Sports betting activity in Ohio fell to its 2023 low in April, with $520.6 million in statewide handle that represented less than half the volume of its remarkable first month in January. Revenue last month amounted to $63.7 million.
The arrival of spring typically reduces betting levels due to the change in the sports calendar, and the Buckeye State's initial experience was no different, according to data released Wednesday by the Ohio Casino Control Commission.
April's $520.6 million in bets, about 97% of it handled by 18 digital platforms, was a 29.4% drop from the $737.2 million handle in March, when the NCAA Tournament provides a big boost. The first month of the year, with all of the attention and promotional offers surrounding Ohio's debut as a legal sports betting state, saw $1.11 billion in bets.
As their hold rate, the sportsbooks combined to keep about 12.2% as revenue from what customers wagered in April, before the state claimed a 10% tax share amounting to $6.38 million.