Ohio Sports Betting Officially Underway

Pete Rose was banned from baseball after betting on the Cincinnati Reds in the 1980s. His latest on Sunday earned him the VIP treatment.

state of play: Ohio’s long-awaited foray into legal sports betting kicked off as the clock struck midnight to welcome the New Year.

• Rose made his first bet at Cincinnati’s Hard Rock Casino, helping launch a betting rush in casinos, restaurants, bars and about 20 flashy apps.

big picture: Joining the majority of states that have legalized sports betting since the federal ban was overturned in 2018.

• Legalization is having a domino effect as states pursue spectacular tax revenue streams.

Usage: The majority of statewide bets are placed on one of 25 online apps. Most of them are already working.

• There is also retail gambling in casinos, some sports arenas, and licensed restaurants and bars.

what they say: Ohio is unique in being able to license so many phone apps and betting kiosks at local businesses, Geoff Zochodne, an analyst at Covers.com, told Axios. I’m here.

• Ohio has had the advantage of observing other states’ programs in developing its own rules and services, he says.

in the meantime, Carriers have spent the past year social media feed With promotional ads.

in numbers: Ohioans are expected to gamble more than $8 billion this year. This equates to $2 per resident per her day.

• Ohio taxes most businesses 10% of their net income, with the proceeds going to K-12 education and gambling addiction services.

conspiracy: Last weekend’s College Football Playoff semi-final could have gone past midnight, potentially allowing live betting on the Buckeyes for an exciting ending.

• Heartbreaking miss kicks exact seconds Calendar flipped to 2023.

😬 Conclusion: As sports fans know well, this isn’t the first wave of athletic frustration, nor will it be the last.

• the only difference? Next time Ohioans will bet the (legal) money.

👋 Tyler hereImmediately after the ball has landed — in both Times Square and the Peach Bowl — I made one of the first legal bets in Ohio.

• If he got one yard in the next day’s Browns game, he won the app’s promotional “freebie” bet.

before dawnI also went to Hollywood Casino Columbus to check out the brand new kiosk where I placed a small bet on the upcoming title game.

reality check: I’m a big sports fanatic, but I’m an amateur bettor. I plan to bet for fun, not for profit.

• Here is some advice if you want to jump into the water responsibly.

to shop: “It’s a bit of a buyer’s market,” Zochodne said of the wealth of in-person and online options.

• Each vie for your loyalty by offering a series of promotions and bonus bets. Take your time looking around.

Please read these bonuses carefully. These vary greatly by sportsbook. Some offer instant free bonus money to wager on, while others require a deposit to unlock various rewards.

• But be careful with the word “free”. Usually you cannot withdraw or pocket this bonus without betting a few times first.

Don’t bet on something you can’t afford to lose. This is an important axiom in all forms of gambling, but especially when it comes to shiny new betting opportunities on popular sports teams and leagues.