Ohio Sports Betting: Poll Shows Just 15% of Voters Plan To Wager

An Emerson College survey taken last week suggests that just 15% of voters are planning to put a bet through a legal sportsbook in Ohio when they go live on Jan. 1, 2023.


The survey found that 4% of respondents planned to wager utilizing an online sportsbook, 3% anticipate to put in-person bets at a gambling establishment or sporting venue, and 8% anticipate to do both.


"The intent to bet legally is greater among male voters," said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, in a declaration accompanying the release of the survey. "20% of guys prepare to bet in some capability compared to 12% of women voters."


The poll was taken to determine predicted need for legal sports wagering services with just over three months remaining before their main January 1 rollout in the Buckeye State. The results likewise dovetail with findings from recently's across the country Pew Research Center survey, which reported that 19% of U.S. grownups had put sports bets within the in 2015 through an online wagering app, face to face at a gambling establishment or other retail outlet, or with pals or family.


Major sportsbooks poised for success


Ohio ranks as the seventh-most populated state in the U.S. with nearly 12 million homeowners and is most likely to become one of the country's bigger sports wagering markets by the end of next year.


The presence of numerous expert sports groups in the state and their partnerships with widely known nationwide sportsbooks could also be a significant factor in promoting sports betting among fans.


Ohio is home to 7 significant pro sports franchises, including the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns, the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers, the MLB's Cleveland Guardians and Cincinnati Reds, and the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets. There is a seasonal college football powerhouse in the state as well, the Ohio State Buckeyes.