Virginia Sports Betting - How To Gamble On Sports Legally In VA
The only state licensed gambling options available in the state of Virginia is through their only racetrack, Colonial Downs, hence you will not find any state sanctioned bookmaking services available. However, there are still options that VA residents can take advantage of for legal sports betting entertainment without having to drive to Las Vegas.
This guide will present you with helpful information concerning the legal status of betting on sports in Virginia, as well as where to find licensed, reputable destinations which accept residents from the Old Dominion state. Though the state is not home to any professional sports teams, there are a few strong college athletic programs that provide some great action for the state's sports fans. Football fans will want to check out our section about betting on Virginia football teams for insight and access to industry leading betting options.
Best Online Sportsbook For Virginia Players For January, 2025
Bovada Sportsbook
Bovada is undeniably our premium and most recommended sports betting site for players in Virginia. They are licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission out of Canada, and offer new players a nice 50% match bonus up to $250 on your first deposit. They cater to USA sports bettors exclusively, so they are in tune with what US players, including those in Virginia, are looking for in a high quality sports betting experience.
Top Rated Online Virginia Sports Betting Sites For 2025
| Site Name | Bonus | USA | 5 Star Rating | Play Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bovada Sportsbook | 50% Max $250 | Yes | 4.8 | Visit Site |
| Betonline Sportsbook | 50% Max $1,000 | Yes | 4.4 | Visit Site |
| Bookmaker | 50% Max $500 | Yes | 4.4 | Visit Site |
| SB SPortsbook | 50% Max $1,000 | Yes | 4.3 | Visit Site |
Is Sports Betting Legal in Virginia As Of 2025?
The laws and statutes in Virginia do not address sports betting or online gambling. The reason many states don't bother dealing with sports betting in their criminal code is because there are already two US federal laws that govern sports betting in the US, and that are enforced as the law of the land. These US laws include the Federal Wire Act which outlaws online sports betting, and the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which has banned sports betting everywhere in the US with the exception of Delaware, Montana, Nevada and Oregon.
Between these two laws, there is no chance for the US based sportsbook industry to expand. The good news is that there are no provisions in these two laws that prohibit US players from visiting and participating at legally licensed and regulated sportsbooks that are located outside of the United States, leaving multiple legal destinations for Virginia residents to engage in sports gambling. As long as you limit your betting only to these types of betting sites that are operating legitimately within the industry, you will not be in violation of state or federal laws and will not have to worry about getting into any legal trouble. You can review state laws concerning gambling at the Virginia state legislature website.
What is the Legal Gambling Age in Virginia?
Players must be at least 21 years old to legally participate in any type of gambling in the state. This includes participating in any type of offshore online gambling as well. Anyone who attempts to engage in sports betting prior to their 21st birthday will be breaking the law and will be subject to criminal prosecution for an offense that is punishable by law. This punishment can include loss of all winnings and funds associated with your underage gambling session. It really is not worth the risk.
What Types of Sports Events and Betting Lines Are Available at Legal Virginia Sportsbooks?
Any of the brands you see represented in this guide will have a wide range of betting lines that cover all the popular mainstream sports categories, as well as some of the less popular venues as well. This is one of the many requirements that must be met for inclusion in our guide. You will find lines for football, including NFL, NCAAF, and European leagues, as well as NBA and NCAA basketball, MLB and NCAA baseball. Additional popular lines include hockey, soccer, boxing, MMA, NASCAR and other motor sports, tennis, and golf.
For less popular categories, you'll find rugby, darts, cricket, cycling, swimming, and other sports that are considered a bit more off the beaten path. Wagering options are available from the simple to the complex, and cover options such as totals, futures, moneyline, over/under bets, if bets, proposition bets, pleasers, teasers and player and team props. There are savvy features like live in play betting, live streaming and mobile sportsbook applications. The online platform for sports betting provides far more options than most brick and mortar bookmakers, even those in Vegas.
Popular Betting Trends for Virginia (DC) Teams
The Washington Wizards
The state of Virginia does actually have a couple of decent D1 collegiate programs with the Virginia Cavaliers and the Virginia Tech Hokies. However, DC's pro sports teams are ultimately better, and a lot more fun to bet on. So, instead of going through the collegiate rankings, let's instead borrow two of DC's teams to speak about here, the Wizards and the 'Skins. Let's start with the Wizards.
After picking up Paul Pierce last season to complement John Wall, Bradley Beal and Nene Hilario, the Wizards had a good season and made it to the second round of the playoffs. They were beaten in tragic fashion, but that's not even the half of it. What mattered more, at least to gamblers, was that Washington was 40-49-3 ATS (against the spread) last season. They didn't have many positive categories, and they were a very iffy team all year.
The Wizards weren't a smart bet last year. Does any of that change this year upcoming? We predict that things will get about six points better, bringing the Wizards to about 50% ATS. However, this still isn't good enough to draw your bets. You shouldn't waste your money betting on the Wizards. Find a stronger, stabler team to go with.
The Washington Redskins
The Washington team in the NFL is about as unstable as their name's popularity. We certainly don't mean to offend anyone here, but we're going to call them the Redskins. Until which time the name changes, we feel using it is the best way to go. Though we don't recommend that anyone bet on them. The Redskins are pretty terrible right now. They benched RGIII for Kurt Cousins. Alfred Morris is looking very old yet is still a young player. They can't keep a healthy defense. And they don't have much of a gameplan because Gruden is too busy finding players rather than training the ones he has.
The 'Skins were 5-11 last year ATS, which is horrible for an NFL team. Their overall best category was going 2-2 after a win, which is still only 50%. If you bet on the Redskins, you were either a fan or didn't follow closely enough the goings-on in the NFL. They're a dysfunctional team that doesn't have a lot of talent.
Does any of this change this season with Cousins providing some stability at the starting QB position? Unfortunately, no. They couldn't even cover against a mediocre team like the Miami Dolphins, and their schedule only gets tougher from there. We look for the Redskins to be about 5-11 ATS again, and for changes to hit the team big in the off-season, when their owner gets to firing everyone.