Are you on the hunt for new Ohio sports betting sites and apps? Narrowing down Ohio sports betting promos and sportsbook markets isn’t always easy.
After reading this guide to Ohio sports betting locations, sites and facts, you should be clearer than ever on where to start wagering on soccer, baseball, basketball and more.
Is online sports betting legal in Ohio? What are the best Ohio sports betting bonuses? Let’s break down a few of the key takeaways and start by diving into Ohio gambling laws.
🔑 Key Takeaways
- Find out whether online sports betting is legal in Ohio.
- Learn about some of Ohio’s best online sportsbooks.
- Uncover some interesting betting law facts.
- Brush up on statistics from Ohio’s best sports teams.
Is Online Sports Betting Legal in Ohio?
Yes, online sports betting is legal in Ohio. This means bettors can visit sportsbooks legally across the state, whether online or at physical retail locations. Legalization in 2023, thanks to House Bill 29, has quickly made Ohio one of the best US states for sports betting.
According to the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC), which oversees betting and gambling laws across the state:
Betting on sports is also legal through kiosks at liquor establishments alongside online and retail locations.
However, the OH state is still quite guarded against casino gambling. It’s legal to play casino games at a handful of locations across Ohio, but it’s still illegal for people to play for-profit slots and table games online.
Given that sports betting has only recently been legalized in Ohio, many bettors are keen to see whether laws surrounding online casino games follow suit.
When did sports betting become legal in Ohio? Here’s a quick timeline:
- December 2021: House Bill 29 passes through the General Assembly, allowing sports betting to become legal in Ohio.
- March 2022: The Ohio sports betting bill officially takes effect and is enshrined into state law.
- January 2023: Online and offline sports betting officially launches, legally, across Ohio state.
Ohio’s state betting laws still offer some restrictions, including age gating, which I cover in a little more detail below.
10 Quick Facts About Ohio’s Sports Betting Laws
That’s the basics covered, but here are some more quick facts about sports betting in Ohio:
- Ohio’s law: The state’s betting laws are covered by a revised code. Revisions to Ohio’s sports betting laws in the early 2020s are visible under Title 37 of state law, “Health, Safety, and Morals”. Specifically, you’ll find complete legislative details in Chapter 3775, “Sports Gaming”.
- Legal age: There’s an age restriction for sports betting in Ohio. Following many other states, you need to be at least 21 years old to legally place sports bets while in Ohio state. This includes kiosk betting, online betting, and any wagers made at a retail location.
- State border: Ohio is bordered by five states where it’s legal to bet on sports. It’s legal to bet on sports in any of the state’s five neighbors, both online and offline! Ohio shares borders with:
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Michigan
- Pennsylvania
- West Virginia
- Retail bookmakers: Since sports betting’s legalization in Ohio, several retail sportsbooks have opened up.
- Taxes: Across the US, you must declare and pay taxes on sports betting wins each fiscal year. In Ohio, the rate of tax you pay on gambling winnings is 20%. This was originally 10% but was doubled in mid-2023.
- Online sportsbooks: Thanks to retail and online betting opening up at the same time, the online sportsbook scene has exploded in Ohio, too. Some of the most popular sites include:
- BetMGM
- Bet365
- Caesars
- Fanatics
- BetRivers
- Casino games: Given Ohio’s strictness regarding online casino gambling, the only legal way you can play casino games online here is through sweepstakes and social sites.
- Horse racing: Surprisingly, it’s been legal to place parimutuel bets on horse racing in Ohio since the year 2000! In fact, this was a law amendment, as the 1978 law didn’t account for electronic terminals.
Fun fact: You can take part in these parimutuel horse race bets legally from the age of 18. - Fantasy sports: Long ahead of Ohio sports betting being legalized, sports fans across the state have been able to play daily fantasy sports since 2017. You can play fantasy sports here from the age of 18.
- Ohio’s first year of sports betting: Ohio has taken up sports betting quickly, with Ohioans wagering more than $7.6bn on sports in 2023, making it the fifth-highest sports betting state in the US!
How to Bet on Sports in Ohio?
Since online sports betting was made legal in Ohio, it’s gotten easier for people to find sportsbooks, register, and make a deposit.
To demonstrate, here’s the process I followed to sign up at FanDuel Sportsbook:
- Start the registration process: I headed straight for the “sign up” section of FanDuel’s website and started filling out my information. This included an email address, and I needed to create a username and a password.
- Fill out your details: I filled out my ID details for the sportsbook to verify my identity and location. Remember, it’s important to make sure you’re registering from somewhere in Ohio when you do this!
- Once verified, check out the sportsbook: It didn’t take FanDuel too long to verify my details, and once the sportsbook was satisfied that I was a legitimate customer, I was able to log in to check out the markets. All the sports offered by the site were available from the top menu bar, so I clicked tennis to start.
- Find a match or game, and place a bet: From here, I decided to bet on Mariano Navone beating Jack Draper in an ATP Queens match. Next to Navone, I selected “+820” as the point spread, and I opened my bet slip at the bottom of the screen. I then entered a stake of $5 and placed my bet.
Top Ohio Sports Betting Sites and Apps
Now that you’re clearer on how to get registered and make a bet at Ohio sportsbooks, it’s time to compare and contrast some Ohio sports betting promotions.
Here are our top three legal OH bookmakers to register and place bets at while visiting or living in Ohio.
FanDuel Sportsbook
- Welcome Offer: Up to $150 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins
- Minimum Deposit: $5
- Wagering Requirement: $5 initially, then the bonus bet portion of a winning stake
FanDuel is a clean, modern sportsbook that packs a lot of useful information into a pretty small space! A central search bar makes it easy to spot big events such as PGA Tours and soccer tournaments.
FanDuel Sportsbook’s betting system is also really intuitive. Even if it’s your first time betting, it’s easy to pick a sport, then a market, and add it to your bet slip. It’s one of the best apps for mobile sports betting Ohio fans can download too.
Caesars Sportsbook
- Welcome Offer: Up to $1,000 bonus bet if your first wager loses
- Minimum Deposit: N/A
- Wagering Requirement: Bonus bet portion of a winning stake
Caesars Sportsbook is sleek and classy, and I recommend you check out its amazing app. It’s one of the fastest and easiest sportsbooks to use online — no matter where you register. What I especially like about Caesars is that you can use Caesars Rewards here, which is great news if you’ve been to their casinos before.
The welcome deal is a generous deposit match, meaning if you bet $1,000, you’ll get $1,000 back in bonus bets if your first wager loses.
Bet365
- Welcome Offer: Up to $1,000 in bonus bets if your first bet loses, or bet $5, get $150 in bonus bets
- Minimum Deposit: $5
- Wagering Requirement: Bonus bet portion of a winning stake
Bet365 Sportsbook is a fantastic sports betting brand that I’ve seen making a big mark in Europe when I’ve been traveling. It’s also making a great impression here in Ohio, with a colorful yet professional sportsbook layout that makes markets easy to spot and manage.
There’s a choice of two bonus deals here, with one being another generous deposit match and the other being a big reward for a comparatively small wager.
Popular Sports and Teams in the Ohio Betting Scene
If you’re new to sports betting in Ohio, you’re in luck, as this is a state that is well-known for its sporting prowess.
Baseball
To start with, let’s take a look at Major League Baseball. MLB fans in Ohio get to pick between the Cincinnati Reds and the Cleveland Guardians, both being previous World Series champions and pennant recipients. Ticketing trends prove these are the two most popular teams with fans – and for good reason!
Both the Reds and the Guardians have yet to claim a World Series in the 21st century. However, both teams have incredible longevity in the game. The Reds have been playing since 1881, and the Guardians since 1896!
Football
Over in the NFL, football teams to watch in Ohio include the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals. The Browns have an edge over the Bengals in that they’ve won eight championships since getting started in the late 1940s. However, the Bengals have appeared at the Super Bowl three times — the Browns have never made it that far!
The Bengals have brought football all-stars such as Jim Breech, Corey Dillon, and Ken Anderson to public attention. With the Browns, meanwhile, names such as Brian Sipe, Ozzie Newsome and Lou Groza are likely to resonate with fans.
Basketball
The sporting action in Ohio doesn’t stop there! Basketball fans can sit courtside and watch the Cleveland Cavaliers, an Eastern Conference NBA team that has played since 1970.
The Cavaliers raised eyebrows in 2016 when the team claimed their first-ever championship! The team has produced some amazing basketball talent over the decades, with the numbers for Larry Nance (22), Nate Thurmond (42), Zydrunas Ilgauskas (11) and Brad Daugherty (43) all being retired.
Hockey
When it comes to hockey, Ohio’s premier NHL action arrives courtesy of the Columbus Blue Jackets, a team that plays at the city’s Nationwide Arena and has been in the league since 2000.
At the time of writing, the Blue Jackets have yet to win a title in the league and have had a mixed history regarding fortunes on the ice. That said, never say never as there’s always time for Ohio’s hockey stars to turn the tables.
When I last visited Ohio, I was floored by how many local sports markets I could bet on. Compared to some states that don’t have any professional sports teams to speak of, such as New Hampshire, Ohio is absolutely a hot seat for sporting aficionados.
The Impact of Local Teams on Sports Betting
Ohio’s first year of legal sports betting proved to be extremely successful, with reports that around $6bn in Ohio sports betting revenue was generated in 2023, with $7.6bn worth of bets wagered. It’s also thought around 97% of this was attributed to online sporting bets, meaning sportsbooks apps have exploded across the state.
Experts in Ohio sports betting news, such as Steve Bittenbender, paraphrased in the Dayton Daily News, claim that the state’s sports fandom is helping with the boom.
As illustrated by my roundup above, plenty of professional sports teams are playing out of Ohio State, and I haven’t even touched on college and semi-pro teams!
Local teams’ impact on sports betting in Ohio helped add to around $780m in revenue declared taxable in 2023. So, it’s clear the move to legalize betting is paying off.
Upcoming Events
Want to know more about Ohio sports betting events coming up? Bookmark this page and keep an eye on our rolling events section below. We’ll update this with the latest local updates so you always know what you can bet on far in advance — whether you’re a basketball, hockey, football, or baseball fan.
Are There More Gambling Options in Ohio?
Sports betting is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Ohio gambling options. Here’s what else you can play in the state.
- Ohio Lottery: Lottery games in the state are managed by the Ohio Lottery Commission, a draw regulator. It’s legal for people to bet on lottery games in Ohio from the age of 18, and you can find games at providers such as DraftKings and FanDuel.
- Land casino gaming: Although online casino gambling is banned in Ohio, you can still play table and slot games at brick-and-mortar casinos within the state. These are regulated in four key cities: Toledo, Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati. You’ll find poker, blackjack, roulette, slots, and more here.
- Social and sweepstakes casinos: You can’t play profitable casino games online, but you can still win prizes by playing on legal sweepstakes and social sites. These sites don’t require you to make a deposit.
Maximizing Your Bets
Want to know how to be better at sports betting? Our complete guide will help, but here are a few select tips for Ohio bettors.
Tips and Strategies for Ohio Bettors
- Get into the mindset: The mindset of a bettor is that you can’t just focus on winning. To start, there’s never a guarantee you’ll win big on any bets, so a healthy perspective is key. However, the best betting mindset is one that loves statistics and research.
- Start researching your favorite Ohio team’s recent performance and matchups: Are there any suggestions they might win or lose in the next few games? Really immerse yourself in the sport and become more confident in picking the best odds.
- Learn to manage risk: As mentioned, there are no guaranteed wins in betting. So, you need to learn how to manage risk and discipline yourself when betting.
Consider setting a separate cash pot for your betting money so you don’t eat into daily finances. Also, make sure to use betting sites’ exclusion and self-help services to restrict how much money you spend on betting. - Diversify your betting slip: All the Ohio sportsbooks I listed above let you mix up your betting slip. That means you can add different sports and events to the same slip anytime.
Unless you’re a huge fan of a particular sport, why not dip into the NHL, NFL, and MLB markets too?
Understanding Taxes and Payouts
Do you have to claim sports betting on taxes in Ohio, I hear you ask. Yes, and the Ohio sports betting tax rate has actually doubled to 20% since legalization.
Initially, sportsbooks will present you with a W2-G form, which you use to declare winnings to the IRS if you win over $600 in prizes.
- If your winnings are below $600, you still need to declare it.
- If you win more than $5,000 on sports betting, bookmakers will withhold 24% of it to pay the federal tax!
This means you need to pay tax twice, once at the state level and once at the federal level. Make sure to record your gambling winnings and losses on your Ohio and federal tax forms and send them to the IRS. You’ll have to calculate winnings and losses carefully, so ask a tax advisor for help if needed.
It’s not clear if state taxes will get another Ohio sports betting update, but you should always keep your receipts!
What About Physical Sports Betting Locations?
Let’s check out three great physical sports betting locations worth heading to.
JACK Thistledown Racino
The Thistledown Racino is a 24-hour gaming center located on Emery Road in North Randall. It offers a popular casino, horse racing, sportsbook, and dining service.
Website: jackentertainment.com/thistledown
Great place to go for a fun day out, especially for the horse racing! Tons of parking 🅿️ (Free) and Free Admission every day! Nice indoor seating if weather doesn’t cooperate.
Several new restaurants after a huge revamp recently! 🍀
Kieran, Google
MGM Northfield Park
MGM Northfield Park is located on Northfield Road and offers racing nights alongside betting experiences and live music events.
Website: mgmnorthfieldpark.mgmresorts.com
Really fun atmosphere, super friendly staff, and a great selection of games. Highly recommended for anyone traveling to Cleveland.
From TridAdvisor
Belterra Park
Belterra Park is a Boyd Gaming center located on Kellogg Road in Cincinnati. It’s famous for its live racing, scenic views, and dining.
Website: belterrapark.boydgaming.com
I had a great time. This was my first time watching and betting on races. The attendants were very helpful in terms of explaining the different types of wagers you can place on a horse.
Christopher W., Google
So, Will You Bet from Ohio Tonight?
Now you know all about Ohio’s betting laws, sportsbooks, and physical betting spots. It’s time to start exploring the different markets and odds available to you!
Carefully look at the online sportsbooks and Ohio sports betting apps we’ve recommended, but also take some time to explore the local retail scene. Ohio is a sports fanatic’s paradise, with so many great teams and stadiums to visit.
Are you new to betting but aren’t sure how to make the most of your bankroll? We have plenty more advice to share with you! Start by heading over to our Betting 101 section before you explore Ohio’s best betting spots!