Sports betting kiosks in Ohio: What you need to know

Betting on pro and college sports in Ohio traditionally has been limited to office pools, illegal bookies and visiting Las Vegas or other states where wagering on football, basketball and baseball is legal.

More recently, Ohioans could place sports bets online while visiting other states where it's permitted.

But the game is changing. The introduction of sports betting in Ohio marks the largest simultaneous launch of sports gaming in the United States, according to the Ohio Casino Control Commission. That includes kiosks at bars, restaurants, grocery stores and bowling alleys.

Here's what you need to know:

Where can I go and place a sports bet using a kiosk (also known as a terminal)?

Licensed bars, restaurants, sports bars, bowling alleys and grocery stores that have complied with the regulations and policies of the Ohio Lottery Commission.

Criteria for receiving a license are to be an Ohio Lottery sales agent, a for-profit corporation or association, pay a $1,000 application fee, select a gaming machine proprietor, and hold one of three specific liquor licenses for alcohol sales − Type D1 (beer only), D2 (wine and cocktails only) or D5 (hard liquor, beer and wine).

How do I find out where kiosks are located?

The Ohio Lottery Commission, which oversees the operation, rules and standards of the kiosks, will be updating its website with a search function to help people look up nearby kiosks, the way it already does with Keno machines.

What types of bets can I make at a kiosk?

Kiosks will be restricted to four types of wagers: spreads, which are bets on outcomes against odds; over-under, which is a bet on whether the game score will be higher or lower than projected; money lines, which are bets predicting the winner without a point spread; and parlays, which are single bets on two to four outcomes, and each selection must win to collect the bet.

How do the kiosks work?

Kiosk host businesses will train their employees to answer questions and the terminals will offer instructions. The Ohio Casino Control Commission also will release a video later this year.

What companies are providing the sports betting kiosks to restaurants, bars and other approved businesses?

Elys Game Technology; Green Bear Gaming Development (doing business as UBet Ohio); Intralot Inc.; Skybox Sports Network Inc. (BetSkybox); Iron Gate Gaming (BetlGG); J&J Ventures; and Gold Rush Gaming.

How much can I gamble at a sports betting terminal?

A maximum of $700 can be wagered per week by one person. Kiosk controls are supposed to prevent people from exceeding that limit.

Can I bet on the Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Cavs, Cleveland Guardians, Cincinnati Bengals, Cincinnati Reds and Ohio State football?

Bets on your home state teams will be possible, along with every other NFL, NBA and MLB team. A variety of other bets are possible, depending on the retail sportsbook site, mobile app and kiosk provider, including motor sports, NHL, esports, UFC (mixed martial arts fighting), horse racing, professional tennis and golf, the Olympics and international sporting events. But you can't bet on pre-recorded events, high school sports, events conducted or sponsored by primary or secondary schools or on events where more than 50% of the athletes are under age 18.

How do I collect my winnings, and what if I don't want to walk out of a bar or restaurant carrying a few hundred dollars?

Options vary for payouts, including being paid cash by the business hosting the kiosk; through the mail; the Ohio Lottery central and regional offices; a credit voucher on the kiosk; or credit to a credit card, debit card or an electronic player account. Kiosk hosts can also use the Ohio Lottery's mobile cashing application, but are not required to. Payout rules may vary depending on the kiosk and terminal you play.

How many businesses will have kiosks in Ohio?

About 1,000 businesses are licensed to host sports betting terminals. Some will offer kiosks beginning Jan. 1; others will wait until later in the year. Roughly another 400 sites are eligible to be licensed as kiosk host locations.

Are all kiosk sites the same in terms of what I can wager and how to collect winnings?

The Ohio Lottery has a list of guidelines for the kiosks, but each provider can offer its own unique terminal equipment, prize payment capabilities and support. All kiosks, however, are limited to four types of wagers.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Ohio sports betting: What to know about kiosks at bars, restaurants