Ohio Sports Betting Numbers Dropping Significantly This Summer

Peter Lewisby Peter Lewis
Updated: August 2, 2023
Ohio Sports Betting Numbers Dropping Significantly This Summer

As great as the Ohio Sports betting news had been to start the year, you just knew that things weren’t going to be able to stay at such a strong level the rest of the way. Unfortunately for lawmakers and officials, the stats haven’t been impressive in recent months, with the Ohio sports betting numbers dropping significantly this summer. While the overall revenue is high and impressive, the June numbers came in and they’re quite concerning.

According to a report, the drop from the betting handle from May to June was 18.9 percent. Yeah, that’s not what anyone was hoping to see. Not only that, but the revenue, according to that same report, was down by more than 43 percent. Again, this is an eye-opening number and one that people in the state are hoping can get back on track as soon as possible. With the numbers being so high at the beginning of 2023, we can understand the drop. Still, a turnaround is needed.

“Like its counterparts in other states, the Ohio sports betting market is feeling the June swoon,” BetOhio analyst Dru James told thecentersquare.com in an interview. “Revenue was also down in June by 43.7%, which is a steep decline but in line with mature markets for the month. Looking ahead, July will likely be another month of decreases, but in a smaller margin than the most recent months. These numbers should start looking up in August and September.”

With August here and September around the corner, local sportsbooks and betting operators are hopeful that things will be able to stabilize. With the football season almost here, it’s surely going to result in countless bets being recorded. Preseason for the NFL arrives on Thursday night and the college football season will kick off in the coming weeks too. That’s great news for the sportsbooks as a whole.

NFL betting will help Ohio get back on the right foot

There’s no doubt in our minds that NFL betting will help Ohio get back on the right foot here. With the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets opening the preseason on Thursday night, loads of bets are surely going to be placed on the local team. While people in Ohio have a ton of love for the Cincinnati Bengals, you can’t forget about the Cleveland side either, as they have high hopes for ’23.

For the Browns to be strong this year and improve their NFL betting odds, then we’re going to have to see some fantastic play out of star quarterback Deshaun Watson. Watson was suspended for the first part of last year, but with his dual-threat abilities, there’s no question that he can be a superstar talent in this league. He should see the field vs. the Jets, as he’ll hope to make a statement.

Meanwhile for New York, all eyes are going to be on star QB Aaron Rodgers. The future Hall of Famer is in his first year outside of Green Bay, as he was traded to the Jets this offseason. Thursday’s game will be his first action with a different squad and people are lining up to place bets on his stats for this one. Head coach Robert Saleh may not want to use him for more than a series or two, but still, the over/under betting options are there.

If the Browns can manage to stay healthy and Watson can live up to the hype, then it could be a great fall and winter for the AFC North side. Fans are hopeful that they can show some big-time improvements during the preseason. However, they’ll also need to look sharp once Week 1 of the regular season gets here too. From start to finish, you can expect plenty of bets to be placed on the Browns.

Joe Burrow’s health will have a big impact on Ohio betting

It goes without saying, but Joe Burrow’s health will have a big impact on Ohio betting moving forward. Early on in training camp, hearts dropped all over the state when the star QB went down with what looked to be a serious injury. Luckily, the team announced that Burrow had suffered a calf strain.

With that, he should be good to go for Week 1. However, calf injuries aren’t quick fixes and there’s a chance that this could linger for the former No. 1 overall pick. With a healthy Burrow, Bengals fans will be ready to bet early and often on Cincy once the regular season gets here. Those countless bets will only continue to grow as we inch closer to the playoffs. Cincy holds strong Super Bowl betting odds as of this writing.

However, if Burrow ends up missing any time, then people will definitely hesitate in putting money down on the Bengals. Burrow is without a doubt one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL right now. He’s very important to this Bengals team. Because of this, his calf injury will certainly be something to watch for the rest of the summer, plus the fall too. Hopefully Burrow can be close to 100 percent throughout the campaign.

Peter Lewis

Peter Lewis Jr. comes from Mississippi where he and his family spend their days discussing college football, baseball and basketball. He's written sports journalism for years after studying journalism at a local university. Over time, Peter has cultivated extensive knowledge covering sports betting legislation across the country. He closely tracks the latest regulatory developments and provides key insights into their impacts. Peter also offers sharp MLB betting analysis, leveraging stats and trends to identify value on matchups.

US States Related Resources