West Virginia Casino Advantage Play Guide
West Virginia was an early pioneer of racino gaming and today runs one of the most Penn mychoice-dense state circuits in the country. Three of the four major WV casinos earn on the same national Penn card, and Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races draws DC and Baltimore-area AP players with 2,500+ machines just over an hour from two major metro areas.
West Virginia Gaming Overview
West Virginia legalized video lottery terminals at licensed racetracks in 1994, making it one of the first states in the nation to adopt racino-style gaming. All four major WV casino properties operate as racinos — combining pari-mutuel horse racing with large slot machine floors under the authority of the West Virginia Lottery Commission.
The WV market punches well above its weight in machine count relative to state population, driven by interstate draw from the DC metro (via Hollywood Charles Town) and the Ohio Valley corridor (Mountaineer, Mardi Gras, Wheeling Island). For AP players, WV's heavy Penn mychoice concentration makes it one of the most efficient mid-Atlantic states for national tier building.
Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races
Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races is the flagship WV Penn property and the largest casino in the state by machine count. Located in the Eastern Panhandle near the Virginia and Maryland borders, it draws heavily from the DC and Baltimore metro areas.
- 2,500+ machines; Penn mychoice loyalty earning
- ~70 miles from Washington DC, ~80 miles from Baltimore — strong drive-in market from two major metros
- Penn mychoice — same card as Mountaineer, Mardi Gras, Hollywood Casinos, Ameristar, and 40+ other Penn properties nationally
- Full casino with hotel, restaurants, and live thoroughbred racing at Charles Town Races
WV Penn mychoice Circuit: Hollywood Charles Town + Mountaineer + Mardi Gras are all Penn mychoice properties on one card — 5,300+ combined machines statewide. For DC/Baltimore-based AP players, Charles Town alone is a top-tier single-day Penn earning destination before extending the trip west.
Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort
Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort sits on the Ohio River in New Cumberland in the northern WV panhandle, near the Pennsylvania and Ohio borders. It is a Penn mychoice property and a natural stop for AP players working the Ohio Valley Penn corridor.
- 1,500+ machines; Penn mychoice earning — same card as Hollywood Charles Town and Mardi Gras
- Ohio River location on the WV/PA/OH border — convenient for players based in Pittsburgh, eastern Ohio, or western PA
- Full resort property with hotel, spa, and live harness racing
- Pairs efficiently with Mardi Gras (near Charleston) on an extended WV Penn circuit
Mardi Gras Casino
Mardi Gras Casino is located in Nitro, a suburb of Charleston on the Kanawha River. It is a Penn mychoice property and the third leg of the WV Penn circuit, completing in-state national card earning for players traveling across West Virginia.
- 1,300+ machines; Penn mychoice earning — same card as Hollywood Charles Town and Mountaineer
- Located in the Charleston metro area — serves the central WV population center
- Compact floor relative to other WV properties; useful for quick Penn coin-in sessions when passing through the Charleston corridor
Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack
Wheeling Island is the only major WV casino outside the Penn mychoice network. Operated by Delaware North/Sportech, it sits on an island in the Ohio River in Wheeling in the northern panhandle.
- 1,400+ machines; independent Delaware North/Sportech loyalty program — no national network
- Ohio River island location in Wheeling; near the OH/PA/WV border
- Sign up for the independent loyalty card on first visit for sign-up offer; no national tier benefits carry over
- Convenient for players transiting I-70 through the northern panhandle
West Virginia AP Circuit Strategy
- DC/Baltimore players: Hollywood Charles Town is the primary target — 2,500+ Penn machines within a 90-minute drive of two major metro areas
- Ohio Valley players: Mountaineer (New Cumberland) is the entry point into the WV Penn circuit from Ohio or western PA; pair with Mardi Gras for a full WV Penn day
- Full WV Penn circuit: Hollywood Charles Town + Mountaineer + Mardi Gras — 5,300+ Penn mychoice machines on one national card
- Wheeling Island: Visit separately for the independent sign-up bonus; no Penn mychoice credit applies here
- No Caesars or MGM in WV: for those programs, plan trips to Maryland (MGM National Harbor, Horseshoe Baltimore) or Pennsylvania
Access all 150+ machine guides covering Hollywood Charles Town, Mountaineer, Mardi Gras, and the full Penn mychoice network across the mid-Atlantic and beyond.
View Membership OptionsFrequently Asked Questions
What casinos are in West Virginia?
West Virginia has four major casino properties: Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races (Charles Town, Penn mychoice, 2,500+ machines near DC/Baltimore), Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort (New Cumberland, Penn mychoice, 1,500+ machines on the Ohio River), Mardi Gras Casino (Nitro, Penn mychoice, 1,300+ machines near Charleston), and Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack (Wheeling, Delaware North/Sportech, 1,400+ machines). Three of the four are Penn mychoice properties.
Is Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races good for advantage play?
Yes — Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races is one of the most AP-accessible casinos in the mid-Atlantic region. It is a Penn mychoice property with 2,500+ machines, located approximately 70 miles from Washington DC and 80 miles from Baltimore. The large machine count and proximity to two major metro areas drive strong coin-in volume. Penn mychoice earned here applies across 40+ national Penn properties including Hollywood Casinos, Ameristar, and Boomtown locations.
What is the Penn mychoice circuit in West Virginia?
West Virginia has three Penn mychoice properties that all earn on the same national loyalty card: Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races (2,500+ machines, Charles Town), Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort (1,500+ machines, New Cumberland), and Mardi Gras Casino (1,300+ machines, Nitro). Combined, the WV Penn circuit offers 5,300+ machines statewide on one card. Mountaineer and Mardi Gras are convenient for AP players based in western WV or eastern Ohio.
Are there national casino loyalty programs in West Virginia?
Yes — Penn mychoice is the primary national program in West Virginia, covering Hollywood Charles Town, Mountaineer, and Mardi Gras. Penn mychoice is a national program with 40+ properties. Wheeling Island is an independent Delaware North/Sportech property with its own loyalty program and no national network. There are no Caesars Rewards or MGM Rewards properties in West Virginia; for those programs, WV-based AP players typically plan trips to Maryland (MGM National Harbor, Horseshoe Baltimore) or Pennsylvania.
What is the West Virginia gaming market?
West Virginia was one of the earliest states to adopt racino-style gaming, legalizing video lottery terminals at racetracks in 1994. All four major WV casinos are racinos — racetrack properties that added slot machine floors under state lottery authority. WV gaming is regulated by the West Virginia Lottery Commission. The market is characterized by high machine counts relative to state population, driven by proximity to the DC/Baltimore metro (Hollywood Charles Town) and the Ohio Valley corridor (Mountaineer, Mardi Gras, Wheeling Island).
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