Will Ohio sports betting launch ahead of schedule? Don’t bet on it

As anticipation builds for Ohio sports activities betting to formally launch on Jan. 1, there’s been a rising refrain advocating for the state to push that date up someday to Dec. 31 – permitting keen school soccer bettors to wager on Ohio State’s playoff semifinal matchup on New 12 months’s Eve.

Doing so would possible generate hundreds of thousands of dollars for the greater than dozen sportsbooks – together with BetMGM, Caesars, and FanDuel – who're anticipated to open their doorways within the Buckeye State as soon as sports activities betting is authorized and operational statewide.

So, can we anticipate Ohio regulators to grant bettors and books alike an early New 12 months’s current? Don’t guess on it.


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Final week, Matt Schuler – the chief director of the Ohio On line casino Management Fee Govt Director – reaffirmed that the state had no plans to push up the legally mandated begin date of Jan. 1, which can come simply hours after the Buckeyes take the sphere in opposition to top-seeded Georgia within the School Soccer Playoff.

That’s been the story all alongside for Ohio, which has lengthy dragged its toes to enact laws that set the stage for authorized sports activities betting greater than a yr in the past.

No rush for Ohio sports activities betting

In December 2021, Ohio legislators shortly got here collectively to introduce Home Invoice 29, which mandated that the state launch sports activities betting no later than Jan. 1, 2023 – which, on the time, was greater than a yr away.

When Gov. Mike DeWine signed HB 29 into regulation two weeks later, many hoped the rollout would come a lot before that deadline, maybe even forward of the beginning of soccer season in September. After all, that by no means got here to fruition, because the state had but to even approve its first betting licenses by the point the Buckeyes kicked off their season on Sept. 3.

Get the lowdown on the Finest USA Sports activities Betting Websites and Apps

Then Ohio State ripped off yet one more sensational season to e book its third journey to the playoffs within the final 4 years. And, in a bitter twist for in-state sportsbooks, its semifinal matchup in opposition to defending champion Georgia was scheduled simply 4 hours earlier than the long-awaited kickoff date for legalized playing throughout Ohio.

Silver lining for Ohio sportsbooks

There’s nonetheless some hope for sportsbooks to money in on the playoff bonanza, even with an early launch date unlikely at this level.

If Ohio State can handle to knock off Georgia – which is a consensus 6.5-point favourite to achieve the title recreation – it may arrange a possible rematch with archrival Michigan, which can also be a heavy favourite to beat TCU (+8) within the different semifinal on Dec. 31.

The betting deal with of that recreation alone would greater than offset any theoretical losses from the delayed launch and will find yourself as one of many most-bet sporting occasions of the yr … till the Tremendous Bowl possible dwarfs it a month later. Equally, that contest may draw unprecedented betting exercise if the Bengals one way or the other handle to repeat their Cinderella run from final yr and make it again to the large recreation.

Learn extra about Ohio sports activities betting

Nonetheless, don’t maintain your breath on sportsbooks taking any bets earlier than Ohio State’s semifinal contest. Regardless of countless web rumors and even direct pleas from stakeholders, state officers appear locked into New 12 months’s Eve events main into the long-awaited launch of Ohio sports activities betting – which may come mere minutes after the conclusion of Ohio State’s soccer season.

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