Ohio Casino Control Commission Confirms Midnight Launch For New Years
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2023 is looking to start with a bang in the sports betting world, as the state of Ohio will launch its legal sports betting market to start the year. With a population nearing 12 million and extremely dedicated sports fans, the state should bring in some major betting handle numbers.
While the launch of Ohio sports betting coincides with one of the major holidays, some now-dismissed rumors had begun to spring up about a possible change in launch date. Here’s what you need to know about the fully confirmed date and time for sports betting in the Buckeye State.
Ohio Sports Betting Launch Confirmed For January 1st at Midnight
While sports betting operators have prepared to go live in the state of Ohio, it had been planned that once the clock hits midnight on January 1st, 2023, sports betting would officially roll out. This date would allow sports bettors to place wagers on a wide range of New Years Day NFL games, such as the Cleveland Browns facing the Washington Commanders.
However, one game in particular will be on everyone’s minds before midnight comes: the College Football Playoff matchup between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Georgia Bulldogs on New Year’s Eve at 8:00 p.m EST.
The Buckeyes narrowly got into the College Football Playoff this season, thanks mainly to a loss by the USC Trojans in the Pac 12 Championship. Considering the Buckeyes are one of the most popular teams in the state of Ohio, one would expect that the matchup against the Bulldogs (the top ranked team in the nation) would see a massive betting handle.
This has led to some speculation that the launch date would be moved forward in order to accommodate bettors looking to back the Buckeyes on their potential championship run. However, according to sports betting reporter Robert Linnehan, the Ohio Casino Control Commission kicked off a recent meeting by confirming that sports betting would go live in the Buckeye State at 12:01 a.m EST. on New Year’s Day.
That means that Ohio State Buckeye fans will have to hope for a victory over the Bulldogs so they can wager on their favorite team in the College Football National Championship on January 9th, 2023.
The Ohio Casino Control Commission kicks off their meeting by again giving clarity that the universal launch date will begin on Jan. 1, at 12:01 a.m.
— RLinnehanXL (@RLinnehanXl) December 14, 2022
More Platforms Get Ohio Sports Betting Licenses
Along with assuring bettors that Ohio sports betting will be available at midnight on January 1st, the Ohio Casino Control Commission has also confirmed more sportsbook apps have been confirmed for the state. These mobile sports betting sites include Underdog Fantasy, BallyBet Sportsbook, Digital Gaming Corp, and Out the Gate.
This adds to an already robust group of Ohio sportsbooks that have been granted licenses in the state like FanDuel Sportsbook Ohio, Caesars Sportsbook Ohio, DraftKings Sportsbook Ohio, BetRivers Sportsbook Ohio, and BetMGM Sportsbook Ohio. However, PlayUp Sportsbook, an online betting app available in Colorado and New Jersey, has been denied a mobile sports betting license for the state of Ohio.
Meanwhile, the state’s Casino Control Commission confirmed that the Lori’s Roadhouse restaurant and bar has gotten a Type B (retail sports betting) license and J&J Gaming Ventures of Ohio now has a Type C (betting kiosk) license.
