Digital venues and a dozen retail outlets in Ohio receive authorization for launch this Sunday
Sports Betting Goes Live in Ohio on New Year's Day
Ohio will make history on Sunday as legal sports betting goes live for the first time. A total of twelve physical locations will open, with sixteen digital platforms set to go live, subject to final regulatory approval.
Among the physical locations, Barstool Sportsbook will be available at Hollywood Casino Columbus, Hollywood Casino Toledo, Hollywood Gaming at Dayton Raceway, and Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley. PENN Entertainment plans to open four Barstool Sportsbook-branded locations. Hard Rock Digital will be offered at Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati. JACK Entertainment will open two in-person sportsbooks.
At Belterra Park, FanDuel will operate, and Betway will also be available. Superbook Sports will be found at FC Cincinnati at Taft's Ale House, marking the first time an MLS team will participate on a launch day. MGM will open its second retail book at a ballfield and one at Northfield Park.
In the digital realm, BetRivers will be available at Hollywood Gaming Dayton Raceway, and tipico will be found at Crew SC Stadium Company. BetMGM will be available at Northfield Park and The Cincinnati Reds at the Machine Room.
The Ohio Casino Control Commission has granted final regulatory approval to these sixteen digital platforms to launch. Many digital operators plan to go live at 12:01 a.m. on New Year's Day or soon afterward.
For those who prefer retail betting, the Cincinnati Reds have partnered with BetMGM for their retail sportsbook. The Cleveland Guardians have partnered with Fanatics Sportsbook for retail betting and bet365 for online/mobile betting. Other retail sportsbook partnerships include Caesars (Cleveland Cavaliers, Scioto Downs), ESPN Bet (Hollywood Casino locations), and BetMGM (Machine Room in Cincinnati, Northfield Park).
Among these, only FC Cincinnati is an MLS team with a sportsbook partnership explicitly noted as Superbook.
Several pre-launch offers are available for new customers. For instance, betJACK will be available at JACK Cleveland Casino and JACK Thistledown Racino, with a promotional offer of Bet $1, Get $365 in Bonus Bets. There's also a Deposit Match Up To $1,100, $1000 in Bonus Bets!, and Bet $100, Get $100 in Bonus Bets Every Day For 10 Days!
However, BetFanatics and Underdog Sportsbook, which have initial approval, do not plan to go live on Jan. 1.
This marks an exciting new chapter for sports betting in Ohio, with a wide range of options available for consumers, including betting on the Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, and many other options.
- On New Year's Day, Barstool Sportsbook, a brand operated by PENN Entertainment, will be available at four physical locations for sports betting in Ohio.
- Among the MLS team partnerships for retail sportsbooks, FC Cincinnati has partnered with Superbook Sports, marking the first time an MLS team will participate on a launch day.
- Despite initial approval, BetFanatics and Underdog Sportsbook do not plan to go live on January 1 in Ohio, offering only pre-launch promotions such as Bet $1, Get $365 in Bonus Bets at betJACK.
