Ohio Sports Betting: Best Online Betting Sites in Ohio 2023

Getting started with sports betting in Ohio

Getting started with Ohio sports betting is easy to do when you know what you are looking for. Without this information, you could waste hundreds of hours trying to figure out which ones are a good fit for you and which ones are scams.

You can use the information below to understand what variables you should look at and expect from Ohio sports betting sites. And the main reason why OHGamblers.com even exists is to answer these questions and present them in a way that a beginner could understand them.

What to look for in betting apps

Before you start shopping for betting apps, you need to have a checklist of what you need and what you want from mobile sports betting apps. These standards help weed out bookies that would not be a great fit, getting you into the game much faster.

Things that Ohio sports betting apps need to have:

• Readily available security, licensing, and regulatory information
• The sports betting options you intend to start with, including sports, leagues, and bet types
• An interface that you can get around on
• Easy to download and log in to

Without the basics

Without those three things, you will not be able to use the online betting site easily, if at all. Once you find betting sites that cover the basics, you can look into things with more flexibility, like:

• Banking options
• Campaign rotations
• Expanded sports and bet types

While each option is still important, they are no hard limits on sports betting sites in Ohio. Most sports betting sites offer a variety of safe banking options, even if your preferred method is not one of them.

You always want the room to grow, but it means nothing if an OH online sports betting site does not have your intended betting methods to begin with. If you are lucky, you will find a betting site to meet all of these criteria, but knowing hard and soft limits will help you find at least one to get started.

Offers at Ohio sports betting sites

While plenty of Ohio sports betting sites offer features like campaigns to catch your eye, not all features are built the same. Paying attention to subtle differences and conditions can help you decide which Ohio sports betting sign-up bonus offers are good and which are more trouble than they are worth.

These are the most run-by sports betting sites. Make sure to read more about the fine print regarding Ohio sports betting promos & bonus codes before you use any.

The OH sports betting offers types

Insurance bets

Insurance bets are one of the most common enticement offers advertised by OH online sports betting sites, but they can be offered anytime.

Typically, this kind of bet involves depositing money into your online sports betting account and then placing a bet. If you win the bet, you get to keep your winnings. But if you lose, the betting site will reimburse you up to the specified amount.

There are a few things to consider. First, these are not “free,” and the money you get back is usually in the form of site credit. You also need to take the time to make sure you are following any rules for the offer, including odds limits or limitations on the bet type you can place.

Deposit matches

The second most common feature offered to new customers is a deposit match bonus. With this offer, you get additional funds regardless of whether you win or lose a bet, but a few conditions are tagged to it.

First, deposit matches typically only apply to a certain percentage of your deposit; they are rarely dollar for dollar. This means you may only get an additional 20% added to your account instead of doubling your deposit.

Deposit match offers also have maximum limits, and you may have restrictions on what you can use them on and what you need to do to unlock the amount. So it always pays off to read the small print.

Bet credit

Unlike insured bets, Ohio sports betting sites give you a shot at winning without requiring you to wager your own money. Operators may require you to deposit money into your sports betting account before using bet credits in Ohio, but you do not need to use this deposit for your first bet.

These kinds of bets are more of a power move than anything. While they put the bookie in a position to lose money. They show that the oddsmaker has enough confidence that this one bet will keep you coming back for more.

Ohio online sports betting sites offering these bets likely have a good reputation and many loyal customers. Pay attention to any terms or conditions linked to your winnings on these; they can be tricky to unlock completely.

Odds boosts

Ohio betting sites will regularly offer odds boosts to bring attention to certain sports betting events, betting lines, and features, or provide customers extra value. While the term “odds boost” may seem like it affects your odds of winning, it actually pertains to how odds affect your payout when you win. A great Ohio sportsbook with odds boosts is FanDuel which delivers them to almost every game available on their platform.

Betting companies make money off every bet you place by including commission in your wager. So whether you win or lose, they get a cut, but you feel it the most when your winnings are diminished.

The boosted odds reduce the amount of money the oddsmaker takes off your wager, increasing the amount you would win with the bet. This is a small change, but it can exponentially impact what you bring in with a win.

These betting types may limit your bet amount and may only be available to certain customers. Keep an eye out for emails or rewards banners inviting you to enjoy the deal.

Reloads

A reload is exactly like a deposit match but only applies to existing customers. Apart from that, there is one major difference. When a sports betting site in Ohio offers a reload, it tends to be less of an advantage for bettors than an initial deposit match.

It is still a much better deal than no reward money, but you aren’t likely to see reloads at 50% or higher. Most bookies have a lower maximum amount on these as well. Instead of matching your deposit up to $1,000, you may only have an offer of up to $100.

Loyalty points

Most Ohio sports betting sites, especially those with existing retail locations, have some sort of loyalty program in place to reward you for repeated use. The operation varies from brand to brand but should follow this generic plan.

Online sports betting sites in Ohio will offer loyalty points for activity on the site. This usually applies to bets, but you may see points given for deposits made or for trying out new non-wager features. These points can then be redeemed for prizes, including:

• Boosted odds
• Insurance bets
• Merchandise

Sports betting sites usually have different tiers of loyalty. If you manage to place enough wagers to get to the top of the loyalty pyramid, you can even unlock things like complimentary airfare or hotel stays using your rewards points. In other words, the operators want to keep you as a customer.

Referrals

Suppose you have friends, family, or acquaintances that are interested in sports wagering. In that case, you can also check to see if your bookie gifts referral offerings as you recommend the site to others. Bet365 is an example that provides this kind of affiliate deal for you to pass on to your surroundings.

Most referrals reward you with bet credits or something else you can use on the website. Some betting sites provide a cash commission for you to use however you like. Keep in mind that referrals aren’t usually unlocked until the other person makes a deposit or places their first bet.

Contests

Ohio sports betting sites are also likely to run contests often to keep up the excitement. These can be free-to-enter or pay-to-enter raffles or a measure of your betting accuracy, but they tend to have larger prizes.

You can place bets using simple guesswork. But having a system build up the reason for your decision will pay off in the long run (literally). When you do the proper research, deciding how you’ll fill out your bet slips on your sports betting site becomes easy.