Virginia Sports Betting – Is Sports Betting Legal In Virginia?

Virginia has several online sportsbooks operating in the state:

• DraftKings Sportsbook: DraftKings is a high-end sportsbook with an extensive menu of prop bets and futures. Its Parlay Builder tool makes combining wagers easy.
• FanDuel Sportsbook: FanDuel is one of the most well-known online sportsbooks in the country and rivals DraftKings in popularity. Its intuitive interface makes finding and placing bets easy.
• BetMGM Sportsbook: “The King of Sportsbooks” lives up to the hype. With its odds boosts, easy-to-build parlays and extensive betting markets, it will satisfy sports bettors.
• Caesars Sportsbook: Caesars stands out with its plentiful odds boosts alone, offering dozens to explore every day. It also makes live betting convenient with its “FireBets” feature.
• ESPN BET: ESPN BET debuted in 2023 and features partnerships with ESPN personalities. It offers exclusive daily odds boosts and often rewards existing users with deposit matches and other bonuses.
• Fanatics Sportsbook: Fanatics launched in 2023 after merging with PointsBet and provides a modern sports betting experience. It tailors the home page based on your betting history and features the industry’s best rewards program, providing FanCash for every bet.
• Bet365 Sportsbook: Based in the U.K., Bet365 is considered one of the best sportsbooks in the world. It features numerous betting markets and gives new customers the choice between two welcome offers.
• BetRivers Sportsbook: BetRivers covers the basics and provides more of a local feel compared to big-name sportsbooks. Its welcome offer varies by state.
• Bally Bet Sportsbook: Bally Bet boasts a smooth, clutter-free interface along with a unique social feature that makes it easy to share bets.
• Hard Rock Bet: Simple and easy to use, Hard Rock operates Virginia’s lone retail sportsbook in Bristol.
• Betr Sportsbook: The world’s first micro-betting app, Betr allows users to wager on every moment of a game.

The legal sports betting age in Virginia is 21, which is true for most states with legal sports betting. If you’re under 21 and try to sign up for a sportsbook in Virginia, you won’t be allowed to register.

Sportsbooks confirm your age when you sign up by verifying your identity with your Social Security Number along with your date of birth.

That age limit applies to in-person gambling as well, so you need to be 21 or older to bet at Virginia’s retail sportsbook.

Virginia doesn’t have any major professional sports teams, making it the most populous state in the country without one. That said, the Washington Commanders (NFL) and Washington Capitals (NHL) both have their practice facilities in northern Virginia.

The state has multiple non-professional teams in various sports, including baseball, hockey and soccer.

Fortunately, Virginians have several Division I college programs to root for.

With its abundance of colleges and universities, Virginia has several notable Division I teams. However, Virginia prohibits betting on in-state teams such as UVA and VCU. It also restricts betting on NCAA athletes, so college player props are not allowed.

• George Mason University Patriots

The Patriots are a Division I team in the Atlantic 10 Conference that plays at George Mason University in Fairfax. Their mascot is The Patriot and their colors are green and gold.

George Mason doesn’t have an official school-sponsored football team, only offering football at the club level. It’s long been a basketball school, however, moving up from Division II to Division I during the 1978-79 season.

The Patriots have made six NCAA Tournament appearances, most recently in 2011. They advanced to the Final Four in 2006 before losing to eventual champion Florida. GMU has also made four NIT Tournament appearances.

• James Madison University Dukes

The Dukes are a Division I team in the Sun Belt Conference that plays at James Madison University in Harrisonburg. Their mascot is Duke Dog and their colors are purple and gold.

JMU has won five national championships, including two in football. The Dukes won FCS national titles in 2004 and 2016 before moving to the FBS in 2022.

James Madison has had success on the court as well, recently reaching the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament after upsetting Wisconsin. The men’s program has made six NCAA Tournament appearances.

In 1983, the Dukes became the first team from Virginia to reach the College World Series.

• Liberty Flames

The Flames are a Division I team in Conference USA that plays at Liberty University in Lynchburg. Their mascot is Sparky and their colors are red, white and blue.

The second-youngest Division I school, Liberty was founded in 1971 and has won three conference championships. The Flames won the Big South in back-to-back seasons in 2007 and 2008 in the FCS before winning their first FBS conference title in 2023, ultimately losing to Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl.

On the hardwood, Liberty has made five NCAA Tournament appearances, most recently in 2021. The Flames are 1-5 in those appearances, however, with their lone win coming in 2019. They’ve also made one NIT appearance and three CIT appearances.

• Old Dominion University Monarchs

The Monarchs are a Division I team in the Sun Belt Conference that plays at Old Dominion University in Norfolk. Their mascot is Big Blue and their colors are blue, silver and light blue.

Old Dominion has won 28 national championships across all sports. The school went nearly 70 years without a football team before bringing it back in 2009, enjoying immediate popularity and success.

The men’s basketball team has made 12 NCAA Tournament appearances since joining Division I, most recently in 2019. The Monarchs have reached the Round of 32 three times but have not advanced further than that.

• University of Richmond Spiders

The Spiders are a Division I team in the Atlantic 10 Conference that plays at the University of Richmond in Richmond. Their mascot is WebstUR the Spider and their colors are blue and red.

Richmond’s football team won the FCS National Championship in 2008 and has claimed 13 conference titles. The Spiders have played in two bowl games, winning the Tangerine Bowl in 1968 and losing it in 1971.

On the court, Richmond’s men’s basketball team has made 10 NCAA Tournament appearances, most recently in 2022. The Spiders have advanced to the Sweet 16 twice but are still searching for their first title.

• Virginia Commonwealth University Rams

The Rams are a Division I team in the Atlantic 10 Conference that plays at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. Their mascot is Rodney the Ram and their colors are black and gold.

VCU does not have a football team but has flourished on the basketball court, making 19 NCAA Tournament appearances. The Rams made it all the way to the Final Four in 2011 – the only time they’ve advanced past the Round of 32.

• Virginia Tech Hokies

The Hokies are a Division I team in the ACC that plays at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. Their mascot is the HokieBird and their colors are maroon and orange.

Virginia Tech’s football team plays at Lane Stadium, which is considered one of the loudest college stadiums in the country. The Hokies have had a lot of success on the gridiron, making 27 straight bowl appearances from 1993 to 2019 and appearing in the 2000 BCS National Championship Game.

VT has enjoyed its share of triumphs on the court as well, making 13 NCAA Tournament appearances. The Hokies made it to the Elite Eight in 1967 and reached the Sweet 16 in 2019. They were also ACC champions in 2022.

• University of Virginia Cavaliers

The Cavaliers are a Division I team in the ACC that plays at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Their mascot is the Cavalier and their colors are orange and blue.

The Cavaliers began playing football in 1888 and were the South’s first dominant football program, enjoying 28 straight winning seasons and winning 12 Southern championships. UVA has appeared in 21 bowl games, winning eight.

While the football program hasn’t been quite as successful recently, the men’s basketball program has picked up the slack. The Cavaliers won the National Championship in 2019 and are perennial threats in the NCAA Tournament, receiving seven No. 1 seeds.

• William & Mary Tribe

The Tribe are a Division I team in the CAA that plays at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg. Their mascot is the Griffin and their colors are green and gold.

The Tribe have won eight conference championships in football but have not had much success in basketball. In fact, they are one of only four original Division I schools without an NCAA Tournament appearance.