Washington Mystics guard/forward Elena Delle Donne is favored by oddsmakers to secure her third WNBA Most Valuable Player Award.
You definitely cannot place bets on it, especially not in Virginia.
On Saturday, the 2021 season for the Mystics kicks off as they host the Chicago Sky at the Entertainment and Sports Arena in Washington, DC. As the reigning 2019 WNBA Champions, the Mystics are ready to showcase their talent on the court. Catch the exciting game at 1 p.m. on ABC.
The current 2021 WNBA Championship odds allow for placing a futures bet on the Mystics. However, in VA, sports bettors are not allowed to wager on player awards such as the league MVP.
Why you can’t bet on player awards in VA
In 2020, the Virginia General Assembly passed a law legalizing sports betting. However, certain betting options that are popular in other states are not accessible to sports bettors in Virginia due to regulatory restrictions.
As mentioned earlier, it is against the regulations for sportsbooks in Virginia to accept bets on youth sports or any colleges and universities within the state, including the Virginia Cavaliers and Virginia Tech Hokies.
However, when it comes to betting on the Mystics’ Delle Donne, what should be considered? Despite sitting out the 2020 WNBA season due to health concerns and the COVID-19 pandemic, the 31-year-old remains a strong contender for winning her third WNBA MVP trophy (previously in 2015 and 2019) this year. With odds as low as +600, she presents a promising betting opportunity at both DraftKings and BetRivers. Unfortunately, residents of Virginia are unable to access these betting options.
The Virginia Lottery, responsible for regulating sports betting in Virginia, has specified that restricted betting encompasses:
“Placing bets on the results of subjective accolades like MLB Cy Young, MVP, Heisman Trophy, etc.”
Bettors are also unable to place bets on:
- The drafts of the WNBA and other leagues
- The USA Basketball Women’s National Team is a prominent participant in the Olympics.
- Officiating/refereeing calls
- Player props that are related to injuries or penalties.
Despite their limited roster and barely making the playoffs in 2020 with a 9-13 record, Virginia bettors have the opportunity to place wagers on team futures, such as predicting the champions of the 2021 WNBA season. The Washington Mystics, led by head coach Mike Thibault, are considered strong contenders with odds as low as +350 to win the title this year. However, alternative platforms like DraftKings, BetMGM, and Unibet offer slightly higher odds of +450 for the Mystics.
Want to bet on WNBA MVP? Road trip!
Besides Elena Delle Donne, commonly referred to as “EDD,” Tina Charles, who recently joined the Washington team, is also an option in the WNBA MVP market. With a decade of experience and having been named MVP in 2012, Charles is currently listed at odds of +2500.
Fellow Mystics players Myisha Hines-Allen (+6000) and Ariel Atkins (+1000) are also contenders for the 2021 WNBA MVP title.
If you’re eager to place an MVP bet on any of those players, what steps should you take?
To engage in legal sports betting and league awards betting, you have a few state options such as West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.
Washington, DC is excluded. Although GambetDC and William Hill, the two sportsbooks in the area, permit betting on MVP and other awards, they have not yet posted markets for WNBA year-end awards as of Wednesday. Additionally, North Carolina, which only offers limited retail sports betting, and Kentucky, where sports betting remains illegal, are also excluded.
However, if you’re looking to place bets on the WNBA on a regular basis, Virginia betting apps should offer the usual daily spread, moneyline, totals, and other game-specific bets that you are accustomed to.
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