Ohio’s $521.7 Million April Betting Handle Is 52% Lower Than January

Ohio sports betting handle numbers have dipped significantly since launch, going from $1.1 billion in January 2023 to $521.7 million in April 2023. Lower numbers are generally to be expected during this time of year, though, so this shoudn’t be a major concern.

Although the overall handle numbers are down, Ohio sports betting has been a major success since its initial rollout on New Year’s Day of this year, and major bets should come rolling in once football season kicks off.

Ohio Sports Betting Handle Is $521.7 Million For The Month Of April

While the Ohio sports betting market started with a bang, the overall handle numbers have seen a decrease since its first month of availability. The state went live with sports wagering on January 1st, 2023, bringing some of the top sports betting operators to the area.

The total handle for January was a massive $1.1 billion, timed perfectly with the NFL Playoffs and College Football National Championship. However, the handle for April is 52.5% lower than that first month, with Cleveland.com reporting a total of $522 million wagered throughout the month.

This is also 29.3% lower than March 2023’s betting handle of $738.6 million. April’s handle was the lowest in the state since February of 2023, which totaled $639.8 million despite the Super Bowl taking place.

Online sports betting accounted for the vast majority of the April betting handle, with $505.6 million in total wagers. The state’s retail sportsbooks, which are located at casinos such as Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati and stadiums like Great American Ballpark, brought in $14.9 million throughout the month.

The state also features betting kiosks courtesy of the Lottery, which can be found in bars, restaurants, and even grocery stores. These sports betting kiosks saw a total handle of $1.1 million, the second-highest number since the introduction of the machines.

April Generally Sees Betting Slump

Although the dip in betting numbers is significant, the overall drop is to be expected throughout the spring. April features the start of not just the MLB season but also the NHL Playoffs and NBA Playoffs. However, sports betting numbers are commonly highest between the kickoff of the football season in September and the end of March Madness.

This drop in numbers can be seen with other popular sports wagering markets. For example, while New York sports betting handle was $1.79 billion in March, it dropped to $1.55 billion in April. Interestingly, though, the month did see the introduction of a new sports betting app in the Buckeye State with the rollout of Fanatics Sportsbook Ohio.

Betting numbers will likely continue to decrease in the coming months, when the MLB is one of the few major sports leagues to wager on and travel becomes an increasing focus for sports fans. However, September of 2023 should be a fascinating number to see, with the beginning of not just the NFL season but college football as well.

Ohio has two pro football teams with massive fanbases with the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns. Meanwhile, in-state college football fans will look to wager on teams like the Ohio State Buckeyes, Cincinnati Bearcats, and Ohio Bobcats for the very first time.

To put it in perspective, the New York betting handle increased 44.2% from August to September 2022, as locals could wager on football games for the very first time.