Ohio Sports Betting Sites

Following the passing of HB 29 in December of 2021, sports betting is now legal and available in the state of Ohio. Both in-person and online sports betting sites launched on the 1st day of 2023, allowing residents to finally bet on sports.

Governor Mike DeWine had been a supporter of legalizing sports betting in the state since 2019. However, the House and Senate needed to both pass a bill before he could sign it into law. Several bills were debated on the both floors during the 2020 sessions, but nothing came about.

Until 2021, when both houses of the State Congress passed a bill that Gov. DeWine was more than happy to sign into law. This law allowed online sports betting sites in the Buckeye State, as well as in-person betting.

Residents are finally allowed to wager on the Cincinnatti Reds, the Cleveland Browns, and of course, the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Ohio Sports Betting Sites

It took the Ohio Casino Control Commission the first half of 2022 to prepare the rules and regulations for legalize sports betting. After tweaking the language based on feedback from shareholder, on June 1st, the OCCC announced sports betting would begin on January 1st, 2023.

And so, multiple online sports betting sites began applying for licenses to operate within the state. As of today, there are currently 17 Ohio online sports betting site available for users.

• Barstool
• Bet365
• Betfred
• betJACK
• BetMGM
• betPARX
• BetRivers
• betr
• Betway
• Caesar’s
• DraftKings
• FanDuel
• Hard Rock
• MVGBet
• PointsBet
• Superbook
• Tipico

It seems like a daunting list, but don’t worry, we have a more in-depth list of the best online sportbooks.

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Sports Betting Popularity in Ohio

Ohio is a state with several professional sports teams in multiple cities, as well as having some huge universities. The Bengals, Browns, and Buckeyes run the state. These sports-crazed fans have been yearning to bet on their favorite teams, and it showed in the first month that sports betting was live.

Ohio reported a handle of nearly $1.11 billion in January, with almost all of that coming from online sports betting sites. Nearly $1.09 billion was wagered online in Ohio during the first month of operation. The total revenue exceeded $208 million, a single-month recored for any state.

This would make Ohio one of the most profitable states concerning sports betting.

Following the passing of HB 29, some betting companies have moved quickly to get a foot in the Ohio market. In fact, the new sportsbook, Fubo Gaming, has already partnered with the Cleveland Cavaliers as an official betting partner. Part of the agreement will see a large sports lounge installed at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.

Several other sportsbooks have partnered with professional teams within the state to further their Ohio foot print. Other sports betting sites paired up with casinos to offer retail betting as an alternative to online sports betting.

Sports Betting Restrictions

Ohio is one of the few states to have virtually zero restrictions when it comes to sports betting. Users are welcome to wager on their beloved Buckeyes, any player prop whether college or professional, along with any other niche league the online sports betting sites may offer.

A specific license that is offered in the state of Ohio permits sports gambling kiosks to be placed in bars, restaurants, or nightclubs that possess a liquor license. There are no such licenses out at the moment, however this could revolutionize sports betting as we know it.

Daily Fantasy Sports

Both FanDuel and DraftKings have provided Daily Fantasy Sports services in Ohio. In particular, FanDuel has existing partnerships with large sports teams in other states, so it was no surprise that these two launched quickly in Ohio when they could.

DFS has been legal in Ohio since 2018, and there are many operators within the state. The Ohio Casino Control Commission oversees and regulates daily fantasy sports contests, as well as the sport betting market. There is a separate committee that governs the lottery.

Is Horse Race Betting Legal in Ohio?

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Despite years of uncertainty about sports betting and when it would launch, one betting activity has been a constant. Legal betting on horse racing is popular in Ohio since it was legalized in the 1930s.

Although there has been a stark decline in horse racing and betting on horses in the US, the market has held firm in Ohio. As a result, pari-mutuel betting is popular and available at seven tracks that offer live racing throughout the year. Both thoroughbred racing and harness racing are available at venues in Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Youngstown.

Following a law change in 2011, these race tracks have been able to offer slot, table, and video lottery terminals. Such facilities are called racinos and they have helped to boost the income of racetracks in Ohio. In fact, seven of the 11 land-based casinos in the state are racinos.

What Ohio Online Betting Sites Accept Horse Betting?

Land-based racetracks and off-track betting facilities in Ohio are not permitted to offer online betting yet. But players can still wager on their favorite US and international tracks from desktop and mobile devices.

Companies like DRFBets and Twinspires are based outside the state but they can take bets from Ohio residents. These sites are horse racing specialists that offer a huge range of horse racing odds and markets. In addition, the sites have dedicated blogs, tips, and the latest horse racing news.

With the developments towards legal Ohio online betting sites, at least some providers will likely offer horse racing bets. However, not every platform has horse racing on offer. Closer to the time, check each provider to see which has the best horse racing market.

Ohio Casinos

In-person casinos were not legal until 2009. However, since then, four land-based casinos have opened along with the seven racinos that have launched since 2011. The four commercial casinos offer table and slot games, while bettors have to visit a racino for VLT games.

The Ohio casinos vary in size. Currently, the Hollywood Casino Columbus is the largest land-based casino in the state. Here, bettors can access more than 2000 gaming machines and around 80 table games.

Since sports betting has launched in the state, some of these casinos have received a sportsbook license and built one on site. Although, 98% of the first month’s handle came from online sports betting sites.

Are Ohio Online Casinos available?

As discussions and law-making decisions have centered on sports betting, little attention has been given to online casinos. As a result, there is no definite timeline of when Ohio online betting sites will include casino games like poker, blackjack, and roulette.

Successfully rolling out sports betting has been the priority for Ohio gambling in the short term. Once sports betting has been rolling for a while, likely casino games could come next.

However, for now, bettors can stick to in-person wagering at the 11 racinos or casinos in the Buckeye State. Alternatively, players can head online to play for virtual tokens at social casinos, without the use of real money.

Ohio State Lottery

In the 1970s, the Ohio Lottery Commission was created and this establishment oversees the Ohio State Lottery. This has been legal since 1973 and it remains a popular activity in the Hawkeye State.

All of the lottery ticket sales have helped with many social causes in the state. These include improvements to education, infrastructure, and local charities.

The Ohio Lottery provides access to US-wide jackpot games like Mega Millions and Powerball. Also, it offers multiple daily draw games across the state. There are also dozens of scratch tickets found at retailers all over Ohio. These tickets can range in price from a dollar up to $20, with higher tickets offering bigger rewards.

Ohio Online Betting Sites FAQs