Thanks to legislation passed at the end of 2022, legal retail sports betting went live in the Buckeye State on January 1, 2023 to much fanfare, instantly popular amongst gamblers in the state on day one. Fast forward to nearly a year later, and there are more than a dozen locations for Ohio sports betting throughout the state.
Thanks to rules and regulations put in place by the Ohio Casino Control Commission, Ohio sports betting locations have continued to flourish, as they are used in tandem with the online sports betting and apps, also present in the state. Today, however, we are going to take a closer look at the brick and mortar Ohio sports betting locations, giving you an idea of what you can expect on your first visit to any one of them.
List of all retail sportsbooks in Ohio
There are 13 in-person Ohio sports betting locations where residents (and visitors) can bet on everything from sports to horse races. Below is a comprehensive list, as well as where they are located.
How to place a bet at an Ohio retail sportsbook
If it is your first time placing a bet in-person when visiting a sportsbook, it might seem a little bit intimidating not knowing all the ins and outs. Have no fear, as OHBetting.com has you covered with the simple steps required in learning how to place a bet at an Ohio retail sportsbook.
1. Find the Sportsbook
When getting to the Ohio retail sportsbook location, there will most likely be a casino or racetrack attached to it. Make your way to the sportsbook itself, often made clear by signs. If all else fails, ask one of the casino staff members to point you towards where the sportsbook is.
2. Rewards Account
If you plan on visiting this Ohio retail sportsbook often, it’s a good idea to sign up for a rewards account to earn points for every bet you place. Head over to the customer service desk in the sportsbook to sign up for an account, which will require only basic information.
3. Find Your Game/Wager
Every Ohio retail sportsbook location will have what is called an odds board, which simply displays the odds for every game or match that they are offering. Find the game and team you are interested in, and note down the three-digit number directly to their left. This is known as the rotation number, and you can continue reading to learn more about why that’s important.
5. Collect Your Winnings
In betting with both a betting kiosk and a live agent, you’ll receive a piece of paper telling you how much you risked and stand to win. If your bet is a winner, return to either the kiosk or betting window to exchange your betting slip for the amount of money you risked, plus won.
What types of sports betting locations exist in Ohio?
In the state of Ohio, there are two major types of sports betting locations where patrons can head to bet on sports and horse races. Let’s take a closer look at both, including a few of the most popular locations to get involved in the action.
Casinos
With the first one opening its doors in early 2012, there are now four full-scale casinos in Ohio that offer sports betting locations. In addition to full service sportsbooks, each also offers a casino complete with thousands of video slots and no less than 70 table games. Poker rooms are also common in Ohio casinos, with multiple World Series of Poker sponsored rooms throughout the state.
Some of the biggest sports betting locations at casinos in Ohio include Hollywood Casino Columbus, Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati, and Jack Cleveland Casino. At each of them, sports bettors can enjoy betting on everything from niche sports such as MMA, to the major sports and Ohio’s favorite teams including the Cleveland Cavaliers, Cincinnati Bengals, Columbus Blue Jackets, and more.
Race tracks
Also known as Racino’s, there are seven horse race tracks in Ohio that offer year-round betting on horse races both locally and throughout the country. In what are referred to as simulcast rooms, bettors can watch horse races from across the country, using the betting windows at the racino to bet on them. Also prevalent at the state’s racinos are Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs) which function similar to slot machines and are games of chance.
Very popular in the state of Cleveland, there are currently seven race track racinos operating throughout the state, surrounding all of the biggest cities. Some of the biggest in the state include Jack Thistledown Racino, MGM Northfield Park, Belterra Park Cincinnati, and Eldorado Gaming Scioto Downs.
