Sports Betting in OH

Welcome to the only online resource you will need about sports betting in Ohio

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed legislation to legalize sports betting in Ohio in December 2021. As part of that agreement, the deadline for the industry to be up and running in the state is January 1, 2023. While many in the state hoped that it would be ready by the start of the 2022 football season, it was announced in June 2022 that the official launch date will be January 1, 2023.  

During this time, the state is setting up the regulatory framework needed to manage such an endeavor, which includes deciding how gaming licenses will be issued and then regulated once in operation. Once implemented and the law is active, you will be able to place sports bets at retail locations in Ohio and anywhere in the state online via a computer or mobile device.

As of the summer of 2022, sports gambling is legal in 32 states and pending in four others, including Ohio. Four of Ohio’s neighboring states already have legal online and in-person sports gambling—Pennsylvania, Michigan, Indiana, and West Virginia. With its dense population and many sports teams, Ohio will likely become one of America’s hottest betting markets.

Ohio law will allow for as many as 46 online sportsbooks to do business in the Buckeye State come January 1, 2023. Each of these online enterprises must partner with a brick-and-mortar casino, racino (race track where other forms of gambling, such as slot machines, are available), or pro sports venue. 

On June 20, 2022, BetMGM and PointsBet became the first two online sportsbooks to officially apply for a license to do business in Ohio. All of the other major online sportsbook players are expected to the same.

As bettors living in states where sports betting is already operational have found out, there is heavy competition for bettors’ business, and that leads to companies offering favorable deals to join and play on their platform. 

While there will be many more operators in Ohio, here is a brief rundown of the five biggest ones in other states.

Ohio House Bill 29 (HB 29) is the bill that contains Ohio’s new sports betting law.  As we mentioned earlier, it was enacted into law in December 2021 and will go into effect on January 1, 2023.

As part of these laws in each state, sportsbook operators pay a tax on all of its revenue to the state for the ability to do business and fall under its regulatory practices. The taxes range from 6.75% (Iowa) to 51% (New York, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island). For Ohio, that percentage will be 10%, which is lower than most states that have legalized sports betting.

In addition, companies looking to do business in Ohio must apply for a license. There are three types of licenses available.

You will be able to bet on sports in the United States and around the world once wagering opens on January 1, 2023. This includes the major team sports in the U.S. (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS), individual sports like golf, tennis, boxing, and UFC, and international sports like cricket, rugby, and soccer leagues from around the world. 

The NFL is the most popular sport to bet on in the U.S., and Ohio is well-represented in the league with two teams. The Cincinnati Bengals made an improbable run to the Super Bowl last year with second-year quarterback Joe Burrow, but they fell short against the Los Angeles Rams in the big game. The Cleveland Browns are division rivals of the Bengals, both playing in the AFC North. The Browns are one of four teams to have not yet played in a Super Bowl. The Browns have made a partnership with online sportsbook Bally Bet. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers are partnering with both Caesars and Fubo when it comes to sports betting. The NBA has become the second-most popular pro sport to wager on in the U.S. The Cavs, after enjoying plenty of success in the 2010s by going to four-straight NBA Finals with LeBron James (and winning one in 2016), are working their way back into contention. The team is now led by young stars like Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, and Collin Sexton, and they reached the play-in tournament of the playoffs in 2021-22 for the first time since James left the team in 2018. 

Major League Baseball is firmly entrenched in the Buckeye State with two longtime franchises: the Cleveland Guardians and Cincinnati Reds. The Guardians, known as the Indians until 2021, have the longest World Series drought in MLB, having last won a championship in 1948. The team came close twice in recent years, reaching Game 7 of the World Series in both 1997 and 2016 before losing each time. The Reds last won the World Series in 1990 and were beginning to show improvement over the last few years, but they recently traded a lot of their better players in order to get younger—with the exception of longtime first baseman Joey Votto, who remains. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets have been a part of the National Hockey League for 20 years, but they have not had a lot of playoff success. The only playoff series that they won came in 2019, when they recorded a shocking four-game sweep over the Tampa Bay Lightning, who had the best record in the regular season that year. There is some renewed excitement surrounding the Blue Jackets going into the 2022-23 season since they signed free-agent Johnny Gaudreau to a seven-year contract. The 28-year-old had a career-high 40 goals for Calgary last year and has 609 points in 602 games in his career. 

Ohio is represented in the legacy of Major League Soccer and its expansion as well, as the league has become one of the fastest-growing in the United States. The Columbus Crew were a charter member of MLS when it began play in 1996. The team has two MLS Cups, winning in 2008 and 2020. Brian McBride is the franchise’s leading goal scorer with 79. FC Cincinnati began play in 2019 and is having its best year in 2020, sitting in seventh place in the Eastern Conference. 

In some states, betting on college teams residing in the state is prohibited, but it will be allowed in Ohio. This is good news for college football fans, as the Ohio State Buckeyes are one of the top teams in the country. The team has reached the College Football Playoff four times, winning in 2014 and having seven other national championships to its credit. The Buckeyes play their games at the 102,780-seat Ohio Stadium in Columbus. There are a host of other college football and basketball teams in the state, including the Cincinnati Bearcats, who reached the College Football Playoff for the first time after recording an undefeated 2021 season. 

Ohio joins neighboring states Indiana, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and West Virginia in legalizing sports gambling. Kentucky, which borders Ohio to the south, does not have any plans to legalize sports betting in the near future. Online casino gaming (slots and table games like blackjack) and online poker remain illegal in Ohio. Michigan, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia offer online casinos and online poker as well. 

The legalization and regulation of online sports betting is a good thing for Ohio residents who are interested in doing so because it gives bettors a safe place to make bets and ensure that they will receive a proper payout if they win.

We mentioned the 10% tax that operators must pay to the state of Ohio on the revenue they take in from sports bets. On the consumer side, the money you win from betting on sports is fully taxable and must be reported. You may also be able to deduct gambling losses, so be sure to save your tickets, receipts, and online statements. Each online sportsbook allows you to access your betting history, so this is a convenient way to be able to log your wins and losses come tax time. 

As part of a state like Ohio regulating online and in-person sports betting, the government provides resources for those who feel like they cannot control their gambling and may wager more than they can afford. The Ohio Casino Control Commission has a website devoted to responsible gaming and resources that are available for those with a problem. In addition, many online sportsbooks have tools like betting limits, deposit limits, and timeouts that will restrict access to your account if a problem is suspected.