Ohio sports betting: Best sites and apps for Buckeye State residents

Ohio sports betting is now live with a number of sportsbooks up and operational. The Inquirer is here to guide you on the best welcome offers you can redeem in the state.

21+ and present in OH. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

OH only. 21+. New users and first wager only. Must register with an eligible promo code. Bet amount of qualifying wager returned only if the wager is settled as a loss. Maximum bet credit $1,500; must be used within 14 days of receipt. See Caesars.com/promos for full terms. Void where prohibited. Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

21+ and present in OH. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

21+ and present in OH. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

21+ and present in OH. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

New Customers only, 21+ and present in OH. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Deposit required. Free Bets added to Free Bet Credits balance. Free Bet risk excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply.

Ohio sports betting is now live, and the wait begins to see just how lucrative this endeavor proves to be in the Buckeye State.

The likes of BetMGM, FanDuel, Caesars, BetFred, and DraftKings are just some names that are running in the state and have been since launch day on Jan. 1, 2023.

SuperBook Sportsbook is the most recent sportsbook to launch in Ohio, as they went live on Jan. 12 with a generous welcome offer.

Bettors in Ohio can currently take advantage of state exclusive welcome offers being offered by some of these these sportsbooks by clicking on the offer codes above.

Other sportsbooks that have also been approved to be operational in Ohio include PointsBet, Bet365 and Jake Paul’s betting platform Betr.

Former MLB legend Pete Rose already made headlines in the Buckeye State when he placed a legal futures bet on the Cincinnati Reds winning the 2023 World Series. Rose was notoriously banned from the MLB in 1989 for gambling on the Reds.

With the Cincinnati Bengals set to face the Buffalo Bills in the NFL Divisional Round of the playoffs, it’ll be fascinating to track how much that impacts the number of wagers placed.

Both retail and online sports betting launched in Ohio on January 1st, 2023, with all the preparations now in the rear-view mirror.

This comes about after HB 29 passed both chambers of the Ohio Legislature in December 2021 and was signed by Gov. Mike DeWine on Dec. 22.

As many as 18 different sportsbooks have already been handed sports betting licenses by the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC), with these including: SuperBook, BetFred, PointsBet and many others. 16 digital platforms are up and running.

These sports betting sites will be some of the first to launch in the Buckeye state come the new year, with a number of other sports betting licenses set to be given out in due time.

Ohio is one of the most populated states in the USA. As a result, the expected financial income the state will receive through taxation is projected to be massive.

The most recent projection from BetOhio.com projects $8.8 billion being made in handle (gross amount of wagers placed) over the state’s first year of operation.

Bettors took advantage of launch day coming on the same day the majority of Week 17 NFL action occurred. Over 11.3 million transactions took place over New Year’s weekend alone when sports betting launched.

With the Cincinnati Bengals having a marvelous postseason run that has them in the AFC Championship Game, that only figures to increase the amount of handle in Ohio.

Yes, sports betting is legal as of Jan. 1 2023, following the signing of HB29 into law in December 2021.

All of online, mobile and retail sports betting is set to go live on this date, with 18 sportsbooks already being given sports betting licenses by the OCCC in preparation for January’s launch.

More licenses will certainly be given out in due course, with there set to be as many as 25 online sportsbooks available for those in OH come the new year.

Yes, college wagering will be completely legal in Ohio, with no limitations to speak of.

While a lot of neighboring states have restrictions against prop betting or betting on teams from in-state, Ohio doesn’t have any of these laws in place.

The Ohio Casino Control Commission are in charge of governing sports betting in the Buckeye state, with the OCCC the ones in charge of handing out sports betting licenses currently.

Five have already been given out to various major sportsbooks, with more to be issued in the near future as we slowly but surely approach the launch date of January 1st.

You can currently not bet on sports anywhere in Ohio given the fact that sports betting doesn’t become legal and active until January 1st.

However, you won’t be short of options when it comes to betting on sports in the Buckeye state once the time comes, with a number of choices set to be available come the new year.

In order to wager on sports in Ohio, you must be at least 21 years old, with you also needing to be within OH official state lines in order to withdraw any winnings.

You’ll be able to bet on a whole range of different sports in Ohio once sports betting goes live, with the sports you’re able to wager on depending on the sportsbook you’re using.

The likes of baseball, basketball and football will be available via all major sportsbooks, with smaller sports such as handball, snooker and darts being available depending on the sports betting site you’re using.

Ohio residents will also be granted the luxury of being able to wager on college teams and college props from in-state universities, which is something not every state has.

Caesars are one of the most well-known betting brands around given the popularity of their casino brand, with their sportsbook doing their reputation justice with its strength and stature.

They offer a range of markets across a variety of sports, with their selection of odds boosts and live betting markets some of the best around.

Their welcome offer is also very strong, with all of these attributes coming together to make Caesars one of the best sports betting sites around.

OH only. 21+. New users and first wager only. Must register with an eligible promo code. Bet amount of qualifying wager returned only if the wager is settled as a loss. Maximum bet credit $1,500; must be used within 14 days of receipt. See Caesars.com/promos for full terms. Void where prohibited. Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

BetMGM Sportsbook is another renowned sportsbook whose brand has skyrocketed in popularity over recent years.

Not only does this sportsbook offer strong odds on all of their game props, but they run a lot of odds boosts and same game parlays for bettors to select from.

They also have a very good welcome offer new players can take advantage of, which will give Ohio residents up to $1,000 back in bonus bets with an unsuccessful first wager by using bonus code INQUIRERMGM.

21+ and present in OH. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

FanDuel’s sportsbook is one of the best and most well-known across the country with those in OH soon able to try out their sports betting site and see why it’s one of the best around.

Their same-game parlay feature and range of boosts allow you to get creative with your bets and claim improved odds on certain markets respectively, with their range of futures markets also excellent.

A strong sign-up offer is available, with you able to claim these bonus funds on the day FanDuel go live in Ohio and wager them on any market you please.

21+ and present in OH. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

BetFred’s sportsbook started out in Europe and has only recently moved across the Atlantic to the US, with those in OH soon able to try out their sports betting site and see why it’s one of the best around.

Their ‘BetFred’ boosts allow all users to get improved odds on a range of markets, with their range of promos for new and current users extremely impressive.

A strong sign-up offer is available, with you able to use the bonus funds from this offer to wager on the range of markets they have available.

21+ and present in OH. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

SuperBook Sports was only available in a half dozen US states before launching in Ohio on Jan. 12. Although SuperBook might not have as much recognition nationally as the sportsbooks above, they remain a solid option for new sports bettors.

Their welcome offer is one of the absolute best in the business for Ohio bettors, as they’ll match your first bet up to $1,000 regardless if it wins or loses.

SuperBook usually runs a lot of promotions for existing customers, which make it enticing to return. They also have a strong selection of pre-game parlays and live betting markers, giving you a diverse betting experience.

21+ and present in OH. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Bet365 is a lesser known name in sports betting, as they’re still relatively new to the scene. That said, it hasn’t taken long for them to shoot up the ranks and become more recognized each day.

Ohio sports bettors can easily claim $200 in bet credits on this sportsbook by redeeming the welcome offer above. No promo code needs to be typed in for you to be eligible. Just place a $1 bet, and $200 in bet credits will be coming your way.

Bet365 is a great destination for those interested in live betting and live streaming. They also offer a strong range of deposit and withdrawal options to make it so anyone can easily take part in wagering on the platform.

New Customers only, 21+ and present in OH. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Deposit required. Free Bets added to Free Bet Credits balance. Free Bet risk excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply.

12 retail sportsbooks are live in Ohio as of Jan. 23. These retail sportsbooks have been planning to go live for quite some time now, and went through all the necessary preparations to ensure they were good to launch on time.

Some examples of these retail sportsbooks and casinos include Hard Rock, Caesars Barstool, SuperBook, and BetMGM. This ensures you have plenty of selection if you prefer to wager in a real establishment rather than on your phone or computer.

Sports betting in Ohio has been legal for years, however this is set to change come January 1st 2023, as sports betting becomes legal and active in OH for the very first time.

This all started back in 2019 when the first sports betting bill was introduced, with it taking up to nine hearings before this bill was passed by the House

However, they then suffered a setback as new legislator Sen. Kirk Schuring took up the cause of passing an OH sports betting bill, with this pushing the process back to the start.

Eventually, HB29 was put together by Schuring, and after several months of debate, HB 29 passed through the House and Senate with several amendments in place to allow sports betting.

The Bill was then signed into law by Gov. Mike DeWine, with Jan. 1 2023 being the day everything went live.

In between DeWine signing the law and the launch of sports betting, licenses were handed out, as both the sportsbooks and state prepared for everything that came with the Jan. 1 launch date.

Ohio is home to many sports teams across all the major sporting leagues in the USA, including the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB. They also have an MLS team and college teams you can bet on since the state doesn’t restrict wagering on in-school teams.

The Inquirer has a list of these teams below so you can know what betting options you have.

The Ohio State Buckeyes are one of the most successful college sports teams in NCAA history. They won the College Football Playoff Championship in 2014, and have been in four other playoffs since.

Most recently, Ohio State lost to the Georgia Bulldogs in the first round of the College Football Playoffs. With C.J. Stroud off to the NFL, it’ll be a new chapter in the program’s history next season.

In the history of the franchise, the Cavaliers have won just one NBA championship back in 2016 as they came back from 3-1 down to beat a 73-9 Warriors team in what was arguably the best comeback in sports history.

They currently have a very strong roster containing the likes of Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell, with some favoring them to secure a top-six finish in the East this year.

You’re able to bet on all of their regular season games, whether you think they’ll make the playoffs, win the Eastern Conference or win the NBA Championship.

The Reds have won five World Series titles in their history, an impressive return when you consider they’ve made the postseason just 16 times in their history.

You’re able to bet on the Reds’ regular season games, the amount of wins you think they’ll achieve, whether you think they’ll win their division, make the playoffs or win the World Series.

The Guardians have two World Series wins to their name in history, with Cleveland having made the WS another four times in total, making the postseason in five of their last seven years as well.

You’re able to bet on the Guardians’ regular and postseason outings, whether you think they’ll win the World Series as well as whether you think they’ll make the playoffs.

The Crew have won the MLS Cup twice in their history, with their most recent coming back in 2020, with Columbus also having one US Open Cup win to their name as well.

All of their MLS regular and postseason games are available to be wagered on, with you also able to bet on them to win the MLS Cup and make the playoffs.

Cincinnati have only been around since 2016, and given this, are yet to taste success in the US Soccer scene, with their best attempts seeing them finish in the playoffs in the 2022 campaign.

You’re able to wager on all of their regular and postseason games, whether you think they’ll make the MLS Cup final and whether they’ll win the actual trophy come the end of the campaign.

In the Cincinnati Bengals’ history, they’ve yet to hoist the Lombardi Trophy despite three appearances in the Super Bowl.

Cincinnati have made the AFC Championship Game, and bettors can wager on that game, as well as place futures bets on if they think the Bengals will avenge last season’s Super Bowl loss by being victorious this season.

The Browns have just one Super Bow win to their name in history. Although they won three NFL championships before the Super Bowl era began, things haven’t been great for them lately, as they’ve made the postseason just three times since 1990.

All of the Browns’ regular season games can be wagered on, as well as Cleveland to make the playoffs, win their division, conference and the Super Bowl.

The Blue Jackets have only been around for a matter of decades at this point, being founded in 2000, with Columbus’ best efforts to win the Stanley Cup seeing them reach the Second Round in the 2018/19 campaign.

You’re able to bet on the Blue Jackets’ regular season games, Columbus to win their conference, make the playoffs and win the Stanley Cup with all top sports betting sites.

The NFL regular season is now in the rear-view mirror. The Cleveland Browns failed to make the playoffs following a 7-10 record, and will look to bring in more talent in hopes of a better 2023 campaign.

However, Ohio residents can still wager on the Cincinnati Bengals, who defeated the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills in the first two rounds of the playoffs to advance to the AFC Championship Game, where they’ll face the Kansas City Chiefs for a second consecutive season.

The NFL isn’t the only sport making waves in Ohio however, as Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers started 2023 off white hot with a 71 point explosion from Mitchell in their first game of the new year.

The Cavaliers’ next few games to bet on include the Knicks on Jan. 24, the Rockets on Jan. 26, and the Thunder on Jan. 29.

You can also wager on the Columbus Blue Jackets in the NHL. Their upcoming schedule goes as follows. They face the Flames on Jan. 23, the Oilers on Jan. 25, and the Canucks on Jan. 27.

Finally, the Ohio State Buckeyes may have been eliminated from the college football playoffs, but their basketball team is in action with conference matchups against Illinois on Jan. 24 and Indiana on Jan. 28.

The Inquirer is not an online gambling operator, or a gambling site. We provide this information about sports betting for entertainment purposes only.