William Hill Announces the Launch of its Online Sports Book and Mobile App
Updated October 22, 2026
Updated October 22, 2026
William Hill expanded its US sports betting operations on September 4, 2020, launching its mobile sportsbook and website in West Virginia. The move gave bettors across the Mountain State another option just ahead of the NFL season, with online registration, live wagering, and a range of professional and college sports markets.
The launch was another step in William Hill's growing American business. Less than a year later, however, the company's US operations would undergo a major transformation following its acquisition by Caesars Entertainment.
The September 2020 launch made the William Hill Sportsbook app available to eligible customers throughout West Virginia.
Unlike states that initially required in-person sportsbook registration, West Virginia permitted customers to open accounts remotely. Bettors could register, deposit funds, and place wagers using the mobile app or website, provided they were physically located within state borders.
The sportsbook was available on Android and iOS devices and covered a broad selection of sporting events.
Its arrival was particularly well timed. The NFL regular season was about to begin, and sportsbooks were preparing for one of the busiest periods on the US sporting calendar.
For West Virginia, the launch also meant increased competition among established operators, including DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM.
William Hill introduced its West Virginia sportsbook using its own technology, with an emphasis on live betting and straightforward account access.
The app included several features that were increasingly important to US bettors in 2020:
These features were becoming standard expectations as regulated online sports betting expanded across the country.
William Hill also announced a launch promotion offering new customers a 100% deposit match up to $150, plus a $10 registration bonus.
That promotion was specific to September 2020 and is no longer an active offer.
Although the mobile app launched in September 2020, William Hill had already established a connection to West Virginia's gambling industry.
In 2018, the operator entered into an agreement involving Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort in Hancock County, positioning the company for the state's developing sports betting market.
West Virginia had been among the early adopters of legal sports betting following the US Supreme Court's May 2018 decision to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA).
Retail sports wagering began in the state in 2018, followed by online betting in 2019.
The early online market experienced a notable interruption when a dispute involving Delaware North and technology provider Miomni Gaming led to the suspension of two mobile sportsbooks.
Operations later resumed as other licensed operators entered the market.
By the time William Hill launched its app, West Virginia had become an increasingly competitive online sports betting state.
The West Virginia launch formed part of a broader expansion strategy.
William Hill US had been established in Nevada in 2012 and subsequently developed retail sportsbook partnerships and mobile operations across multiple states.
At the time of the September 2020 announcement, the company reported operations at more than 150 locations across 12 states.
Its business included sportsbook operations and partnerships in markets such as Colorado, Illinois, and Indiana.
The operator also supplied sports betting services to state lottery programs and casino partners.
West Virginia became the fourth state in which William Hill offered a mobile sportsbook, joining Nevada, New Jersey, and Iowa.
The company's growth was not limited to mobile betting. Around the same period, William Hill completed its acquisition of CG Technology's sportsbook operations, strengthening its retail presence at several prominent Las Vegas casino properties.
This expansion reflected William Hill's ambition to establish itself as a major national sportsbook operator while more states moved toward regulated wagering.
The biggest development came in 2021.
On April 22, Caesars Entertainment completed its acquisition of William Hill PLC in a transaction valued at approximately $4 billion.
The purchase gave Caesars control of William Hill's US sports betting operations and the technology supporting its mobile products.
Caesars subsequently moved to bring those operations under its own sportsbook brand.
On August 2, 2021, the company launched a redesigned Caesars Sportsbook app in eight states, including West Virginia.
The new app used technology acquired through the William Hill transaction and incorporated Caesars Rewards, connecting sportsbook activity with the company's wider casino loyalty program.
This marked the end of William Hill as a standalone mobile sportsbook brand in West Virginia.
The William Hill name continued to have a presence in certain US retail operations, particularly in Nevada, but the broader national mobile business transitioned to Caesars Sportsbook.
William Hill's entry into West Virginia came during an important period for the US sports betting industry.
States were still establishing their regulatory frameworks, operators were competing for market access, and mobile wagering was becoming a central part of the business.
For West Virginia customers, the arrival of another established sportsbook increased the number of available options.
For William Hill, it provided another foothold in a growing market and strengthened its US position ahead of the Caesars acquisition.
The subsequent rebranding also demonstrated how quickly the industry was consolidating. A sportsbook that launched as an independent national competitor in 2020 became part of a much larger casino and entertainment company the following year.
The William Hill launch remains a useful example of how the early US mobile sports betting market developed, particularly in states that moved quickly after the repeal of PASPA.
Readers interested in the broader US market can find additional information in ATS.io's sportsbooks directory.
→ Our Take: William Hill's September 2020 launch gave West Virginia another established sportsbook at a time when mobile betting competition was accelerating. Its significance extends beyond the app itself. The subsequent Caesars acquisition and rebranding show how quickly the US market evolved, with technology, market access, and operator consolidation becoming just as important as the original state-by-state launches.
Updated October 22, 2026