HomeNBA betting in Ohio

NBA betting in Ohio

NBA betting in Ohio is one of the most popular forms of sports gaming, and it is a lot of fun to watch the fast-paced action with a wagering interest in the outcome. On this page, you will find everything you need to know about betting on the NBA in Ohio.

Gary Garry By: Gary Garry
| Last Updated:
Table of contents

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Best Ohio sportsbooks for NBA betting

There are many sportsbooks in Ohio that offer NBA wagering, but there are a handful that stand above the pack, and we list them below.

Caesars Ohio

Caesars Ohio

Caesars Sportsbook is one of the industry leaders all around the country, and the Ohio product is one of the best in the market. This operator stands out because of its outstanding Caesars Rewards program that gives players something back for their patronage.

DraftKings Ohio

DraftKings Ohio

If you look at the Ohio sports betting revenue list, you will always see DraftKings at or near the top. This is one of the premier destinations for NBA betting in Ohio with a very attractive welcome reward.

Bet365 Ohio

Bet365 Ohio

A lot of people are surprised to hear that bet365 is one of the best sites for betting on the NBA in Ohio. This is one of the largest sports betting operators in Europe, and they are now making a major mark on this side of the drink.

Types of NBA betting promos that Ohio sportsbooks offer

These operators give Ohio NBA bettors an advantage from the start with their sign-up bonuses, and there are ongoing special offers for established players. Here are a few of the different types of Ohio betting promos you will see at these online sportsbooks.

  • Second chance bets: This is one of the most common promotions that you will see at sports betting sites in Ohio. When you become eligible for this second chance bets, you get a refund in bonus bets up to a certain amount if you lose your qualifying wager.
  • Guaranteed bonus bets: Some operators will provide guaranteed bonus bets after you make a modest qualifying wager. For example, you may receive $200 in bonus betting credit after you place a $5 wager, regardless of the outcome of the bet.
  • Deposit match bonuses: As the name indicates, a betting operator may be willing to match your deposit in the form of bonus betting credit. This sounds good on the surface, but you usually have to wager the bonus bets a number of times before they can be withdrawn as cash.

How to bet on the NBA online in Ohio

If you are reluctant to bet on the NBA in Ohio because you do not know where to begin, you can rest assured that it is very easy, and these are the steps to follow.

  1. First, click or tap one of the “Get Bonus” buttons at the top of this page to become eligible for your welcome reward. When you take that step, you will be opted in and eligible when you arrive on the sportsbook registration page.
  2. Then, follow the instructions to set up your account. This is the familiar process that you go through any time you set up an online account with added geolocation and identity verifications that are required to comply with gaming laws.
  3. After that, download the app so you have the freedom to bet from anywhere in Ohio. This flexibility is key, and you will also be in the loop when in-app specials are introduced.
  4. Funding is the next step in the process. Most of the sportsbooks accept online banking, credit and debit cards, and PayPal, and there are other methods available depending on the individual operator. These transactions are completely secure, so you have no worries on that level.
  5. When those steps have been completed, it is time to place a wager. These platforms are very intuitive, so the process is self-explanatory. Navigate to the bet you would like to make and follow the prompts to place your initial wager.

Bets you can place on the NBA

You have plenty of options when you bet on the NBA in Ohio. This freedom of choice gives you an advantage because you can search for a wager type that looks like an especially good investment in a particular situation. Let’s look at the possibilities.

  • Moneyline bets: This is the simplest form of betting. You're simply picking which team will win the game outright. Odds are set based on the perceived strength of each team.
  • Point spread bets: With this type of bet, the sportsbook determines a margin of points by which they believe the favored team will win. If you bet on the favored team, they need to win by more than the point spread for your bet to be successful. If you bet on the underdog, they need to lose by less than the spread or win the game outright.
  • Over/under or totals bets: Here, the sportsbook sets a total number of points they believe both teams will score combined in the game. You can bet on whether the total points scored will be over or under this number.
  • Prop bets: These are bets on specific events within a game, not necessarily related to the final outcome. For instance, you might bet on how many points a particular player will score or how many rebounds they'll grab.
  • Parlays: This is a single bet that links two or more individual bets. For a parlay to be a winning bet, all of the linked bets must be winners. The benefit is that the payout is higher than placing each individual bet separately.
  • Teasers: These are analogous to parlays where you adjust the point spread or total in your favor in exchange for a lower payout.
  • Futures: These are bets placed on events that will happen in the future, like which team will win the NBA championship or who will win the MVP award.
  • Live betting: Some sportsbooks offer the opportunity to bet on games as they're happening. The odds adjust in real time based on the flow of the game.
  • Quarter and half bets: Instead of betting on the outcome of the entire game, you're betting on the outcome of just the first quarter, the first half, or other portions of the game.

Reading NBA odds

Reading odds may seem a bit daunting when you are first getting started, but it is actually quite easy once you understand the basics. Here, we explain how it’s done using a hypothetical matchup between the Bucks and the Cavaliers, going from left to right.

Team

Point spread

Moneyline

Over/Under or Totals

Milwaukee Bucks

+1.5/-114

-104

O 216/-112

Cleveland Cavaliers

-1.5/-106

-118

U 216/-108

Point spread

Milwaukee Bucks: +1.5 at -114

The “+1.5” indicates that the Bucks are underdogs by 1.5 points. This means that if you bet on Milwaukee, they need to lose by 1 point or win the game outright for you to win the bet.

The “-114” represents the odds for the spread bet. In American odds, this means you would need to bet $114 to win $100.

Cleveland Cavaliers: -1.5 at -106

The “-1.5” indicates that the Cavs are favored by 1.5 points. They would need to win by at least 2 points for this bet to win.

The “-106” number represents the odds for the spread bet. Here, you would need to bet $106 to win $100.

Moneyline

Milwaukee Bucks: -104

The “-104” means you would need to bet $104 to win $100 in profit. So, if you bet $104 on the Bucks and they win, you would receive a total of $204 (your initial $104 bet + $100 in profit).

Cleveland Cavaliers: -118

The “-118” means you would need to bet $118 to win $100 in profit. If you place a bet of $118 on the Chicago Bulls and they win, you would get a total of $218 (your $118 stake + $100 in profit).

Over/Under or Totals

O 216 at -112: This is the over bet. If you think the total points scored by both teams will be over 216, you would take this bet. The odds of “-112” mean you would need to bet $112 to win $100.

U 216 at -108: This is the under bet. If you believe the total points scored by both teams will be under 216, this is your choice. The “-108” odds indicate you would need to bet $108 to win $100.

Betting on the NBA Finals & playoffs

The regular season is just a precursor to the NBA playoffs, and this is where the action gets hot and heavy. You can place all the different types of wages that we have described during the playoffs, and the intensity is at a fevered pitch for the NBA Finals.

There is an ideal way to get maximum value when you’re betting on the NBA in Ohio with an eye on the playoffs. As we have touched upon, a futures wager is a bet on some outcome that will be decided in the future.

For example, you could bet on the Cleveland Cavaliers to win the NBA title before the season starts. If you go in this direction, you have action all year long as you follow the Cavs’ progress toward the postseason.

As long as they stay in the hunt, you have a betting interest. If they make the playoffs, you will probably be offered an early cash-out, and the amount that is offered will increase if and when they advance into deeper rounds.

Common mistakes when betting on the NBA

Betting on the NBA in Ohio is a lot of fun if you can steer clear of the mistakes that some people make that yield negative consequences. In closing, we will share some of these commonly made errors so you can steer clear of them to enhance your gaming experience.

  • Chasing losses: People usually start out betting an amount that they can afford to lose, but sometimes, emotions can lead to poor decision-making. When you lose a series of bets, you may be tempted to increase your increment to get back your losses. This is a recipe for disaster.
  • Taking yourself too seriously: A lot of sports fans think that they are so knowledgeable that they will put the sportsbooks out of business. In reality, these operators set odds that neutralize matchup advantages, so a wise bettor will stay humble to avoid damaging losses.
  • Betting with your heart: If you are an Ohioan and you love the in-state teams, you may be tempted to back them with cold hard cash. From a financial perspective, you should never bet with your heart and always make sound decisions based on the data that you review.

Author Details

Gary Garry

Gary Garry

Gary Garry started editing and writing for a major Las Vegas sports service in the early 1990s. During that interim, he interacted with some of the most recognizable names in the sports betting industry. Over recent years, he has contributed to Gambling.com, Sports Betting Forum, Doc’s Sports, GamblingSites.com, Crossing Broad, AM New York, Elite Sports New York, Saturday Down South, Mile High Sports, and several other high-profile sites. He has 15 years of legal research experience as well, so he is fully equipped to monitor regulatory changes in the sports betting space.