Ohio Legal Online Sports Betting Guide

Professional Legal Advice Concerning Ohio Online Sports Betting

For full legal details about the ins and outs of online sports betting, Ohioans are advised to seek legal counsel, because with recent changes in state law, all bets are off. With that said, the opportunity seems to exist for finding legal online sports betting for Ohio players, by simply using legally licensed and regulated sportsbook sites operating outside of the United States. This takes players directly to sites which are verified to be operating legally within the online gambling industry and out of the ‘gray’ areas of what is legally acceptable within the state of O.H..

Identifying Legitimate Online Sports Betting Sites Accepting Ohio Players

Players should use caution and discretion when selecting legal online sportsbooks to bet on their favorite Ohio teams, rather than accepting the first available offer. We say this not because of the legal status of the hobby, but because sportsbooks in general are an area where operator quality and legitimacy can vary widely. There are plenty of reputable sites, and they're readily available - but as recent gambling-related sting operations in 2013 have proven, the state of Ohio seems to be going through a phase of aggressive enforcement, even in cases where the law is unclear.

Since Ohio makes offline sports betting illegal, and since states across the nation seem prone to picking and choosing whether offline laws apply to online activities at whim, it's only a matter of time before the question is addressed officially - and it's impossible to predict how aggressively the answer will be delivered. Limiting your sports wagering to legally sanctioned online sportsbooks such as the ones listed in this guide is the safest and most reliable apprach for bettors.

This is unfortunate since Ohio, like most states, draws so much revenue and tourism from the many industries of, and surrounding, sports. Gambling is legal in Ohio in several forms, but the state seems to keep its laws on the subject in limbo. It's rare for the state to pass a blanket ban on any form of betting, online or offline, due to the many forms which are permitted (and, indeed, state operated). However, Ohio's recent actions remind us just how aggressive the state is willing to be in enacting what controls they do specify. Keep in mind that their aggression is addressed towards those suspected of operating illegal operations, and they are not targeting players.

While this may mean that many Ohioans might avoid sports betting activities for which there is currently no legal punishment out of worry, many choose to participate at the legal offshore brands which are vetted and recommend by industry professionals, such as the brands you see featured on this site. This keeps them out of the line of fire regardless of what the state decides to do about legal Ohio online sports betting possibilities.

Is Ohio Online Sports Betting Legal?

Those who are worried about the legal status of online sports betting in Ohio should know that the law does not seem to specifically forbid it. Nor does the federal UIGEA law or the Federal Wire Act prohibit participation in legally licensed and regulated online gambling that is operated outside of the USA. This means that, so long as you avoid breaking any of state or federal laws relating to gambling, and choose an Ohio online sportsbook which both accepts Ohio players and operates legally and professionally outside of the US, you've probably made a safe bet.

We must warn you that this article doesn't amount to legal advice, but the market seems to speak for itself: legal online sports betting for Ohio players is just a question of avoiding sportsbooks that actually operate within Ohio itself. Perhaps, in time, the state will open its doors to this vibrant source of revenue, and fandom, from its resident sports lovers and thrill seekers. In the mean time please consider professional input when selecting an online sports betting site to participate at. We have provided a list of viable options which we have carefully reviewed and evaluated to determine they are safe and reputable brands to consider.

Betting Trends for Popular Ohio Sports Teams

The Cleveland Cavaliers

If you're an Ohioan, forgive us for leaving a few of your sporting teams off the list. Our goal is to touch on the most popular sports teams and their biggest trends to help gamblers bet wisely. With that being said, let's speak about Cleveland's favorite team, the Cavs. With Kevin Love, Irving and King James, the Cavs are a lock for the playoffs and maybe even the Finals. If not for Love and Irving falling to injury last year, the Cavaliers could have walked all over the Warriors in the Finals for an NBA championship.

Though even with injuries all year, and new players getting used to a new system, they did very well per record. Surprisingly, however, they did rather poorly with ATS (against the spread) numbers for gamblers. For instance, they were 49-52-1 ATS, which means they didn't cover nearly as much as favorites as they should have, going 24-21 as home favorites and 17-16 as away favorites. They didn't display any great defense until which point they made the playoffs.

This year, with Love and Irving healthy, look for a Cavs team that has a better defense and a better offense. We don't expect a miraculous turnaround, but 70% ATS is a real possibility.

The Cincinnati Bengals

With Andy Dalton under center and Marvin Lewis coaching, the Bengals are a shoo-in every year for the playoffs. However, they're also a shoo-in to lose in the first round. They can't seem to get over that hump, and they're an average team ATS, going 8-8 last year with one push. As home underdogs, they covered 2-0, and went 6-3 as underdogs in general.

For this season, we expect something around 9-7. When they're underdogs, we expect around 70% coverage, and as favorites we can see them going a little less than even covering. They just don't have an offense potent enough to pull away, nor can their defense keep other teams out of the end zone. They won't be playing the Oakland Raiders every week, so don't expect a huge swing in trends this year.

The Cleveland Browns

Despite missing the playoffs last year, and struggling under QB with Johnny Manziel, their highly lauded rookie, the Browns of Cleveland were still 9-5-2 ATS. That's pretty good considering. The reason is that, for most of the year, the Browns were a very scrappy team that stayed in games. When a team had a big spread over them, like 10 or 14 points, the Browns would typically come within a TD and cover.

For the city, that's not the claim to fame that they want. But for gamblers, that makes Cleveland a healthy bet. Expect more of the same this season. They didn't cover last week, losing by almost 20 points, but they're a team that will get back into the swing of things soon. We expect a 4-12 record overall for Cleveland, but another 9+ season ATS.

The Ohio State Buckeyes

Last year's National Champions in college football, the Buckeyes have the easiest schedule of any ranked team this year. They were 10-5 ATS last season, even going 4-0 as underdogs and 5-1 in non-conference games. We can actually see them going 12-3 ATS this season with such an easy schedule.

Their toughest challenges will come from Michigan State, where they'll be at least 10 point favorites, and the Michigan Wolverines, where they'll probably be 21 point favorites, and we can see them covering in both cases. In fact, for all college teams, we can see the Buckeyes doing the best ATS, perhaps even better than Alabama. After all, Alabama's schedule is statistically the toughest, while Ohio State's is the easiest.

News Headlines and Articles About Ohio Sports Teams

2015 Ohio Football Team Season Previews

Against All Odds, the Buckeyes Win It All as First NCAA CFP Champions

Ohio State Jolts Alabama in Huge 2015 Sugar Bowl Upset

Ohio Sports Betting Resources

Laws and Statutes for State of Ohio: Ohio Administrative Code website

Official Website for Cincinnati Bengals

Official Website for Ohio State Buckeyes