Ohio (OH)

The Buckeye State is one of the US states with many gambling fanatics, and as announced earlier in December 2021, online sports gambling will be legal in Ohio on January 1st, 2023. According to senator Kirk Schuring, multiple projects will make OH sports betting more dynamic.

As a result, the House and the Senate have both agreed to legalize sports gambling in the state, which means that online betting in Ohio will follow the rules proposed by senate bill 176, with sportsbooks now live and running.

Online Sports Betting in Ohio

Even though sports betting apps just launched in Ohio, sports betting was already legal in the State. Governor Mike DeWine approved the sports bill HB 29, which has led to the authorization of legislation policies in an enhanced approach.

Ohio sports betting programs will use different A, B, and C licenses. That said, casino and professional sports organizations will issue type A licenses, which include all venues that offer casinos, professional sports teams, and the two golf courses in the State.

On the other hand, The State will give type B licenses to stand-alone sportsbooks. For this reason, up to 40 retail sportsbooks could be available for residents. Notably, type C licenses will be the most dominant in the State and are meant explicitly for retail kiosks in a liquor license facility, including bars and restaurants.

Consequently, kiosks will deliver more with a fee of up to $1000, expected to run for approximately three years. You’re paid in cash as a bettor depending on your location.

The state is now live with mobile sports betting, with over a dozen sports betting apps already live.

Sports Betting Legislation in OH

Having legalized sports gambling under the law approved by Governor Mike DeWine, Ohio has become the 33rd state to allow sports wagering alongside states such as Indiana, West Virginia, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. Online sports betting in the state kicked off on January 1st, 2023, at 12:01 am. As such, bettors now have the chance to bet on professional college games and esports.

Notably, sports wagering in this state has been an issue since the 1940s. There has been a difference between the senate and the house regarding the legalization of sports betting. But on December 8, 2021, both houses amended House Bill 29. On December 22, 2021, Gov. Mike DeWine approved the bill which legalized sports betting in the state. And a month later, on January 24, 2022, the OCCC rolled out rules and regulations governing the state's sports gambling industry.

Online sports betting in Ohio is now live, and bettors can choose from over a dozen licensed sportsbook apps to choose from. The long-awaited arrival of mobile sportsbook apps has led to plenty of new customer bonuses and promotions that Ohio residents can now take advantage of.

Restrictions

Sports bettors in the state of Ohio must be 21 years or older in order to place a legal wager. Unlike some states, though, Ohio does allow bettors to wager on local colleges and universities.

The Ohio Casino Control Commission is the group that regulates these rules.

Licensing and Taxes

The tax rate in the state is 10% for both retail and online sports betting.

Licensing fees in the state range from $500,000 to $3.3 million, depending on which license a sportsbook is applying for.

In-Person Sports Betting In Ohio

For the thrill that comes out of it, in-person sports betting is a favorite for some bettors. Notably, this is the oldest form of sports gambling, not only in the US but in the world. Just like in several other US states, in-person betting is legal in Ohio. Believe it or not, this type of wagering was still happening even before sports gambling became legal in the Buckeye State.

Since 2018, residents have been participating in daily fantasy sports. This is the oldest in-house betting activity in the state. But since the activity became officially legal, several sports are now available for the state's residents to bet on. This may be linked to bookies such as Barstool, BetRivers, FanDuel, and FOX Bet that have gained a piece of the action in the state.

Sports to bet on in these bookmakers include horse racing, baseball, basketball, and more. But most importantly, you must be at least 21 years old to legally bet on these sports.

Sports Betting In Neighboring States

Online sports gambling is also legal in Ohio's neighboring states, and interested bettors in Ohio can now bet by crossing the border to states such as Michigan, Pennsylvania, Indiana, or West Virginia to bet on sports. Here, they can bet within the professional sports stadium.

In Pennsylvania, mobile sports betting is becoming more and more popular due to its complete availability for the state’s residents. However, for players to wager, they must be within the state of Pennsylvania. After that, players can sign up for a betting account, and some available sports apps in Pennsylvania are BetRivers DraftKings, FanDuel Parx, and Fox Bet, all of which allow mobile and online gambling.

On the other hand, Michigan has established three commercial casinos in Detroit: Barstool, BetMGM, and FanDuel. There are 23 tribal casinos across the state accompanied by parenting operators such as DraftKings PointsBet and Willliam Hill.

In West Virginia, the options are a bit more limited since FanDuel and DraftKings are the most used mobile operators. But in all these states, one thing is evident their GDP has been dramatically boosted by sports betting.

How profitable has sports betting been in Ohio?

In the short time that Ohio has featured legalized sports betting, they have already surpassed over $2 billion dollars in sports betting handle. Here we'll take a look at and update their monthly numbers for handle, revenue, and tax income.

• October 2023:

  • Sports Betting Handle: $742.9m

  • Revenue: $80.3m

  • Tax Income: $16.1m

• September 2023: Handle: $690.4m, Revenue: $81.7m, Tax Income: $16.4m

• August 2023: Handle: $378.8m, Revenue: $40.8m, Tax Income: $8.1m

• July 2023: Handle: $331.1m, Revenue: $37.1m, Tax Income: $7.4m

• June 2023: Handle: $363m, Revenue: $32.6m, Tax Income: $3.27m

• May 2023: Handle: $447.5m, Revenue: $57.9m, Tax Income: $5.8m

• April 2023: Handle: $521.7m, Revenue: $63.8m, Tax Income: $6.4m

• March 2023: Handle: $738.6m, Revenue: $95.3m, Tax Income: $9.55m

• February 2023: Handle: $639.7m, Revenue: $82.8m, Tax Income: $8.30m

• January 2023: Handle: $1.11b, Revenue: $209.03m, Tax Income: $20.9m

What is legal to bet on in Ohio?

Since sports betting is now legal in OH, players can wager on all sports games available. However, age is one of the main concerns. Twenty-one years or older is the legal gambling age in this state, and bookies have a way to verify this. Usually, they use the KYC (Know Your Customer) approach. Here, players must upload verification documents such as ID, passport, or driver's license.

Away from legalities, there are several sports and leagues to bet on in Ohio. These include horse racing, baseball, football, basketball, and several others. Some of the standard leagues available for betting are MLB, NBA, and NFL. Generally, offshore sites in this state cover all US major sports and leagues, and players can bet on any of them once they have a verified account.

In-play betting is also available. So, in a nutshell, finding sports to bet on in Ohio isn't a problem. The issue is finding a reliable sports gambling vendor. With more mobile betting apps expected to launch in the state, the possibility of falling victim to scammers and fraudsters is high. As such, players should only bet on licensed and reputable sportsbooks.

Gambling news and updates from Ohio

• September 5, 2023: Following the release of the July sports betting revenue numbers, Ohio bettors have now officially placed over $4 billion dollars worth of wagers since the start of 2023.

• August 21, 2023: SuperBook Sportsbook will be closing its retail site in the state effective immediately.

• July 25, 2023: Fanatics Sportsbook and the Columbus Blue Jackets will be teaming up to bring a retail sportsbook that will be adjacent to the hockey team's Nationwide Arena.

• July 3, 2023: Lawmakers in the state of Ohio have officially doubled the wagering tax for sports betting operators in the state.

• June 21, 2023: The BetMGM Sportsbook, located inside Great American Ballpark, the home of the Cincinnati Reds, will be closing at the end of the season and relocating to the downtown area of the city.

• May 26, 2023: Investigation has found that a parent of a University of Cincinnati baseball player was at the center of the Alabama Baseball betting scandal. Two UC baseball coaches were fired in the aftermath since they had knowledge of what was happening and failed to report it.

• May 20, 2023: The Fanatics Sportsbook has decided to end their promotion that offered bonus bets in exchange for the purchase of merchandise. The Ohio Gaming Commission requested that they shut it down, and the new sportsbook made sure to comply in a timely manner.

• May 8, 2023: The gambling hotline in Ohio has reported an increase in calls in the past months as the state adjusts to having legalized gambling.

• May 2, 2023: The state of Ohio has suspended all betting on Alabama baseball after suspicious wagering on the team was reported. This investigation has led to the team's coach being fired due to his involvement in the scandal.

• February 27, 2023: Ohio officially surpassed over $1 billion dollars in sports betting handle in their first month of legalized sports betting.

How do mobile sportsbook apps work in Ohio?

Currently, there are over a dozen mobile sportsbook apps live in Ohio. These sportsbooks launched at 12:01 AM on January 1st, 2023, and more are expected to be added soon once they acquire their license.

Now that the Buckeye State legalized online sports gambling, the most prominent brands of the sports betting industry have become available to OH bettors. These big names include, for example, Caesars sportsbook, BetMGM, FanDuel, and DraftKings.

The best part is that most of them offer significant sports and leagues in the sports world. Also, their functionality is similar, so using any of them will be a walk in the park. Many of the apps are offering a wide range of new user promotions for customers in Ohio, so whichever apps customers decide to try, they should have no problem learning the layout.

If you want to get started with these sportsbooks first, head to the App Store or Google Play Store, download the app and sign up for an account.

Getting started - Step-by-step

To bet on sports games or leagues in Ohio, players should be at least 21 years old and physically located within the state. Here's how to get started:

1. Sign up. Visit your chosen bookie's website or search for them in the App Store or Google Play Store.

2. Download the sports betting app. You can use Google Play Store or Apple Play Store. Alternatively, you can access the app via the bookie's website, then click on the link redirecting you to the APK download. Once the download is complete, install the app and open it from your device's application menu.

3. Make your first deposit. After installing the app, log into your account and navigate to the cashier section. Here, choose your preferred payment method and fund your account.

4. Claim offered bonuses and/or free bets. If bonuses and promotions are available, now is the time to grab them.

5. Place your bets. With your bonus and deposit money ready, choose the sports available and place your wagers.

Bonuses and OH sports betting offers

As home to experienced bettors, Ohio is now offering legalized online sports betting. This will open doors to several bookmakers, most of which have lucrative bonus offers. For example, BetMGM is offering a $1000 risk-free bet to new customers. This opening bonus is worth it, and it's a risk-free bet. However, players must be willing to bet $10 minimum.

Generally, most online sports betting apps and websites accepting Ohio bettors provide regular promos such as odd boosts, reload bonuses, and free bets. Some of them even have loyalty programs to reward bettors who wager regularly. At least five sportsbooks right now are offering early sign-up/ new state launch offers to Ohio bettors.

Payment methods for depositing

Players need to fund their accounts to wager on different sports in Ohio. Bonuses and free bets may be available, but most demand at least $10 in deposit to unlock them. So, it all starts with making a payment.

Notably, every online sports betting app in Ohio provides safe and secure banking options. The most common ones include e-wallets like PayPal, Bank Wire, and credit/debit cards like Visa and Mastercard. Players can also use cash at the cage. However, some options, like credit cards, are deposit-only, so bettors cannot use them for cashouts.

Trusted Ohio sports betting mobile apps in 2023

Online sports gambling in Ohio works like other betting sites in the US, and it starts with downloading and installing the gaming app of your choice, then placing your bet.

Now that the state legalized online sports betting in Ohio, these well-respected US sportsbooks have started providing their services to the OH residents:

FanDuel sportsbook operates based on the brand's loyalty. After flooding the market with offers to win its potential users first, it has already earned brand recognition. This app has been a top pick for bettors since 2009.

DraftKings is establishing a stiff battle as it aims to be ahead of other sites. It launched in 2012 and has secured a good number of clients in the US and the world and large.

BetMGM has the best player pro that integrates game promos and odd boosts. With BetMGM, you can easily navigate leagues and specific games, making your betting life easier.

Caesars online sportsbook has an exceptional user experience which improves the app quality. It offers live horse racing bets, so it occupies a more significant percentage in the states that hold horse racing events.