‘This is great;’ Sports betting legal in Ohio in time for Bengals-Bills game

WHIO Staff
·2 min read

Sports betting is legal here in Ohio and there is big money on the line with the Bengals hosting the Bills on Monday Night Football.

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News Center 7′s John Bedell was at Hollywood Dayton Monday and says the sportsbook counter inside is the first of its kind here in the Miami Valley.

The Bengals-Bills game is also drawing a lot of interest and a lot of wagers.

The ceremonial ribbon cutting for the new sports book at Dayton’s racino was held Monday morning and it’s the only brick and mortar sports counter in our area.

Bedell reports they have been taking wagers since Sunday morning at 12 a.m. when legal sports betting officially came to Ohio.

Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia are four states that border Ohio and already have legal sports betting.

“I hated seeing our state dollars and our local dollars going over the border,” said Chris Kershner, President and CEO of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce. “This is great to be able to keep the the dollars and the revenue here. But more importantly, it’s great to have this entertainment option here.”

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Bedell says one of the biggest Bengals games of the year kicks off the second day of legal sports betting here in Ohio.

“Anybody who wants to bet tonight is Bengals versus Bills,” Kershner told Bedell. “Bengals is that hometown team here in the Dayton-area.”

Is the Bengals-Bills Monday game impacted the new betting business at Hollywood Dayton?

“Absolutely,” said Dave Schleter, Hollywood Dayton Sports Manager. “The regionalism absolutely impacts it. But also, there’s a lot riding on this game.”

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The Ohio Casino Control Commission regulates betting at sportsbooks like Hollywood Dayton.

Bedell reached out Monday and asked how much money has been wagered in Ohio over the first 24 hours of legal sports betting in Ohio.

The Ohio Casino Control Commission won’t have any sports gambling revenue figures until the January numbers are released late next month, a spokesperson said.