* Please note - Our star ratings are based on our personal opinion of the gambling sites we work with. We also take customer feedback into account in our rankings.
It is official – sports betting has arrived in the Buckeye State. On January 1, 2023, the state of Ohio and Betfred Sportsbook officially launched sports betting.
Sports bettors in Ohio have plenty to bet on between the Bengals in the playoffs, Ohio State in the CFP, or the surging Cavaliers.
Betfred Sportsbook isn’t necessarily one of the biggest names in the United States betting world, but the U.K.-based sportsbook is undoubtedly a prominent name globally.
Betfred has made its way over to the United States, and after the collapse of PASPA in 2018, they’ve made some considerable noise in plenty of states such as Arizona, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Iowa, and are now primed to enter Ohio.
Below, we will review the prospects of Betfred Sportsbook Ohio. We will go over their Ohio sports betting bonus (and it is an enticing one!), what you can expect from their mobile and desktop apps, and other details surrounding their licensure in Ohio.
Betfred Sportsbook is in Ohio
For sportsbooks that wanted to launch in Ohio on day 1, January 1, 2023, the deadline to apply for a sports betting license in Ohio was July 15. Betfred was one of the many sportsbooks that applied and was ultimately approved to carry an online sports betting license in Ohio.
This confirms that Betfred has been able to accept bets in Ohio. They are officially live!
Now, what can Ohioans expect of Betfred? Betfred has made some noise in other states and has one of the better welcome bonuses in the business. And it’s an intriguing welcome bonus for new Betfred users…
Betfred Sportsbook OH bonus offer
Ohio sports betting launched on January 1, 2023. For Ohioans who have yet to join, register for an account on Betfred today to redeem the sportsbook’s welcome offer!
Betfred Sportsbook OH Promo Code
Coming Soon
Betfred OH Bonus
Bet $50, Get up to $1,111
OH License Partner
Cincinnati Bengals
Online Launch
January 1, 2023
How does it work? Well, once you’ve signed up, registered an account on Betfred Sportsbook, and made an initial deposit of at least $50, you need to make a $50 bet with your money of at least -200 odds (can be longer odds such as -150, +100, etc.).
Once your initial bet is settled, you will receive $111 in Fred Bets regardless of the result of your wager. Where the additional $1,000 in bonuses comes in is the second part of this stacked new-user promotion.
After receiving the $111 Fred Bet to start, all pre-registrants will then enter a five-week period that allows players to earn back 50% of their net losses in the sportsbook each week, up to $200.
So let’s say you happen to lose $400 on sports bets during the first week of the promotion. As a result, Betfred will load up your account with $200 in Fred Bets to soften the blow. As soon as the following week begins, players are free to repeat this process knowing they will get a little something back in the event of a loss. If the promotion is taken advantage of during all five weeks, a total of $1,000 in additional bonuses are up for grabs.
Fred Bets are essentially free bets that you can use on the sportsbook without fear of losing real money. If you have $5 in Fred Bets, you can use that $5 on a wager to win some real money! Please note, Fred Bets are not withdrawable, and you will have a week from the day they are issued to use them before they expire.
When will Betfred Sportsbook launch in OH?
Betfred Sportsbook was approved to offer online sports betting in Ohio through a license deal with the Bengals. Their application to partner up with the Cincinnati Bengals was approved, and the UK-based sportsbook officially launched on the Ohio sports betting launch date, January 1, 2023.
Betfred’s OH licensing
The licensing partner of Betfred Sportsbook in the state of Ohio is the defending AFC North and Super Bowl runner-up, the Cincinnati Bengals. The partnership is a multi-year agreement that makes Betfred the official sports betting partner of Cincinnati’s football team.
With legalized sports betting having launched on January 1, 2023, with appropriate licensure and legislative approval, Betfred will launch their Ohio mobile sports betting app for fans to place wagers on sporting events anywhere within the state borders.
The Bengals partnership will also include plenty of promotional opportunities where Betfred and Cincinnati will team up for more fan engagement and an attempt to broaden their outreach.
Betfred OH retail location
As of right now, Betfred did not apply for a retail license on July 15. This comes as a little bit of a surprise.
The Bengals had two home games scheduled right after the launch: January 2 against the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football and the last week of the regular season against the Baltimore Ravens on January 8, which carried AFC North and playoff implications.
However, since it is a multi-year agreement, Betfred and the Bengals may have their eyes on opening a retail location in a later year when the location can launch at the start of a football season.
But for now, Betfred do not have a plan for a retail spot at Paul Brown Stadium for this upcoming season. Stay tuned for future updates.
Betfred Sportsbook brand reputation
Founded in 1967, Betfred is one of the more reputable sportsbooks in all of the U.K. With over 1,500 betting stores and an online sportsbook, Betfred is one of the best presences in the U.K. Betfred has launched in four US states, and Ohio is looking like the fifth.
Betfred has a chance to become one of the premier sports betting names in coming years as they continue to expand in the United States. As more states legalize, like Ohio, expect Betfred to be a serious player.
Some of Betfred’s prominent brand ambassadors are Broncos receiving legend Rod Smith and English footballer Stuart Pearce.
Creating a Betfred OH account
To play on Betfred Sportsbook in Ohio, you must be at least 21 years old. There are no exceptions.
In addition, you must be within the state borders to properly be geolocated. There will be no way that you can circumvent the app’s geolocation software. You should not have any issues as long as you are within the state borders.
It is also important to note that you do not need to be a resident of Ohio to play on Betfred Sportsbook in Ohio. However, you have to be in the state when you place a wager on your sportsbook app.
If you check those boxes, signing up is straightforward. Just click the “Register” button on the website or app, and enter personal details such as your first/last name, date of birth, and contact information. You must answer security questions and create a unique username and password.
Once this is finished, you will need to provide the last four digits of your social security number. After this, you can make your initial deposit (make sure it’s at least $50 to qualify for the welcome bonus!).
Once the Betfred ops team approves your account information and verifies everything, you should be up and running in no time.
Be on the lookout for a top Betfred sportsbook Ohio promo code. We’ll have the hook-up ready for you once we get a little closer to launch date, so stay tuned.
Betfred OH mobile app
With the proliferation of mobile sports betting spread around the United States, it is an excellent time to be a sports bettor.
Add Betfred Sportsbook to the list of functional and visually appealing mobile sportsbook apps the sports betting industry is currently offering. Betfred does a solid job with its blue and white interface. The app’s functionality is apparent, and it is easy for anyone to navigate.
To create a betslip, click on the market you’d like to wager on, and a betslip will be created on the right-hand side. Or you can click on the “Betslip” tab on the bottom of your screen.
If you’d like to continue and add to the betslip to make a parlay, you can continue to click through the markets and bet types you’d like to add.
You can find the available markets and leagues you can bet across the bottom of the app under “A-Z leagues.”
This app is available for both iOS and Android users. On the app’s front page, you will find any featured games that the app is designating. In addition, if you scroll down your front page, you will see other active sports that you can wager on for today.
Betfred desktop overview
Betfred’s desktop is an expanded version of their already sufficient sportsbook mobile app. In terms of functionality, an appealing interface, and an easy app to navigate, Betfred nails it with their desktop version.
The menus of markets that users can navigate are on the left-hand side of the screen. Overall, the app comes together much more nicely on desktop, but that’s usually the case with any sportsbook as a mobile app can feel overwhelming.
Security
With many sportsbooks joining the Buckeye state, by law, each of these entities is required to be overseen. Betfred Sportsbook, along with any other legal sportsbooks joining Ohio, will be governed by the Ohio Casino Control Commission.
The Ohio Casino Control Commission will keep an eye on all gaming operations online to ensure their operations are secure and safe for their users. So, all in all, customers of Betfred have nothing to worry about!
These entities oversee their operations; betting online is just as safe as betting in person.
Available betting markets
Betfred Sportsbook offers any and all sports the modern fan would want. All the major four American sports are here, including soccer, tennis, and plenty of college sports to bet on.
Additionally, users can venture into plenty of ancillary markets like rugby, motor racing, and MMA.
Below, here is a list of the sports you can wager on from Betfred Sportsbook:
Baseball
Basketball
Boxing
Football
Golf
Ice Hockey
Mixed Martial Arts
Motor Racing
Olympic Sports
Soccer
Table Tennis
Tennis
Rugby
Volleyball
Bet types
Betfred Sportsbook has all the bet types you’d want in a standard book. If you wish to wager on a moneyline or point spread, or you’re an experienced bettor that wants to dabble with some prop bets, Betfred has you covered:
Moneyline
Point spread
Parlays
Player props
Game props
Futures
Teaser
Total (over/under)
Deposits and withdrawals on Betfred
Our biggest gripe with Betfred is its relatively paltry selection of banking options for its users.
But for an up-and-coming sportsbook, this is to be expected. We’d imagine this list will grow in the future, but for now, customers need to utilize the following deposit/withdrawal methods:
PayNearMe
Play + Card
Skrill
VIP Preferred E-Check
Betfred Sportsbook customer support
Similar to the lack of banking options, Betfred’s customer service department is not as robust as some of the more prominent players in the industry. On Betfred, users can track down their support team via email, chat, or call.
However, unlike most sportsbooks, Betfred has different phone numbers and email addresses depending on which state you are playing in.
Unfortunately, Betfred Sportsbook does not have an FAQ page for common questions and issues sportsbooks players run into. This is a big miss by their team, and we hope they can correct this in the near future.
Betfred Sportsbook OH final thoughts
In the table below, you can check out some advantages and disadvantages of sports betting with Betfred OH.
Betfred Pros
Betfred Cons
Established name with more than 50 years of experience
Few banking options
Clean and intuitive platform design
Not so great customer service
Wide range of betting options
To conclude, except maybe for the most experienced gamblers, everyone will be satisfied with the overall assortment of sports and wagers. Betfred Sportsbook OH has a lot to offer and we are sure that it is only going to get better.
21+ and present in OH. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
Betfred applied and was approved for a sports betting license before the July 15, 2022 deadline. Because of this, Betfred Sportsbook was able to launch on Ohio’s universal launch date on January 1, 2023.
Betfred and the Cincinnati Bengals have struck an agreement making the UK-based sportsbook an official partner of the defending AFC Champions.
Betfred Review Summary
Bottom Line
Betfred Sportsbook is one of the more exciting new operators headed to Ohio. Between the site’s long history of serving sports bettors overseas to its quality mobile app and desktop offerings, Betfred should be a top priority for all Ohio-based gamblers.
Derek Mountain works in the Boston area as an Evergreen Content Writer for Better Collective. Derek is a recent graduate of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA where he majored in Philosophy and played football for five years as well as walking on the basketball team his freshman year. He has a passion for all things sports and sports betting, which led him to BC. He's a diehard fan for his Philadelphia Eagles and avidly supports the Phillies, Sixers and Flyers. Twitter: @DerekMountain | Email: [email protected]
Derek Mountain works in the Boston area as an Evergreen Content Writer for Better Collective. Derek is a recent graduate of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA where he majored in Philosophy and played football for five years as well as walking on the basketball team his freshman year. He has a passion for all things sports and sports betting, which led him to BC. He's a diehard fan for his Philadelphia Eagles and avidly supports the Phillies, Sixers and Flyers. Twitter: @DerekMountain | Email: [email protected]
