OHIO, USA — January 2023 marked the first month that sports betting was legal in the state of Ohio.
And it appears Ohioans were willing to wager.
On Tuesday, the Ohio Casino Control Commission released its revenue reports for sports gaming and casino gaming for the month of January. Included was the news that Ohioans placed more than $1,113,251,403 in wagers, resulting in $208.9 million in revenue for providers.
According to the Ohio Casino Control Commission, the vast majority of sports gaming wagers were placed online, with 16 operators accounting for $205 million in revenue. Additionally, Ohio’s 14 in-person, retail sportsbooks reported $3.2 million in revenue, with Ohio’s four casinos tallying $86 million in gaming revenues for the month of January.
The entirety of the January 2023 revenue report can be viewed in the document below.
According to multiple analysts, Ohio's strong first sports betting month exceeded expectations, with the Buckeye State ranking as the second-biggest market by handle for January, according to Ben Fawkes of VSiN Live and DraftKings. Per Fawkes, only New York totaled more wagers in January 2023, with the Empire State tallying $1.8 billion in bets placed.
The legalization of sports betting in Ohio marked the culmination of a years-long process to legalize sports gambling in the state following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to strike down a federal ban on sports gaming in 2018. Even prior to the passing of House Bill 29 in December 2021, bordering states Michigan, Indiana, Pennsylvania and West Virginia had each already launched sports gaming programs.