Do you live in Ohio? Great! You can bet online with the following sites:
9.7
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21+ and present in select states. First online real money wager only. $10 first deposit required. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable bonus bets that expire 7 days after receipt. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. FanDuel is offering online sports wagering in Kansas under an agreement with Kansas Star Casino, LLC. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, KY, MI, NJ, OH, PA, IL, TN, VA, VT), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), 1-800-522-4700 (WY), or visit www.1800gambler.net (WV).
Betting Ladies Favorite
9.6
Rating
Betting Ladies members get a bonus!
Must be 21+ and present in CO, IA, IL, IN, LA, MI, OH, NJ, NY, or VA. Void where prohibited. T&C Apply. If you or someone you know in CO, IL, LA, OH, or NJ has a gambling problem, Call or TEXT 1-800-GAMBLER. In IA, call 1-800-BETS-OFF. IN call 1-800-9-WITH-IT. In MI, call the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Gambling Disorder Help-line at: 800-270-7117. In NY, Call (877-8-HOPENY) or text HOPENY (467369). In VA, call 1-888-532-3500.
9.3
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Betting Ladies members get a bonus!
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9.0
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To bet in Ohio you need to be at least 21. Betting is open to anyone who is physically present within the state borders. Online sportsbooks will run geolocation services to track the location of anyone attempting to place wagers, but visitors of the state are free to make bets.
There could be as many as 40 physical sportsbooks in Ohio, but the state is nowhere close to that number at this time. That does leave the door open for some growth, but you shouldn’t ever expect to see that many retail sports betting options.
Here are the current physical locations where you can make bets in Ohio:
- Belterra Park
- Great American Ball Park
- Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati
- Hollywood Casino Columbus
- Hollywood Casino Toledo
- Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway
- Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course
- Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati
- JACK Cleveland Casino
- JACK Thistledown Racino
- Miami Valley Gaming
- MGM Northfield Park
- Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
- Scioto Downs
- Taft’s Ale House
- Scioto Downs
The Ohio Casino Control Commission oversees and regulates sports betting in Ohio, and it has created other rules that govern the industry. Sports betting is available on a wide range of sports, and that includes bets that are placed on in-state college teams.
The initial tax rate on sports betting revenue in Ohio was set at just 10%, but that number has already been doubled by lawmakers. That change was contested by many in the state, and it could ultimately lead to some operators ignoring the state.
You Bet on All the Major Sports in Ohio
One of the reasons that the Ohio sports betting market got off to such a big start is the fact that this is a state that is loaded with popular professional sports teams. It’s no secret that sports betting markets that have teams to drive the market tend to do much better.
The NFL is easily the most popular league in Ohio, partly thanks to the local Browns and the Bengals. Basketball is another popular sport and that many people beto. We all know the Cleveland Cavaliers which reached its popularity peak when LeBron James was on the roster, and have had a strong following since.
The Columbus Blue Jackets represent the state of Ohio in the NHL, and this is the least popular professional sports team in the state.
The Ohio sports betting law has also made it legal to bet on college games including those that feature in-state college teams, so if you’re a Ohio State Buckeyes fan, you can now bet on them. Isn’t that great!
Tips for First-time Bettors in Ohio
Before start with betting, make sure that you are comfortable with the betting terminology and have some sort of plan in place when it comes to how you want to manage your money. Start by deciding how much you are willing to invest, and then figure out how much you are going to make your betting unit.
Next, it’s time to develop a plan on which betting options you want to explore. Each betting option is going to come with different opportunities, and you have to be willing to give them all a try.
It would also be a great idea to find someone who can provide you with betting picks and predictions each day, as that can help you win more wagers. Even if you are confident in your ability to handicap games and make picks, it can never hurt getting some additional device.
Here is a list of some of the most-read articles and watched videos we have on sports betting:
Patience is key when betting on sports: there will be days when you don’t hit any bets (and other when you feel like a betting queen). Know that some losses are coming, and be ready to stick with your plan to bounce back on the very next day.
Historical Background of Betting in Ohio
There are now more than 30 different states that offer legal sports betting, and some other states are expected to launch this year and beyond. Ohio is now a part of that group, as sports betting first launched back in January 2023.
The first month of sports betting in Ohio set records, and it looked as if this state was going to become one of the leaders in the market. Things have slowed down in a big way in the second half of 2023, but it’s still a strong market.
The path to legalizing sports betting in the state of Ohio was much easier than what transpired as the state tried to get the industry up and running. It took plenty of compromises in order to get this industry legalized, but things finally took off after lawmakers were able to come up with an agreement.
The sports betting law in Ohio makes it possible for this state to be loaded with legal sports betting options, although that hasn’t happened up to this point. Ohio was able to look to neighboring states in order to create a sports betting law, and that definitely proved to be key as this market is extremely competitive.
Both online and retail sports betting are available in the state of Ohio, but most of the wagers have been placed online. Lawmakers have actually been looking to make changes to the sports betting laws already, and that could hurt the overall success of this market.
Ohio Betting Legalization Details
The topic of sports betting was first introduced back in 2019 in the state of Ohio, and that is really when the battle started. Both the House and Senate were working on competing bills, and each side believed that they had the best overall option.
Sports betting started to gain some progress back in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic eventually slowed down the progress that was being made. Residents in Ohio were starting to get frustrated, and lawmakers were unable to agree on the key aspects.
2021 was a key year for the state of Ohio and this industry, although it wasn’t easy that year either. House Bill 29 and Senate Bill 176 were both making progress and ultimately, it was a committee that had to decide which one to go with.
Lawmakers finally decided to make a number of amendments to House Bill 29, and it was eventually passed in both chambers. Governor Mike DeWine signed sports betting into law in late December of 2021.
Ohio failed to get the sports betting industry launched at any point in 2022, which continued to make sports bettors and sportsbook operators frustrated. Finally, both online and retail sports betting launched on January 1, 2023.
