Mobile betting now drives nearly all wagering activity in Ohio, with phones replacing counters as the main way people place bets.

Ohio’s sports betting market crossed $10.3 billion in wagers in 2025, with taxable revenue reaching $1.04 billion. The numbers alone tell part of the story, but the way those bets are placed tells the rest. Since legal betting launched in January 2023, activity has moved onto mobile apps at a pace that has left retail locations far behind. Most bets are now placed on a phone, often within a few seconds, without the need to visit a sportsbook in person. That pattern shows up month after month, not just during major events but across the regular season calendar as well.

Mobile Betting Now Drives the Market

Recent figures show just how far that move has gone. In 2025, more than 97% of wagers in Ohio were placed online, leaving only a small share for retail locations. Monthly totals back that up; January 2026 alone saw $931.1 million in handle, followed by $767.4 million in February, with the vast majority coming through apps. Retail counters still exist, but they play a much smaller role than they did at launch. Early expectations were that in-person betting would hold some ground, yet the numbers now point clearly in one direction.

The wider trend is not limited to Ohio. Interest in mobile betting is expected to rise again around major events, with 62% of U.S. consumers planning to place bets during the 2026 World Cup and 29% expected to do so for the first time. New bettors tend to start on mobile, where access is simple and the process feels familiar. 

Opening an app, scanning a few options, and placing a wager has become part of the routine, especially when games are already part of the day’s viewing.

Competition between operators sits behind much of this activity. Different apps run different promotions, and those offers are often what draw people in. Many of those options sit together at Covers.com on the list ranked here where sportsbooks are laid out side by side with details on how each promotion works. The differences are usually in the fine print rather than the headline number, so a quick comparison tends to guide where a bet ends up. That kind of comparison has become part of the process rather than something done occasionally.

Local interest in sport still plays a role in keeping that activity steady. Community events continue to draw attention, whether it is recognition nights or school competitions, and that keeps sport visible beyond the national leagues. The connection between watching and betting is not complicated; when more people follow games, more people engage with betting in some form, even if it starts with a small wager.

Local Sports Interest Keeps the Cycle Moving

That connection carries through into college and regional sport as well. Recruitment stories and player development remain part of the local news cycle, with regular updates on teams and prospects keeping fans engaged throughout the year. Even outside major fixtures, there is always something happening, which keeps attention on upcoming games and future seasons.

That steady flow of sport feeds directly into mobile betting habits. When a game is already on your radar, placing a wager through an app feels like a small step rather than a separate activity. The ease of access plays a role, but so does familiarity. People follow teams, check lineups, and look at odds in the same place, often within the same app. That overlap keeps engagement high even on days without headline fixtures.

The scale of the Ohio market shows how established that pattern has become. With total wagers since launch now exceeding $26.8 billion, and several months in 2025 passing the $1 billion mark, betting is no longer tied to specific events or locations. It sits alongside the way people already follow sport, whether that is a local game on a Friday night or a national broadcast on a Sunday.

Retail sportsbooks still operate, but their role is limited compared to the early months after launch. The day-to-day activity has moved elsewhere, and that is unlikely to reverse.

Mobile apps have become the default option, not the alternative, and the numbers show that clearly.

Mobile Betting Looks Set to Stay

The direction is clear from the numbers already on the board. With more than $10.3 billion wagered in 2025 and most of that coming through mobile apps, the way people place bets in Ohio has settled into a pattern that feels familiar. Phones are now part of the routine, sitting alongside watching games, checking scores, and following teams.

There is still room for growth, especially with major events on the horizon and more first-time bettors entering the market, but the structure is already in place. Retail locations remain part of the system, yet the daily activity sits elsewhere. For most people, betting now happens in the same place they follow the game, and that is not likely to change any time soon.