Ohioans bet $10.3 billion on sports in 2025, and $10.1 billion of it went through apps. This guide ranks the best Ohio sportsbooks, all licensed by the Ohio Casino Control Commission.
FanDuel is our top pick for its Same Game Parlays and a welcome offer that pays $50 a day for a week. DraftKings is second and took the biggest share of Ohio's online handle in August 2026. BetRivers is third, live since launch day through Hollywood Gaming Dayton Raceway, with iRush Rewards on every bet.
The biggest welcome offer among our top Ohio betting apps is Hard Rock Bet's Bet $5, Get Up to $500 in No Sweat Bets. The page covers every Ohio sportsbook promo and whether a Promo Code is needed, the laws and restrictions, a timeline since 2021, and the local teams and big games.
You need to be 21 and physically in Ohio to bet. Visitors can bet too. Enjoy!
Our top 5 Ohio sportsbooks, ranked on welcome offer value, everyday features, app quality and how they treat bettors.
Live since launch day in Ohio, through Belterra Park near Cincinnati. The welcome offer pays out daily for a week, which suits anyone betting the Buckeyes on Saturday and the Browns or Bengals on Sunday.
21+. Ohio only. New customers. $5 min deposit. Bet $5+ each day for your first 7 days to get $50 in bonus bets that day. Bonus bets expire 7 days after issue; stake not returned. Terms apply. 1-800-589-9966.
A $5 first bet unlocks $200 in bonus bets plus three months of NBA League Pass, handy for following the Cavaliers all season. DraftKings runs in Ohio through Hollywood Casino Toledo.
21+. Ohio only. New customers. $5+ first bet. $200 in bonus bets paid as $50 every 7 days over 21 days. Bonus bets expire 7 days after issue and are non-withdrawable. League Pass renews at $16.99 a month unless canceled. Offer ends Nov. 29, 2026. Terms apply. 1-800-589-9966.
Rush Street Interactive's sportsbook has been live in Ohio since launch day, through Hollywood Gaming Dayton Raceway. If your first bet loses, you get a bonus bet back.
21+. Ohio only. New customers. If your first bet loses, you get a bonus bet back, up to $250. Not available to Time Out Ohio participants. Terms apply. 1-800-589-9966.
Hard Rock Bet went live at midnight on launch day, with a retail sportsbook inside Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati. The welcome offer covers a losing bet every day for ten days.
21+. Ohio only. New customers. First cash bet $5+ at odds of -500 or longer. Ten No Sweat Bet tokens, one a day for 10 days, each covering a cash bet up to $50. Tokens expire the day they're issued; bonus bets expire 7 days after issue. Offer runs to Dec. 31, 2026. Terms apply. 1-800-589-9966.
bet365's Ohio license runs through the Cleveland Guardians. Your $10 first bet earns $200 in bonus bets whether it wins or loses.
21+. Ohio only. New customers. $10 min deposit and $10 qualifying bet within 30 days of registering. Bonus bets expire 7 days after issue; stake not returned. Terms apply. 1-800-589-9966.
Also licensed in Ohio: BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, Fanatics Sportsbook, theScore Bet, Bally Bet, betJACK, MVGBet, Prime Sportsbook.
Every new-customer offer we verified for Ohio this month, side by side. None of them needs a promo code. Ohio's rules say a bonus can only be called "free" or "risk-free" if you can't lose your own money on it, which is why you'll see "bonus bets" and "No Sweat" instead. From Jan. 1, 2027, sportsbooks can deduct 10% of the promotional credits you bet from their taxable revenue, the first deduction of its kind in Ohio.
| Sportsbook | Welcome offer | Promo Code | Key terms | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FanDuel Sportsbook | Bet $5, Get $350 in Bonus Bets ($50 a day for 7 days) | Not needed | $50 a day for 7 days when you bet $5+ that day | Claim |
| DraftKings Sportsbook | Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets + 3 Months of NBA League Pass | Not needed | $50 every 7 days over 21 days; offer ends Nov 29, 2026 | Claim |
| BetRivers Sportsbook | Second Chance Bet up to $250 | Not needed | Bonus bet back if your first bet loses, up to $250 | Claim |
| Hard Rock Bet | Bet $5, Get Up to $500 in No Sweat Bets | Not needed | 10 daily tokens, each up to $50; odds -500 or longer | Claim |
| bet365 | Bet $10, Get $200 in Bonus Bets, Win or Lose | Not needed | $10 deposit; bet within 30 days; 7-day expiry | Claim |
21+. Ohio only. New customers. Offers checked October 2026 and can change at any time. Always read the full terms. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-589-9966 (Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline).
FanDuel Sportsbook went live in Ohio on launch day, Jan. 1, 2023, in partnership with Belterra Park near Cincinnati. Its online handle is now reported under the Hollywood Mahoning Valley license. FanDuel took about 31% of Ohio's online handle in August 2026, per Ohio Casino Control Commission figures.
Its best feature is Same Game Parlays. You can build a Browns or Bengals parlay from a spread, a total and player props, and keep betting once the game starts. Boosted odds run on top.
New customers get Bet $5, Get $350 in Bonus Bets ($50 a day for 7 days). No Promo Code is needed. Markets include moneylines, spreads, totals, parlays, player props, futures and live betting on the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, soccer, golf and UFC. Ohio State game lines are fine, but Ohio has banned props on individual college athletes since March 1, 2024.
DraftKings Sportsbook launched in Ohio on Jan. 1, 2023, in partnership with Hollywood Casino Toledo. It took about 32% of Ohio's online handle in August 2026, the most of any app, per Ohio Casino Control Commission figures.
Its best feature is the SGP and SGPx builder, which lets you stack Same Game Parlays from different games into one ticket. Dynasty Rewards pays Crowns and Tier Credits as you bet, and cash out is available on most bet types.
New customers get Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets + 3 Months of NBA League Pass, a useful extra for Cavaliers fans. No Promo Code is needed. DraftKings covers moneylines, spreads, totals, parlays, props, futures and live betting on the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, soccer, golf, tennis and UFC. Think a Bengals spread on Sunday or a Guardians total in summer. Ohio State and other college game lines are open, but individual college player props are not.
BetRivers Sportsbook went live in Ohio on launch day, Jan. 1, 2023, in partnership with Hollywood Gaming Dayton Raceway. Rush Street Interactive runs it. BetRivers took less than 1% of Ohio's online handle in August 2026, per Ohio Casino Control Commission figures.
Its best feature is iRush Rewards. Bets earn points you can trade in the bonus store, and regular players get profit boosts and quick Same Game Parlay tools.
New customers get a Second Chance Bet up to $250: if your first bet loses, you get a bonus bet back. No Promo Code is needed, and the offer isn't open to Time Out Ohio participants. You can bet moneylines, spreads, totals, parlays, player props, futures and live markets on the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, soccer, golf and UFC, from Browns Sundays to Blue Jackets nights in Columbus. College game lines are open, but Ohio bans props on individual college athletes.
Hard Rock Bet went live in Ohio at midnight on Jan. 1, 2023, in partnership with Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati, where Pete Rose placed the state's first legal bet. It took about 4% of Ohio's online handle in August 2026, per Ohio Casino Control Commission figures.
Its best feature is the Unity by Hard Rock link. Bets earn Unity points for Hard Rock properties, and weekly Legendary Reward Drops open every Thursday. The parlay menu includes Same Game Parlays, SGP Max, Flex Parlays, teasers and round robins.
New customers get Bet $5, Get Up to $500 in No Sweat Bets, as ten daily tokens of up to $50 each. No Promo Code is needed. You can bet moneylines, spreads, totals, parlays, props, futures and live markets on the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, soccer, golf and UFC. A Bengals game at Paycor Stadium is the obvious local pick. College player props are banned in Ohio.
bet365 went live in Ohio on Jan. 1, 2023, in partnership with the Cleveland Guardians, which hold its Ohio license. It took about 11% of Ohio's online handle in August 2026, per Ohio Casino Control Commission figures, third behind DraftKings and FanDuel.
Its best feature is live betting. Many events stream in the app, Early Payout promotions settle selected bets early, and Bet Builder combines several picks from one game. Cash out, including an auto cash-out value, is available on many bets.
New customers get Bet $10, Get $200 in Bonus Bets, Win or Lose. No Promo Code is needed. Markets include moneylines, spreads, totals, parlays, Same Game Parlays, player props, futures and in-play betting on the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, soccer, tennis, golf and UFC. A Guardians game at Progressive Field is a natural in-play bet. Ohio bans props on individual college athletes.
Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 29 on Dec. 22, 2021, and betting went live at midnight on Jan. 1, 2023. Ohio has tightened the rules more than once since. The Ohio Casino Control Commission licenses and regulates every sportsbook below.
You must be 21 to bet, on an app, at a retail sportsbook or at a lottery kiosk.
You can open an account online, but geolocation checks that you're physically inside Ohio's borders when you bet. Visitors can bet too.
Since March 1, 2024, bets on an individual college athlete's stats are banned. Game lines on Ohio State, Cincinnati and every other school are fine, and so are team props involving two or more players.
Ohio's account rule still lists credit cards as a deposit method, but the Ohio Casino Control Commission proposed removing them in May 2026. You can set your own deposit, wager and time limits, and withdrawals are generally paid within five business days.
Sportsbooks pay 20% of their revenue, up from 10% since July 1, 2023. The money funds education, problem gambling programs and enforcement. Books reported $1.05 billion in taxable revenue in 2025.
The Ohio Voluntary Exclusion Program bans you from Ohio casinos, racinos and sports betting for one year, five years or life. The Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline is 1-800-589-9966.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| Dec. 8, 2021 | House Bill 29 passes the Senate 31-1 and the House 72-12. |
| Dec. 22, 2021 | Gov. Mike DeWine signs HB 29, requiring betting to start by Jan. 1, 2023. |
| June 1, 2022 | The Ohio Casino Control Commission sets Jan. 1, 2023, as the universal start date. |
| Jan. 1, 2023 | Betting goes live at midnight, online and in person. Pete Rose places the first bet at Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati. |
| Jan. 6, 2023 | The commission seeks $150,000 fines from DraftKings, Caesars and BetMGM over ads calling bonuses "free" or "risk-free". |
| July 1, 2023 | The sports betting tax doubles from 10% to 20% under the state budget, HB 33. |
| Mar. 1, 2024 | Ban on college player props takes effect, after the NCAA asked for it. |
| Nov. 2025 | After the betting case involving Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, MLB caps pitch-level bets at $200. Ohio holds off on its own micro-betting rule. |
| Dec. 1, 2025 | ESPN BET becomes theScore Bet. |
| May 2026 | The commission proposes ending credit card deposits. |
| Oct. 5, 2026 | The commission sends cease-and-desist letters to 10 prediction market operators offering sports event contracts. |
Ohioans bet $10.3 billion in 2025, and $10.1 billion of that went through apps. Football leads the calendar, with the Buckeyes on Saturdays and the Browns and Bengals on Sundays.
3-2 after five games, most recently a 31-24 win at Miami. They play in Madrid on Nov. 8.
Also 3-2, with a 27-24 home win over the Steelers. Huntington Bank Field, Cleveland.
5-1, with the only loss 24-23 at Texas. Game lines only, no player props.
52-30 last season, won two Game 7s against Toronto and Detroit, then were swept by the Knicks in the East finals.
AL Central champions in 2026 at 85-77. Progressive Field, Cleveland.
40-30-12 and 92 points last season, fifth in the Metropolitan Division.
| Date | Game | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 18, 2026 | Browns vs Baltimore Ravens | Huntington Bank Field, Cleveland |
| Nov 8, 2026 | Bengals vs Atlanta Falcons (NFL Madrid game) | Bernabéu, Madrid |
| Nov 15, 2026 | Bengals vs Pittsburgh Steelers (Sunday night) | Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Ohio State vs Michigan | Ohio Stadium, Columbus |
| Dec 6, 2026 | Browns vs Cincinnati Bengals | Huntington Bank Field, Cleveland |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Bengals vs Baltimore Ravens (Thursday night) | Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati |
Ohio is a March Madness hub in 2027: UD Arena in Dayton hosts opening-round NCAA tournament games on March 16 and 17, and Columbus hosts the women's Final Four at Nationwide Arena on April 2 and 4. The Memorial Tournament follows May 31 to June 6 at Muirfield Village in Dublin. Super Bowl LXI on Feb. 14 and the men's Final Four in nearby Detroit on April 3 and 5 are also on the board, along with Browns, Bengals, Cavaliers and Guardians games.
We check Ohio laws, licences and dates against these official sources.