Legal sports betting has almost arrived in Ohio! Just after the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, the betting windows will open in the Buckeye State for residents aged 21 and over. 16 mobile sportsbooks, 12 retail sportsbooks and over 300 betting kiosks will start accepting legal wagers one minute into 2023. More sportsbooks are at various stages of the approval pipeline and will soon follow as Ohio can license up to 25 online sportsbooks and 40 physical sportsbooks, while any bar or restaurant with a Class D liquor license can apply to open a betting kiosk. In addition any retailer that sells Ohio Lottery tickets can get a kiosk as well.
The launch is a year in the making. Governor Mike DeWine signed House Bill 29 into law on December 21st, 2021, setting the year long legalization process into motion after years of fits and starts in both Ohio legislatures. The timeline from approval to startup is relatively long but unlike most states, Ohio will roll out everything at once. Between the high number of already approved sportsbooks, the large population of the state and the relatively few restrictions, it sets up as perhaps the biggest single debut in the USA to date.
Bettors can sign up now ahead of this weekend’s launch. Click here to get codes to take advantage of our Ohio sports betting promos. Most of the sportsbooks offer first bet free bet insurance in the range of $1000 or straight free bets worth $200 as welcome bonuses. Just sign up, get verified, make any required deposits, and place a bet on the terms of the offer. In the case of first bet free bet insurance, if the bet cashes, just collect the winnings! If the bet loses, the book replenishes your account with a risk free bet equal to the amount lost in the first bet, usually maxing out at the $1000 if that is the limit. The $200 straight free bet offers usually require only a $10 minimum deposit and a $1 first bet.
As of January 1st, Ohio residents can place legal wagers on countless leagues and sports, including of course these popular ones.
NFL
The Cincinnati Bengals look even better than last years’ AFC Champs. Joe Burrow is already one of the top QBs, while Jamar Chase and Tee Higgins form perhaps the best wide receiving tandem in the league. The Bengals host the Bills on January 2nd in a fantastic matchup as the final regular season Monday Night Football game of the season. Ohio residents can place bets on the game well before kickoff. The Bills are currently 1 point favorites with a total of 49.5. If the Bengals win out and the Chiefs lose one of their last two games, the Bengals nab the top seed in the AFC and a bye into the second round. A loss here but a win on January 8th vs the Ravens gives Cincy a second straight AFC North crown. The early look-ahead line has the Bengals favored by 3 points vs Baltimore.
As for futures markets, Bengals range from +350 to +500 to win the AFC and from +700 to +850 to win the Super Bowl. Burrow fetches as high as +800 to capture the MVP, though Patrick Mahomes is a prohibitive favorite there in the -500 range.
The Cleveland Browns were eliminated from playoff contention thanks to last week’s loss in the frigid cold to the Saints. They can play spoiler still however as they are only 2.5 point underdogs at Washington on Sunday with a total of 40.5. Browns fans will have 13 hours from midnight Saturday to get their bets in. Week 18 will find the Browns in Pittsburgh in a game that could decide the Steelers postseason fate.
NBA
This clearly looks like the best Cleveland Cavaliers team since LeBron left town in 2018. The Cavs sit near the top of the East thanks to adding superstar Donovan Mitchell to the already-promising Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen young core. Cleveland prices at about +2000 to win the NBA title and in the +900 to +1000 to win the East. Both prices are a little high according to FiveThirtyEight, which gives the Cavs a 5% chance in the East and a 2% chance at the title.
Cavs fans will have plenty of chances to wager on their team’s game as they will still play 45 regular season contests in 2023 plus however far they make it in the playoffs.
NCAA
Some states restrict wagering on in-state NCAA sports. That would never fly here. Legalization starts too late to wager on Ohio State’s CFB semifinal game vs Georgia, but there is still a potential championship game that might feature a rematch with Michigan no less. Plus it is not as if this is a one-shot deal as the Buckeyes figure in the national race every year..
Ohio State basketball is off to a promising start this season as well, and Big 10 play is about to heat up. The Buckeyes have long +10000 odds to win the title over at BetMGM, and are +1000 to take the regular season Big 10 crown. Xavier is also having a nice season and is priced at +8000 for the NCAA title and +600 to win the Big East regular season.
MLB
Winter may have just begun, but Spring will beckon before we know it. Baseball fans will have at least 162 games of Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Guardians games to wager on in 2023. Pennant, World Series and division title odds are already up at all the major sportsbooks. BetMGM has the Guardians at +2500 to win the World Series and +1200 to take the American League crown. They are co-favorites with the White Sox in the AL Central at +130.
The Reds are the longest of longshots at +25000 for the World Series and +8000 for the NL. No one gives Cincy much of a chance in the NL Central either as they sit at +6600.
NHL, MLS and More
Ohio also has the Columbus Blue Jackets in hockey, although the season prospects already look bleak as the team is beset with injuries. MLS and the Columbus Crew and FC Cincinnati start in March. Soccer bettors have plenty to choose from now as the club season in most of the rest of the world resumes after the World Cup hiatus. The books cover the Premier League as deeply as any US league, not to mention posting odds and live betting markets from soccer leagues all around the globe.
Plus Ohio residents will be able to wager on hugely popular individual sports such as golf, motorsports, combat sports and tennis, and even less popular ones like darts and cricket. Fun and hopefully profits await Ohio sports betting fans in 2023.