Legal sports betting finally came to Ohio on New Year’s Day in 2023. Retail sports betting has been widely adopted across Ohio at in-person sportsbooks and at hundreds of kiosks located in bars, restaurants, stadiums and even grocery stores. Residents and visitors of the state also have plenty of online options to choose from with 19 different state-approved online sportsbooks currently active state-wide, with more expected soon.
Ohio Sportsbooks Features & Promos
The best Ohio sportsbooks all have great mobile apps and other key features that sports bettors are looking for including a large selection of parlay, live betting, and prop betting options. Each of our featured Ohio betting sites also has fast withdrawal times with some payment methods available in just 24 hours.
Now that you have an idea of what makes these sites the best in Ohio, you will need to try them out for yourself to decide which one is right for you. Take advantage of each site’s welcome bonus on your first deposit and try out the apps, shop for lines on your favorite sports and see which sportsbook design you feel most comfortable using.
Ohio Sports Betting Legal Path
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine officially made sports betting legal when he signed House Bill 29 into law on December 22, 2021. Legislators originally expressed optimism that sports betting would be ready to launch online and at retail locations prior to the deadline for the law to go into effect on January 1, 2023, but that wound up being the day sports betting finally went live.
Threats made against players on the in-state University of Dayton Flyers in regards to player props last year prompted the Ohio Casino Control Commission to take action. On February 23, 2024, Ohio updated its sports betting rules to remove college props from the list of legal bets that operators are allowed to offer.
Additional Ohio Legal Betting Path Details
Here are some key questions regarding Ohio's sports betting rules.
How old do you have to be to bet in Ohio?
Players must be at least 21 years old to wager on sports in Ohio.
How many sportsbooks operate in Ohio?
Ohio currently has 19 active online sports betting sites.
Can you bet on college sports in Ohio?
Betting on college sports is permitted in Ohio, but player prop bets on college athletes was recently banned.
Can you play daily fantasy in Ohio?
Daily Fantasy Sports have been legalized in Ohio since 2018.
can you bet on Esports in Ohio?
Esports can be legally bet on in Ohio.
Can you bet on Politics & Entertainment in Ohio?
Politics (i.e. election results) and entertainment awards (i.e. Academy Awards) are not permitted in Ohio.
Home Field Advantage
Ohio is home to six different professional sports teams across the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL. While these six pro teams have combined to win only one championship since 1990, they still receive plenty of support from loyal fans state-wide.
NFL: Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals
The Browns won multiple NFL championships back in the pre-Super Bowl era, but recent history has been far less kind as the team has only one playoff win since 1999. Joe Burrow led the Bengals to the Super Bowl in the 2021 season but fell short of the ultimate prize in a 23-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. These two teams will both enter the 2024 season looking for their first ever Super Bowl championship.
MLB: Cleveland Guardians and Cincinnati Reds
The Guardians have had some strong seasons in recent years with four AL Central Division titles and one trip to the World Series since 2016, but the club’s last championship came back in 1948. The Reds have a rich history with five all-time World Series titles, but since their last championship back in 1990, they’ve only made the playoffs five times and won a single series.
NBA: Cleveland Cavaliers
LeBron James spent 11 of the first 15 seasons of his historic NBA career with the Cavaliers, leading the team to its first NBA championship in 2016. The Cavaliers broke a four-year playoff drought last season and are in good position to make the postseason again in 2024 with a talented young core led by shooting guard Donovan Mitchell.
NHL: Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets joined the NHL as an expansion team in 2000 and haven’t accomplished much since then. Columbus has won only two playoff series in its existence and is set to miss the playoffs for the fourth-straight season in 2024.
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