Who is this article suitable for? - All fans of sports betting Virginia!
Strafe.com provides up-to-date and in-depth reviews of all the online sports betting operators legal in Virginia you need to know about. We cover everything Virginia sports betting has to offer, including our top recommendation for the best Virginia sportsbooks and making sports betting legal in Virginia.
So, no matter whether you’re a newcomer to the world of sports betting in the Old Dominion State or if you’re a wagering expert — there will always be useful information, tips, and fantastic reviews waiting about existing and new operators in Virginia on our platform.
Strafe.com’s team of experts provides the most recent and reliable reviews on all your favorite sportsbooks in Virginia, and if there’s anything new on the US gambling sites horizon you need to know about, you’ll hear it from us first.
The unique legal history of sports betting Virginia - Is sports betting legal in Virginia? It is now!
An interesting fact about the State of Virginia is that it is one of less than a dozen states that currently do not have state-sanctioned or tribal casinos. But, where did the fun begin? Virginia is one of the US states that started off as quite conservative when it comes to gambling but made a mind-blowing shift by rapidly changing into one of the US states with a more progressive outlook on sports betting and gambling overall.
Just speculating here, but this sudden change of perspective might have something to do with some good old-fashioned peer pressure from neighboring states like West Virginia that was already in the process of legalizing online gambling and sports betting. Theres’ nothing wrong with a bit of healthy competition if you ask us.
This change in attitude was made official in March 2020 when making sports betting legal in the State of Virginia became a reality. The new operations went live only a few months later in January 2021.
Virginia’s sports booking market leans on online and app-based sportsbooks, which ultimately counts in the state’s favor as this method of sports betting is becoming more and more popular throughout the entire United States. Here is a nice chronological breakdown of events in Virginia that led to the legalization of online sports betting:
- 1987: The state lottery was legalized in Virginia. Profits were to be given only to the State of Virginia’s education.
- 1988: The Virginia Lottery sells its first tickets.
- 1989: The Virginia Racing Commission (VRC) is created to steer all pari-mutuel betting on races that were held outside of Virginia.
- 1997: Colonial Downs, which is Virginia’s first race track, is officially open and it remains the Dominion State’s only horse racing venue.
- 2003: The Virginia Racing Commission is awarded the responsibility of managing all off-track betting facilities.
- 2004: Horse tracks bring about betting kiosks. The machines in these betting kiosks are called EZ Betting terminals.
- 2020: The Senate and Virginia General Assembly passed SB 384 and HB 896, making sports betting legal in Virginia.
- 2021: Making sports betting legal in Virginia means online sports betting in the state of Virginia is officially live.
The state lottery and pari-mutuel betting on horse racing have, for the most part, been the only gambling options in the state for a long time. Before 2020, sports betting has always been illegal in the Old Dominion State.
Making online sports betting legal in Virginia means that Virginians can have their sports betting platforms on their mobile phones and take them along wherever they go.
How things have changed!
Editor’s recommendation - The best Virginia sportsbooks for sports betting fans. You’re gonna love it!
When we were looking for our recommendation of the best betting sites for users in Virginia, we decided to look for a solid operator that performs well in all aspects related to sports betting providers instead of recommending one that has one fantastic perk but not much else to offer. We narrowed down our list to DraftKings, a sportsbook that just seems to have something of everything for everyone — and everything is of a very high standard.
When it comes to DraftKings’ betting market, you can expect an incredibly wide range of options — if there’s a sport you prefer, chances are DraftKings offer wagering opportunities on it. The betting options themselves are also impressive, and there’s lots of bets to choose from once you get into the DraftKings groove.
Not only does DraftKings Virginia offer its customers great promotions and other unique wagering opportunities like lucrative bonus deals, custom wagering contests, sportsbook pools, and a wide range of cashout options, which is mostly a rare occurrence among operators, it also has a fantastic app tailored to all states the sports betting app is legal in that is available on iOS and Android operating systems for your convenience.
The DraftKings app is of top quality, and we can confidently say that it is one of the best sports betting apps you’ll find here and while online gambling in Virginia. This operator makes sports betting legal in Virginia totally worth it.
Is sports betting legal in Virginia? - Five tips for a secure and fair gambling experience at the best Virginia sportsbooks
Check the licensing of the operator
One of the most common questions people ask is “is sports betting legal in Virginia?” If a sports betting operator is not licensed and regulated by authorities established by the State of Virginia, this is a surefire sign that you need to stay away. You can also rest assured that Strafe.com will never review or recommend operators that are not licensed or obey State law.
Operators usually publish their licensing information at the bottom of the page with all of its other details, important links, and partner companies. If in doubt, that’s the first place you can look. Otherwise, you can check out our site or you can do a quick Google search. What you’re essentially looking for is The Virginia Lottery as this body regulates all gambling activity in the state.
Read Strafe.com’s sportsbook reviews about the best betting sites Virginia
If you’re looking for comprehensive reviews conducted by sports-betting veterans, you’re in the right place. Strafe.com provides its readers with only the freshest, most up-to-date, and frank information about online Virginia sports betting so you can make smart choices and have fun while betting on your favorite sports at a quality operator.
You can use Strafe.com’s reviews to find out which operators have the best odds, offer the sports you like to bet on, and offer the most lucrative promotions and bonuses. Best of all, every time there’s new information, about sports betting or specific operators, you’ll find it right here.
Check out the site’s customer service and contact details
Don’t you think a site that offers a service but doesn’t have any contact details listed or a clear customer support option is a bit dodgy? We definitely do. If these details or services are not on the site, the first thing that crosses our minds is that someone doesn’t want it to be there.
It’s important that you can contact management or at least customer support and that the site has legitimate contact details.
Look for site encryption status
There’s an easy way to find out whether your connection with the operator’s site is secure, and that’s looking for the SSL encryption icon in the address bar. If there is a padlock icon in front of the URL, you’ll know that the site is secure and you needn’t worry about security. You can also check if the URL starts with “https://,” which indicates that the SSL or Secure Socket Layer encryption technology is in place.
As a rule of thumb, never visit sites that do not offer this layer of protection, especially not a gambling operator.
See what other customers have to say
There are two sides to customer reviews, which is why they are not necessarily our top recommendation for legitimate information about an operator. For example, looking at only the star rating can be misleading because irate customers often tend to give one star before their issue has been resolved.
However, there are some valuable insights you can get from customer reviews if you read not only one, but quite a few. The most prominent issues will have formed a pattern in the review subjects, which you’ll be able to identify when reading them. Looking at customer reviews has its perks, but we recommend consulting a professional review for the most accurate information. Doing both is also a good idea.
What do we look for when evaluating sports betting operators for Virginia residents? Quite a few things, actually.
Licensing and Regulation
Licensing and regulation are one of our top priorities when reviewing online Virginia sports betting operators. If these are not in place and credible, then we will not recommend any part of the operator’s services.
As aforementioned, all gambling operators, whether land-based or online, needs to be registered with the Virginia Lottery. This regulatory body does a multi-task by providing licensing, regulation, auditing, and compliance for not only online sports betting operators, but also equipment manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and the operators’ employees.
Offering customers promotions and signup bonus deals show that an online sports betting operator in Virginia wants to attract new customers but, more importantly, has its customers in mind and wants to provide an entertaining sports betting experience.
This is the main reason why bonus deals and promotions are an important part of our operator reviews. We not only look at how lucrative the offer appears to be but also test it out to see whether it’s only smoke and mirrors or whether it’s actually feasible and a good option for a customer.
Market depth and odds
Who wants to sign up at a sportsbook that has unreasonable odds and a shallow betting market? We cater for a wide audience of sports bettors and anyone new who wants to give it a try. Thus, good quality market depth is generally a sign of quality when it comes to Virginia sports betting operators. Niche sports are always a plus.
The same goes for odds. If the odds are not mind-blowing, they should at least be on par with those of other major sportsbooks in Virginia.
Customer support quality
Quality customer support in any service provider is crucial to ensure that customers’ queries are resolved quickly and effectively. We do a comprehensive check on customer service support on all sports betting operators we review in Virginia to make sure that you’ll never be stuck when you have a withdrawal issue or any other type of query.
The best VA online betting sites
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Finding the right operator for you — Great tips for finding your match
What’s your betting style?
Do you love props or are you more of a totals kind of person? On the other hand, you may love parlay-style bets more, and it’s most likely you’ll be looking for an operator that offers the betting styles you like most.
If you like something of everything, then the bigger the variety, the better. Our reviews provide all this information for you.
Do you like betting on specific sports?
When it comes to market depth, not all online sports betting operators in Virginia are equal, especially if you’re into niche sports betting. This is also definitely a point to consider when looking for your ideal sportsbook in Virginia.
Do you want services like live betting or streaming?
Live betting and live streaming are still only available at some sports betting operators in Virginia, but both are hugely popular. If it’s your thing, be on the lookout for these features — we’ll always cover this in our Virginia sportsbook reviews.
What’s your preferred payment method?
Do you swear by PayPal or do you prefer the good old wire transfer? With online sports betting operators in Virginia, you’ll find that the available deposit methods may differ from the available withdrawal methods, so if you have specific payment methods in mind, it’s crucial to check this out.
Are you looking for a loyalty program or VIP experience?
If you’re looking for these perks, then you may have to cross several options off your list. However, make sure to choose an online sportsbook in Virginia that has all the perks you want so you can just sit back and enjoy the experience.
Conclusion - Find the best Virginia sportsbooks with Strafe!
By now, you should have a pretty good idea of just how thorough Strafe.com approaches their reviews about Virginia sports betting. If you’re new to online sports betting and you want to give it a go, we recommend you try out our top-rated sportsbook in Virginia — DraftKings.
However, as we’ve also provided some nifty tips on how you can find the best operator for you, you can dig into our collection of updated and in-depth online sports betting operator reviews of Virginian sportsbooks and use your newly-found wisdom along with our expertise to find the best operator for you.
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Best Virginia Sportsbooks FAQ
👌How do I know that a sports betting operator in Virginia is legit?
The State of Virginia put in place rules and regulations that all online sports betting operators that want to operate in this state need to follow and adhere to in order to have legal status and run a legitimate business. These rules and regulations were established because sports betting legal in Virginia required it. In our Strafe.com breakdown on sports betting in Virginia, we explain exactly what to look for if you want to know whether an online sports betting operator in the State of Virginia is legit, so make sure to take a look at our expert advice.
❔What should I look for in a sports betting operator when choosing one for me?
Every individual, whether they are an experienced sports bettor or a newcomer to sports betting and eager to learn, have individual preferences. Online sports betting operators in the State of Virginia don’t all have exactly the same services or perks on offer, so it depends on what you want or need from a sportsbook. We’ve put together a guide containing all the main points you need to consider when looking for your ideal sports betting operator in Virginia, so take a look at Strafe.com’s page.
🔍How does Strafe.com review sportsbooks in Virginia?
Our reviewing experts at Strafe.com conduct a very detailed review of online sport betting sites in Virginia to establish which are the best Virginia sportsbooks. This process includes several main points, and we tell you all about these points in our Strafe.com article. To get a better idea of how we do our reviews and get peace of mind that you’ll only find quality information on Strafe.com, make sure to take a look at our discussion about the review process.
