RICHMOND, Va. - Sports betting in Virginia is finally here.
Betting website FanDuel Sportsbookannounced Wednesday night it is going live in the Commonwealth on Thursday, January 21.
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— Adam Winkler (@AdamWinkSports) January 21, 2021
TOMORROW you will be able to legally wager on sports in Virginia@VirginiaLottery officials told @WTKR3's @brendanponton the goal was to be able to bet on the #SuperBowl. Well...they're 2 1/2 weeks early!https://t.co/l0gACZjsk7 https://t.co/pe9CMM5iNS
"The first mobile sports betting permit has been awarded to FanDuel through its partnership with the Washington Football Team, which was granted 'substantial and preferred consideration' by the Virginia General Assembly. Decisions on additional permit awards are imminent, and we anticipate more than one sportsbook will be in position to begin accepting legal wagers from Virginians in time for the Super Bowl on Feb. 7," officials with the Virginia Lottery told News 3 Thursday.
On January 26, Rush Street Interactive, Inc. announced the launch of its flagship brand and industry leading online sportsbook, BetRivers.com, in Virginia.
Starting Wednesday, January 27, sports enthusiasts across the Commonwealth will be able to register, deposit funds and place bets at BetRivers.com on their favorite teams and events safely from their mobile devices and computers. Thousands of games across professional and collegiate sports from around the world, with millions of betting options including in-game wagering, will be available to sports bettors 24/7 from anywhere in the state.
The site will also offer its broad selection of live streaming content so players can watch games while they wager on RSI’s easy-to-use gaming platform.
RSI has partnered with the highly anticipated Rivers Casino Portsmouth, a new, world-class entertainment and gaming destination coming soon to the state, to gain access to the online sports betting market in the Commonwealth. On Election Day, Portsmouth residentsvoted to approve the referendum for a gaming casino in the city.
The long-term agreement allows RSI to operate in Virginia for 20 years.
With RSI’s BetRivers.com officially live in Virginia, Rivers Casino is the first land-based casino in the Commonwealth to launch its online sports betting partner, reinforcing their joint investment in and commitment to Virginia and its residents. Rivers Casino is expected to bring 1,300 permanent jobs and 1,400 temporary construction jobs to the currently vacant site.
“We are pleased to add Virginia to the growing list of states that RSI and BetRivers.com call home as we continue to expand across the country and bring our exciting and trusted online sports betting product to new customers who appreciate an operator like us who focuses on earning and retaining player trust,” said Richard Schwartz, president of RSI. “Our leadership position in the markets in which we operate, including the two largest states with legalized online gaming, Pennsylvania and Illinois, where we were #1 in 2020, is a testament to the strength of the BetRivers.com brand and betting platform.”
Earlier this month, lottery officials told News 3the goal was to allow fans to be able to bet on the upcoming Super Bowl.
The General Assembly legalized sports betting last year, but it's taken time to develop all the rules and regulations. In order to bet on sports, you have to be 21, must physically be in Virginia, and you can't bet on Virginia college teams. You also can't bet on the Olympics.
You can place pregame and in-game bets during pro sports games, but only pregame bets for college teams.
