A sports betting launch in Ohio is imminent, giving bettors in the state an opportunity to legally wager on everything from the NFL to college football to the NBA to professional golf and much more.
It’s expected that 16 mobile sportsbooks and 13 retail sportsbooks will go live in Ohio on Sunday. Additionally, there will be hundreds of sports betting kiosks set up at smaller businesses like bars, restaurants, and grocery stores, with some of those launching in early January (more on the plans for that rollout later).
Here’s the list of the 16 mobile sportsbooks (and their retail partners) expected to go live in Ohio this weekend:
- Barstool Sportsbook (Hollywood Casino Columbus)
- Betfred Sports (Cincinnati Bengals)
- betJACK (JACK Cleveland Casino)
- BetMGM (Northfield Park Associates)
- Betr (HOF Village Newco, LLC)
- BetRivers (Hollywood Gaming Dayton Raceway)
- Betway (Belterra Park)
- bet365 (Cleveland Guardians Baseball Company)
- Caesars Sportsbook (Scioto Downs)
- DraftKings (Hollywood Casino Toledo)
- FanDuel (Belterra Park)
- Gamewise/MVGBet (Miami Valley Gaming and Racing)
- Hard Rock Digital (Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati)
- PointsBet (Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley)
- SuperBook (FC Cincinnati Holdings)
- Tipico (Crew SC Stadium Company)
Ohioans will have their first chance to legally wager on the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals in the coming days. The Browns play at the Washington Commanders on Sunday, while the Bengals host the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football. That’s arguably the game of the week across the entire NFL.
"That's what the NFL is for. The best of the best to play…and put on a show for the whole world to see."
Asked Ja'Marr Chase about his excitement to face the #Bills on MNF with so much on the line.#Bengals @fox19 pic.twitter.com/ZjgeFg6Jsc
— Jeremy Rauch (@FOX19Jeremy) December 29, 2022
Local news roundup
Ohio for Responsible Gambling has launched its Pause Before You Play campaign, which encourages bettors in the state to bet responsibly. The campaign attempts to educate bettors about the dangers of wagering too much too quickly, while also promoting the development of responsible gambling habits.
“Sports are getting faster and faster, and so is betting,” the Pause Before You Play campaign webpage says. “You can now place bets in the middle of the game, easier and quicker than ever before. But betting too fast can lead to making bets without thinking about the risk, which can become a problem with gambling.”
Given the widespread accessibility of sports betting in Ohio, regulators and key stakeholders in the state want to promote responsible betting. The campaign launch comes shortly after the Ohio Casino Control Commission sent a memo to sports betting stakeholders asking for improved responsible gambling measures in advertisements.
In Columbus, a news station caught up with local business owners launching sports wagering kiosks at their business. There’s excitement in the region about adding a revenue and entertainment source. And in Cleveland, a local news publication broke down a tweak in the municipal tax code that’s being viewed an attempt by the city to benefit from sports betting winnings.
Ohio Lottery kiosk rollout details
The Ohio Lottery shared some additional specifics related to a sports betting kiosk rollout in the state. In short, not all sports wagering kiosks will go live on Jan. 1.
BetIGG and UBet Ohio plan to launch sports betting kiosks at over 50 locations at the beginning of January, but Intralot’s sportsbook (Sportsbet Ohio) won’t be ready to launch until mid-January. Intralot’s offering will be available at clerk-operated terminals at roughly 700 locations across the state. Users need to build bets on the Sportsbet Ohio app before it produces a code to be scanned at the counter of the establishment, which then officially places the bet.
We have mapped out the 1,500 locations pre-approved to host sports gaming kiosks. Sports gambling in Ohio will become legal on Jan 1. #10TV https://t.co/HZzjcqCNna
— Clay Gordon (@ClayGordonNews) December 30, 2022
BetSkybox expects a phased launch starting in mid-January, and Gold Rush Sports Betting expects a February launch. Elys Game Technology and Wright Bet Venture will launch offerings later in 2023, but their specific launch timeline remains unspecified.
It’s worth noting that lottery kiosk wagering across Ohio is limited. Users can’t place prop bets, as they’ll only be allowed to wager on spreads, totals, and moneylines. Users can place parlay wagers, but they can’t be more than four-leg parlays.
Live betting on OSU-Georgia?
No. 4 Ohio State faces No. 1 Georgia on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET in a College Football Playoff semifinal. Unfortunately for Ohio bettors, the game starts four hours before the launch of legal sportsbooks in the state.
Some bettors are wondering: Could the game go beyond midnight, offering the chance to place live bets on the action?
It’s possible, albeit unlikely.
The game likely won’t kick off immediately at 8 p.m. ET, and prime-time college games aren’t known for their timeliness. Looking at last year’s playoff games, the longest of the three games was the national championship, which clocked in at three hours and 41 minutes.
Each of Ohio State’s games this season has lasted at least three hours and 15 minutes. The Buckeyes’ last two games have each gone over three hours and 30 minutes, including a three-hour-and-48-minute game against Maryland. Ohio State’s longest game this year was a three-hour-and-59-minute blowout win over Wisconsin.
Bettors’ best hope to wager on the Buckeyes on New Year’s Day might be the game heading to overtime. The national championship in 2018 went to overtime, and the game between Alabama and Georgia lasted three hours and 50 minutes.
Other stories from OH Bets
Mike Seely wrote about the University of Cincinnati adding gambling treatment to the school’s social work program curriculum.
Jill Dorson wrote about the OCCC warning operators about irresponsible advertising that neglects responsible gambling best practices.
Jill also wrote about SuperBook Sports’ upcoming plans in Ohio.
Photo: Nathan Ray Seebeck/USA TODAY
