$864 Million November Handle Boosts Ohio Sports Betting’s $6 Billion Total In 2023
Throughout the first year of Ohio sports betting, over $6 billion was wagered. It’s also just been reported that November of 2023 yielded a $864 handle in the Buckeye State, making it the second highest total in the state’s history.
Alongside these massive betting numbers has been a spike in activity with the state’s gambling helpline since the start of 2023.
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Ohio Sports Betting Brings In $6 Billion Handle Throughout 2023
The Ohio sports betting industry just celebrated a full year of operation. The state rolled out its legal sports wagering market on January 1, 2023, bringing not just mobile sportsbooks to the state but also in-person betting options at physical casinos, sports bars, and even grocery stores.
Ohio sports bettors wagered an impressive $6 billion throughout 2023, but January especially set the tone for the year. January of 2023 saw $1.09 billion in total handle in Ohio alongside $209.5 million in revenue and $20.9 million in taxes.
These numbers still remain the all-time records in the state, with the totals fueled by anticipation over the rollout of mobile sports betting as well as the wide range of different promotions available. Additionally, January featured plenty of NFL games (generally the most wagered on sport), including a playoff run by the Cincinnati Bengals that saw the team reach the AFC Championship.
November of 2023 Yields Second-Highest Ohio Sports Betting Handle
The past few days have shown how big of a month November was for sports bettors, with Colorado just reporting a record $608.4 million in total bets. Well, Ohio had an impressive month as well, with bettors in the state wagering a total of $864 million in November. This was a 16.3% jump from October’s $742.9 million and is now the second-highest total in the history of Ohio sports wagering.
Unsurprisingly, online sports betting drove the majority of wagers throughout November, with News 5 Cleveland reporting that 97% of the wagers were placed through online methods.
FanDuel Sportsbook brought in the most wagers throughout the month at $293 million, with DraftKings Sportsbook coming in at second place with $275 million. There are a number of reasons for the large handle, as November has an extensive amount of sports to wager on (NFL, NBA, NHL, World Series, college basketball) and the state got access to a new mobile sports betting site with the launch of ESPN Bet.
Ohio Betting Helpline Receives Increased Number Of Calls
While the first year of Ohio sports betting has been seen as a huge success, responsible gaming resources have seen an increase in calls. According to WOSU Public Media, Ohio bettors called the Problem Gaming Network of Ohio nearly 1,500 times throughout January of 2023.
This is three times as many calls that the organization had received in comparison to the preceding year. Although the amount of calls began to dip throughout the year (approximately 600 per month), the overall 2023 amount still trumped 2022.
The Problem Gaming Network of Ohio remains an important factor for responsible gaming in the Buckeye State. The origins of the organization can actually be traced back to the 1984 introduction of the Ohio Council on Problem Gambling. Now, the Problem Gaming Network of Ohio offers a free support phone number, responsible gaming campaigns, and different events to combat gambling disorders.
