Ohio Sports Betting + OH Online Sports Betting

With more and more states getting into the action with sports betting, people in Ohio may be wondering “Where can I get involved with all this sweet sports betting I’ve heard so much about?” But, the question they might really need to be asking is WHEN? Below are the five things you need to know about Ohio sports betting and OH sports betting apps.

1) Is Ohio Sports Betting Legal?

Sports betting is not currently legal in Ohio, but, fortunately, they are surrounded by states who are embracing sports betting. Currently, Ohio is considering legislation that would make it legal. The belief is that the state will legalize sports betting sooner rather than later.

2) What Bills are Currently Before the State Legislature?

Some good news is on the way for Ohio constituents, according to Rep. Dave Greenspan. His bill, H 194, advanced through the House Finance Committee with only one dissenting vote in May and got House floor clearance with extreme ease. Greenspan says he expects the Ohio sports betting bill to pass.

However, there are some key differences between Greenspan’s bill and S 111, which was introduced last year by Sen. John Eklund. The biggest point of difference is the regulatory body. The House bill has the Ohio Lottery Commission overseeing sports betting, while the Senate bill has the Casino Control Commission as the regulator.The sponsors have spent more than a year arguing the point of contention.

3) What are the Next Steps for OH Sports Betting?

While sports betting is illegal in Ohio, people can play online fantasy sports and bet on horses (both video races and real races).

Greenspan says he believes it will take the House passing his bill for negotiations to formally begin and have the sports betting details be decided upon.

The Ohio legislative session runs all the way until the end of the year. The governor has made it known he wants sports betting legislation passed before the November elections.

4) What are the Most Popular Teams to Bet on in OH?

Like Florida, Ohio is home to a multiple professional sports franchises in the major sports leagues across America. The Bengals, Browns lead the way in the NFL, with the Indians and Reds in MLB, the Cavaliers in the NBA and the Blue Jackets in the NHL. That doesn’t even take into account the buzz athletics get at “The Ohio State University.” So, without a doubt, there’s likely an appetite to be satiated in the sports betting world within the borders of Ohio.

5) Is There Anything Else to Know About Ohio Sports Betting?

At the moment there aren’t any online sportsbooks to bet on, but there’s growing optimism that it will be possible within the next year or two. It seems most likely that it will happen first in land-based casinos with online betting options following soon after.

Ohio has a long and interesting gambling story that switches that went from first to fourth gear in no time. Here’s a brief history of gambling in Ohio:

1790 – Gambling, for the first time, is made illegal in the state and carries a relatively large $200 fine.
1807 – Lotteries, which had been common at the time, were now legally banned.
1933 – For the first time horse betting, as Pari-mutuel wagers, are legalized.
1973 – Changes made to the Constitution that allows Ohio to reinstate its lottery which includes scratch-off games, draws and electronic terminals.
1975 – Constitutional amendment makes charity bingo and raffles legal.
2004 – Control of charity gambling is now controlled by the Lottery commission.
2009 – For the first time the state approves of and licenses four commercial casinos in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo and Columbus.
2012 – Video lottery terminals are offered at racinos.
2012: A new form of gambling at Internet Sweepstakes Cafes become a legal issue. The cafes offer games played on a computer that have randomized potential prizes and the legal issue discusses whether they need to be licensed under the gambling statutes or are exclusive and different.

What are the Most Common Types of Bets I Can Make in Ohio?

Straight bet

This is the most common bet type and it is just a straight up single bet on a game. A point spread is determined by the oddsmakers with one team being favored by a certain amount of points. Let’s take a look at an example line below to give a clear indication of what a straight bet would be:

Boston Celtics -6.5 (-110), moneyline -320

at Cleveland Cavaliers +6.5 (-110), moneyline +260

O/U 206

The Celtics are favored by 6.5 points in this example. This means that if you bet the Cavaliers, you are getting 6.5 points, so if the Cavaliers win the game, or lose by fewer than seven points, you will win the bet because of your 6.5-point cushion. On the other side, when you are laying 6.5 points as the favorite, you would need the Celtics to win by seven or more to win the bet.

Final Score: Celtics 102 Cavaliers 98. Cavaliers would cover even though the Celtics won the game because the +6.5 point spread is enough to cover a four-point defeat.

Moneyline Bet

The moneyline is a bet where there is no spread; you are just picking the winner of the game. In the example above, the Cavaliers ML is +260, which means that for every $100 wagered, you win $260 if the Cavaliers win the game outright. They receive the plus side of the moneyline since they are the underdog and picking them rewards you with nice odds since they are projected to likely lose the game. On the flip side, if you bet the Celtics ML at -320, you have to bet $320 to win $100. They are the favorites so if you decide to bet the moneyline instead of the point spread, you are forced to bet additional money to win $100.

In the example above, the Celtics ML would be the winner as they won the game outright. The spread is irrelevant for a moneyline wager.

Over/Under

This is a straight bet wagering on how many total combined points will be scored in a game by both teams. For example, an NBA game may have an over/under of 210 points, which means that the oddsmakers are projecting a combined points total of 210 between the two teams. If you think the teams are going to score more than 210 points total, you bet the over, and conversely, if you think it’s going to be a defensive struggle, you can bet the under hoping that the total points scored equals 209 points or less.

Parlay

A parlay is a bet where you combine multiple bets into one bet and you get increased odds because you only win your parlay wager if all of your bets win. If you do a three-team parlay, you select three different teams from three different games and if you win all three of the bets you hit your parlay for longshot odds (6-1 so $100 to win $600). Going 0/3, 1/3, or 2/3 is all the same and you lose the parlay bet. It’s all or nothing which makes them tough to hit and is more of a home run type bet than a regular straight bet since there’s a chance for a big payoff.

Ohio Sports Betting FAQs