Ohio Sports Betting: Best Legal Sportsbooks

Is sports betting legal in Ohio?

Yes. Governor Mike DeWine signed House Bill 29 at the end of 2021, and Ohio launched retail and online sports betting together on 1 January 2023. Opening both channels on the same day, with dozens of operators ready, made it one of the biggest single-day launches the US industry has seen.

The Ohio Casino Control Commission licenses and regulates every sportsbook in the state. You must be 21 or older to bet, and you need to be physically located in Ohio when your wager is placed.

Retail sportsbooks and kiosks across Ohio

Ohio's law created three types of licence: online operators, retail sportsbooks at venues such as casinos, racinos and professional sports facilities, and self-service betting kiosks in bars and restaurants that hold a liquor permit. That last category, run with the involvement of the Ohio Lottery, is unusual and means you may find a betting terminal in your local sports bar. Kiosk wagers come with lower betting limits than online accounts. Whichever channel you use, the same minimum age and Casino Control Commission rules apply.

Ohio sports betting sites we review

All three US sportsbooks in our rankings, BetMGM, bet365 and BetRivers, hold Ohio licences. That gives Ohio bettors a real choice: it is worth checking prices on the same market across more than one app, because small differences in odds add up over a season.

The Casino Control Commission has been one of the more active regulators in the country, particularly on advertising and on how promotions are described, so licensed operators in Ohio are expected to be clear about bonus terms. Geolocation checks run every time you bet, so an Ohio account stops accepting bets once you cross the river from Cincinnati into Kentucky, which licenses its sportsbooks separately.

• Regulator: Ohio Casino Control Commission
• Launch: 1 January 2023, retail and online
• Minimum age: 21
• Licensed brands we rank: BetMGM, bet365, BetRivers
• No player prop bets on college athletes

College player props are off the board

Ohio initially allowed player props on college athletes, but in February 2024 the commission banned them after the NCAA raised concerns about harassment of student athletes. You can still bet on Ohio State, Cincinnati and other college teams at the game level, such as spreads, totals and moneylines, but not on an individual college player's statistics.

Gambling winnings are taxable in Ohio at the state level, and some cities also levy local income tax, so keep accurate records.

Buckeyes, Bengals and Browns

Ohio's two NFL teams, plus the Cavaliers, Guardians, Reds, Blue Jackets and Columbus Crew, give bettors a rivalry for almost every season, and Ohio State football dominates autumn Saturdays. If betting starts to feel like pressure rather than entertainment, the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-589-9966 is free and confidential, and the state runs a Time Out voluntary exclusion programme.