Both teams made five changes to their starting line-ups, with the headline news being the return of Marko Arnautovic to the Hammers' starting XI, having been linked with a move to China.
A busy start to the game saw the pair each enjoy possession but with little end product and the first real flashpoint came after 21 minutes when Arthur Masuaku got tangled up in Matt Doherty's legs.
Wolves were aggrieved not to get a penalty but referee David Coote showed no interest in their protests.
Leander Dendoncker then produced a tame effort and the same could be said on 26 minutes from Felipe Anderson.
Wolves' Jonny Castro went close with a header from a pinpoint Raul Jimenez cross and Dendoncker had a goal ruled out soon after due to the Mexican being fractionally offside.
The hosts were the better team heading into the interval and Manuel Pellegrini returned from the break early, with a suspicion he had left a flea in the ear of his players.
A similar rhythm, or lack of, followed but Wolves continued to edge it with both Diogo Jota and Romain Saiss testing Lukasz Fabianski.
Finally, Wolves took the lead after 66 minutes and it was Saiss who was the hero, powering a header into the corner to send Molineux wild.
Things continued to go downhill for West Ham as Arnautovic limped off after a foul by Ruben Neves and they were 2-0 on 80 minutes when Jimenez fired in from six yards out from a Joao Moutinho cross.
The Mexican did it again moments later when he delicately chipped over Fabianski to make it 3-0 to confirm a well-deserved three points for the hosts, punishing the Hammers who were poor throughout.