of supported methods such as popular cryptocurrencies Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash and Litecoin, as well as credit or debit cards. All of which come with fast payout times!

Pros:

• Unlimited 100% referral bonuses
• Fast payouts and extensive payment options
• Impressive betting app

Cons:

• Smaller sign up bonus than others

Virginia Betting Sites Comparison

To help you decide which Virginia online sports betting platform is right for you, we’ve put together a handy comparison table:

Is Sports Betting Legal in Virginia?

Sports betting was legalized in Virginia in April 2020 and officially launched at the beginning of 2021. Currently, there are 6 online sportsbooks operating in the state, and several more are slated to launch later this year.

While both online and in-person sports betting were legalized, only online sports betting is available in Virginia right now. That’s because casinos were only legalized in the state in 2020 and none have yet been built. It’s expected that casinos slated to open in 5 of Virginia’s biggest cities – Norfolk, Bristol, Richmond, Danville, and Portsmouth – will host retail sportsbooks once they launch.

It’s worth noting that while online sports betting and off-track horse betting are legal in Virginia,  online casino gambling is not. There is currently have no Virginia sports betting legislation that would allow for online gambling in Virginia.

Since so much has changed in the Virginia online sports betting landscape in recent years, let’s review the timeline of recent events:

• June 2018: Virginia legalized historical horse racing machines, which are digital machines that let bettors wager on historical races.
• April 2019: Colonial Downs, Virginia’s only thoroughbred horse racing track, began holding live races again after a 6-year closure.
• March 2020: The Virginia legislature voted to allow casinos in 5 cities that meet criteria for poverty and population loss. Eligible cities would be required to hold a referendum before moving forward with opening casinos.
• April 2020: The Virginia legislature legalized physical and online sports betting in Virginia after the success of historical horse racing in the state became clear.
• November 2020: Voters in Norfolk, Bristol, Danville, and Portsmouth approved casinos in those cities in 4 separate referendums. Casinos are expected to open in 2023.
• January 2021: Legal sports betting in Virginia officially launched, with FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, and BetRivers all opening to VA bettors that month.
• November 2021: Voters in Richmond will vote on whether to allow a casino in the city, which would be Virginia’s 5th under development.

Gambling Tax in Virginia

Winnings from sports betting in Virginia are taxed just like other forms of income. You’ll need to report earnings on both your state and federal taxes, and you’ll pay the ordinary income tax rate – usually 2-5%.

The good news is that you win some bets and lose others, you only have to pay taxes on your net winnings. However, you can’t offset gambling losses against other income to reduce your taxes if you lose money while betting on sports.

What Sports Can You Bet On in Virginia?

Virginia has very few limits on what types of sports you can bet on. You’re free to bet on the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL, plus popular sports like soccer, Aussie rules football, rugby, UFC, MMA, and more.

You can also bet on college sports, although this is one area where there are some restrictions. Virginia doesn’t allow sports betting on Virginia college teams. In addition, live betting on college sports is prohibited, even if you want to bet on teams that are from outside Virginia.

Esports Betting in Virginia

Virginia considers esports betting to be like any other type of sports betting – so you’re free to bet on video game tournaments as long as your sportsbook offers this market. Virginia doesn’t have any requirements that players must be over 18, so all matches are eligible for betting.

Daily Fantasy Sports Betting in Virginia

Virginia was the first state in the country to formally legalize wagering on daily fantasy sports back in 2016.

Today, daily fantasy sports continues to be legal in Virginia and there are several platforms to choose from including:

• Monkey Knife Fight
• Virginia Daily Fantasy

Betting on Horse Racing in Virginia

In-person and off-track betting in Virginia have been legal for decades. However, there wasn’t much opportunity to bet on racing in the state after Colonial Downs, Virginia’s only thoroughbred horse track, closed its doors in 2014.

However, that changed when Virginia legalized historical horse racing machines in 2018. Colonial Downs reopened in 2019 with thousands of the machines and returned to live racing. Today, you can bet on horse racing at Colonial Downs, at off-track betting locations throughout the state, or at online betting sites like TwinSpires or TVG.

Types of Betting Markets

Wondering what types of bets to place in Virginia? The state offers a number of different betting markets. Here, we’ll explain the most popular types:

• Moneyline Bets: A moneyline bet is simply a bet on which team will win. This is the most common type of bet available at sportsbooks in Virginia.

• Prop Bets: Prop bets, or proposition bets, are side bets on things that don’t directly affect a game’s outcome. For example, you could bet on which will be winning at halftime or which player will score the most goals.

• Over/Under Bets: In an over/under bet, the sportsbook sets a number for some in-game metric – like the final score – and bettors decide whether the real metric will come in higher or lower than the prediction. Often, over/under bets are placed on the combined scores of the two teams playing in a match.

• Parlays: Parlays allow you to combine two or more bets, including moneyline, prop, and over/under bets. You can combine bets on the same match or bet on multiple matches. To win a parlay, all of your individual bets must win.

• Futures: Futures bets are simply bets that are placed for a match or event that will occur in the future, rather than on the day the bet is placed. For example, you can wager on what team will win a season championship with a futures bet.

• Correct Score: In a correct score bet, you predict the final score of a match. For your bet to win, you must get each team’s final score correct.

Bonuses at Virginia Sportsbooks

Many of the top Virginia sportsbooks offer welcome bonuses to attract new players. These bonus offers can allow you to make a bigger bet or even place a wager completely risk-free.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the main types of bonuses at Virginia sportsbooks.

Matched Deposits

Sportsbooks offer what’s known as a deposit match welcome bonus. With this type of bonus, the amount of extra cash you receive in your account is tied directly to the amount you deposit.

Take BetRivers’ 100% deposit match as an example. To earn the full $250 bonus, you’ll need to deposit $250.

Free Bets

Another popular type of welcome bonus is a free bet. You’ll find free bets at BetOnline, BetUS and MyBookie worth up to $1,000.

With a free bet, you get to place a bet up to the bonus amount on a match of your choice. If you win the bet, you get to keep the winnings. If you lose the bet, the casino will reimburse you for the wager amount. So, win or lose, you get to wager risk-free.

No Deposit Bonuses

No deposit bonuses are relatively rare, but they’re a great deal when you find them. With this type of sportsbook bonus, you don’t have to deposit any money at all. Just sign up for a betting account, and you’ll receive money that you can use to start wagering right away.

Bonus Terms and Conditions

Of course, sportsbook bonus offers do come with some strings attached. First, you typically have to wager a specific amount of money before you can withdraw your bonus or winnings. Another condition to keep in mind, especially for free bets, is that you may have to bet on a severe underdog. Some free bet offers have a minimum odds requirement, so you can’t bet on a sure thing.

Virginia Sports Betting Sites Bonus Comparison

Deposit & Withdrawal Methods for Virginia Betting

It’s easy to fund your Virginia online sports betting account with a credit card or debit card. All of the sportsbooks we reviewed also accept PayPal.

Most sportsbooks have a minimum deposit of just $10, which is quite low. Be sure to keep an eye on the payout time, which can be up to 5 days after you request a withdrawal.

Virginia Mobile Betting Apps

You can also bet on sports in Virginia with your smartphone. All of the best Virginia sportsbooks offer mobile apps for iOS and Android so you can bet on the go. You’ll find the same range of sports to bet on and the same odds, plus a mobile-optimized interface that makes it easy to add wagers to your bet slip.

If you’re looking for the best mobile betting apps in Virginia, we recommend the Xbet and MyBookie apps.

Live Betting & Streaming in Virginia

You can also place bets on games that are already underway with the top Virginia sportsbooks. All of the online betting sites we reviewed offer in-game betting. Odds are updated in real-time as a match unfolds, so you can place a series of prop bets or even a moneyline bet throughout the game.

On top of that, the best VA sportsbooks offer live streaming for bettors. So, you can watch your favorite game in high definition online or from your smartphone.

How to Compare Virginia Sportsbooks

Wondering how to choose which Virginia sportsbook is right for you? We’ll cover the most important factors you should consider.

Range of markets

The first thing to look at when choosing the best Virginia sportsbooks is what sports they let you bet on. Almost every VA sportsbook lets you bet on the major US sports leagues like the NFL and NBA. But if you want to bet on less common sports like cricket, cycling, or volleyball, you’ll need to choose a sportsbook like Bovada that specifically carries these markets.

Bonuses

Welcome bonuses can help you jump head-first into sports betting while limiting your risk. MyBookie offers deposit match bonuses, while the other sportsbooks we reviewed offer free bets. Neither is necessarily better than the other, but be sure to think about what you want to bet on and what restrictions the welcome bonus comes with.

Payment methods

It’s also worth looking at what types of payment methods you can use to fund your wagers. All Virginia sports betting sites let you pay with a credit card, debit card, or PayPal.

Live betting & streaming

If you want to watch the games you’re betting on live from your computer or smartphone, be sure to choose a sportsbook that offers HD streaming. This is available for all of the sports betting sites we covered.

It’s also nice to have the option to bet live on games while they’re in progress. Live betting is available at all of the Virginia sports betting sites we reviewed.

Licensing & security 

To operate legally in Virginia, all online sportsbooks must be registered with the state’s gaming commission and hold a license. Be sure to check that a sportsbook is licensed, since you want to ensure you’re wagering with a regulated site.

Security is also important since you’ll have money deposited in your account. All of the sportsbooks we reviewed use encryption to protect your account, plus offer behind-the-scenes security measures to detect unauthorized access.

Sportsbooks at Virginia Casinos

There are currently no physical sportsbooks at Virginia casinos because there aren’t any physical casinos in the state just yet. 4 cities have approved plans to build casinos, and Richmond is holding a referendum on the topic this fall. Once the casinos are built, you can expect sportsbooks in the following cities:

• Bristol (Hard Rock Hotel and Casino)
• Danville (Caesars Casino)
• Norfolk (HeadWaters Resort & Casino)
• Portsmouth (Rivers Casino)

Conclusion

Sports betting has taken off in Virginia since it first launched earlier this year. There are now over a dozen Virginia sports betting sites and physical sportsbooks are on the way.

Ready to start betting on sports in Virginia? Sign up with BetOnline to claim your $1000 welcome bonus and place your first wager today!

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