West Virginia Poker: Latest News and Legislative Updates

Recently, the small Appalachian state of West Virginia made headlines in the national poker news media in the US.

That is because in February 2019, they became the 5th state in the Union to legalize online poker – after Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania. However, West Virginian poker fans can’t play their favorite card game on the internet just yet.

In July 2020, DraftKings Casino was the first online casino to launch in the state. They’re partnering with the land-based Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races – according to the law, only land casinos based in West Virginia can apply for online licences.

However, DraftKings does not offer online poker. Nor does the other online casino that has already gone live, BetMGM WV (who are partnered with The Greenbrier). So, the earliest West Virginians can expect to play poker online at last is mid 2021.

As for live poker, a West Virginia location actually holds a poker world record, according to the media franchise Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, a poker game lasted a total of 14 years straight at the Dunglen Hotel in Thurmond, WV – longer than any other ever. The historic town, once a flourishing coal mining center, now is only home to just 5 residents. The Dunglen Hotel opened in 1901 and sadly was burnt down by arsonists in 1930.

Famous West Virginian Poker Players

Jason Koon was born in Weston, West Virginia. He is one of the most successful high rollers in the world, having cashed for $31.1 million in live tournaments around the world. Needless to say, he tops the West Virginia all time money list on Hendon.

In May 2018, he took down the Triton HK$1,000,000 Short Deck Hold’em tournament in Montenegro. He won $3.580 million, which is the biggest single live tournament cash of his career to date. He’s also appeared on live streamed super high stakes cash games put on by PokerGO’s Poker After Dark and Triton Poker.

William Lee Childs Jr. is second on the list with $1.528 million in career earnings. He’s best known for making the final table in the 2007 WSOP Main Event, eventually taking 7th place for $705,229.