With such close proximity to Pennsylvania and West Virginia, who have already legalized sports betting, Ohio is trying to catch up to keep their sports bettors within state borders. With 12 million people in the state, the potential missed revenue from sports betting could greatly help the state.
Currently, the only forms of gambling in the state are limited to commercial casinos, poker, horse betting and Daily Fantasy sports betting. You can bet socially of course, the state has a hard time regulating bets made with friends.
Casinos are new to the state, as they were prohibited until 2009. Since then, 11 casinos and racinos have popped up, including four standalone Las Vegas-style casinos. The market isn’t exactly booming for these styles of casino, and revenue isn’t picking up as of late.
In 2017, they followed the lead from other states, and chose to legalize Daily Fantasy Sports betting. This allows residents from Ohio to pay entries into sports pool contests at FanDuel or DraftKings, or a similar service.
Usually if DFS is legalized, there’s a good chance that sports betting is on lawmakers minds.
Can I bet on sports in Ohio?
Not yet, but lawmakers have a placeholder bill to begin the process of creating sports betting legislation. So in due time, there will be sports betting legalized in Ohio. But for now, sports bettors will have to look to online sportsbooks and betting online.
Betting online is safe and easy at the right sportsbooks. It’s a good idea to do your research and ensure you find a sportsbook that’s safe and trustworthy.
Betting on Ohio Sports Teams
Ohio is home to many professional and collegiate sports teams.
In the NFL, The Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals call Ohio home. The Browns have been around since 1945, and was relocated to Baltimore in 1996, then back to Cleveland in 1999. They haven’t done anything notable, they’ve been one of the worst teams in the NFL for decades.
The Bengals were brought to Cincinnati in 1966 as an expansion team, and they have secured nine division titles and two conference championships, but have yet to win a Super Bowl.
In the NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers were formed as an expansion team in 1970, and it was a rough start – losing their first 15 games and struggled for years. In 2003, they picked LeBron James No. 1 in the draft and suddenly, the tides turned, where they won seven division titles, five conference championships and one NBA final. Since losing LeBron to the Lakers, we’ll see how that pans out.
There are two Major League Baseball teams in Ohio: the Cleveland Indians and the Cincinnati Reds. The Indians have been around since 1901, winning two World Series championships, and 10 Central division titles. They currently hold on to the longest World Series drought in the history of the game, with their last World Series win being in 1948.
The Cincinnati Reds are even older, with their first season being in 1881. They’ve won five World Series titles, nine National League pennants and 10 division titles.
In the NHL, the Columbus Blue Jackets came to Ohio as an expansion team in 2000, and haven’t had much luck in the playoff department. They have only qualified for the playoffs once in their 18 year existence.
What to look for in an online sportsbook
There are so many online sportsbooks to choose from, it’s hard to know which one you should pick. We have done some of the leg work for you – we have used and reviewed some of the top sportsbooks available. We have reviewed some of the important criteria that bettors look for when shopping for an online sportsbook, including deposit options, bonus information and cashout options.
Check out our sportsbook reviews and choose the right sportsbook for you based on your needs.
