Ohio Sportsbooks Are Ready For Your Jan. 2 New Year Bowl Bets

Written By Russ Mitchell on January 2, 2023 - Last Updated on January 3, 2023
New Year bowl bets for Ohio launch

Fans are excited about the arrival of online sports betting in Ohio but, darn it, what a difference a day makes when it comes to New Year bowl games.

With Ohio sports betting set to go live on Jan. 1, bettors and sportsbooks missed out on the New Year’s Eve CFP semifinal bets on:

  • TCU vs. The Team Up North in the Fiesta Bowl and
  • Ohio State vs. Georgia in the Peach Bowl

Depending on your hunches — and the outcomes of the semifinals — maybe it’s for the best.

So, let’s turn the page, because Jan. 2 is a sneaky-good option for some of your first bets in Ohio.

New Year bowl bets … on Jan. 2

The new year brought a full slate of NFL games on Day 1 of Ohio betting. And because New Year’s Day fell on a Sunday, four major bowls pushed their games and pageantry to Jan. 2.

The second day of the year features three Big Ten teams plus a future Big Ten team. The college football buffet leads to a tasty Monday Night Football dessert featuring the Buffalo Bills versus the Cincinnati Bengals.

Rose Bowl, then the Bengals in a huge NFL showdown? You could leave your couch, but why?

We’ll help you find and bet on all of the games.

Lunch bets: Two Sunshine State showdowns and the Cotton Bowl

The New Year binge starts with the ReliaQuest Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

It may have a new name, but the former Outback Bowl still matches the Big Ten and the SEC. It opens the traditional New Year’s viewing schedule.

  • What: ReliaQuest Bowl
  • Who: The game pairs Mississippi State (8-4) vs. Illinois (8-4) .
  • When: Noon on Monday, Jan. 2
  • Watch: ESPN2 and the ESPN app carry the game.
  • Of note: The Bulldogs are playing in memory of coach Mike Leach, who passed away on Dec. 12. Illinois defensive coordinator Ryan Walters left the Illini to become head coach at Purdue.

More odds and offers:

The ReliaQuest Bowl gets an hour head start on a pair of afternoon bowls games. The Cheez-It Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando features another Big Ten vs. SEC matchup.

The day’s first NY6 game unfolds with the Cotton Bowl Classic in Arlington.

  • What: Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
  • Who: LSU (9-4) vs. Purdue (8-5)
  • When: 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 2
  • Watch: ABC and the ESPN app
  • Of note: Both teams won their divisions, but lost their respective conference championship games. Purdue coach Jeff Brohm accepted the head coaching position at Louisville, so offensive coordinator Brian Brohm will guide the Boilers in Orlando.

More odds and offers:

  • What: Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
  • Who: Tulane (11-2) vs. USC (11-2)
  • When: 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 2
  • Watch: ESPN and the ESPN app
  • Of note: There could be an enthusiasm gap in this one. The Green Wave went from 2-10 in 2021 to this season’s 11-win mark. USC had a different destination in mind, but Pac-12 champ Utah did Ohio State a favor by knocking the Trojans out of the CFP hunt.

More odds and offers:

The Granddaddy of college football

We have to enjoy it while it lasts, folks. The Rose Bowl Game, as we know it, is changing.

The Big Ten vs. Pac-12 game will likely depart from its classic matchup next season because the Rose Bowl is a CFP semifinal. Then, starting with the 2024 season, a 12-team college football playoff takes over. The Rose Bowl hosts a game in that college football bracket each year.

The Big Ten vs. Pac-12 pairings could still happen in Pasadena, of course, but the combinations will be far more random.

Plus, 2024 is also the season USC and UCLA jump to the other side of the Rose Bowl fence. Their exodus to the Big Ten could destabilize the Pac-12.

So as you watch — and bet on — the Jan. 2 game, just know that it’s the end of an era.

  • What: Rose Bowl Game in Pasadena, Calif.
  • Who: Penn State (10-2) vs. Utah (10-3)
  • When: 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 2
  • Watch: ESPN and the ESPN app
  • Of note: This is Utah’s second-straight appearance. Penn State is making its first trip to Pasadena since the end of the 2016 season.

More odds and offers:

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Russ Mitchell

Russ Mitchell covered news and sports in Iowa since 1997, including 11 years as managing editor for one of the most decorated community newspapers in the state. He joined PlayIA as a lead writer and managing editor in 2021. He covers betting throughout the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic regions. Russ is excited to explore the growing Ohio sports betting industry.

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