Ohio sports bettors faced less friction placing bets at kiosks in February, and a sharp increase in kiosk handle, revenue and winnings followed during the second month of kiosk operation in the state.
The technology roll-out issues that plagued Ohio sports betting kiosks in January were mostly remedied, and over 100 licensed locations have been added.
February’s Ohio betting kiosk revenue figures reflect the improvements in the market, with Ohio taking in $973,208 in handle via betting kiosks, according to the Ohio Lottery. That amount marked a 14.4% increase over January’s $850,334 handle.
Ohioans bet more at kiosks, won more
Ohio sports bettors won $909,552 in January, leaving a revenue of $62,146 for the proprietors and the Ohio Lottery. After the Lottery took its share ($13,814), the proprietors made $48,332.
In February, kiosk handle increased $122,872, or 14.4%, over January. Bettors using kiosks fared better in February, too, making back 93.61% of all money wagered. In January, the payout percent was an unimpressive 86.16% for kiosk sports bettors.
The amount of bets that were canceled or unable to be paid fell from $11,920 in January to $1,510 in February, likely due to the technology working properly across the state. In addition, all bets placed for the Jan. 2 match up between the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills were voided when the game was cut short and ultimately canceled. When bets are canceled, the original wager amount is returned to the patron.
| Handle | Prizes | Revenue | Proprietor Share | Lottery Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | $850,334 | $722,376 | $116,040 | $87,664 | $28,376 |
| February | $973,208 | $909,552 | $62,146 | $48,332 | $13,814 |
More Ohio kiosks and a new operator come online in February
Kiosk operator SportsBet has the most kiosk locations by far and took in over 62% of all kiosk sports betting handle in the state. They also made the most revenue, with $32,379.
On the other end of the spectrum, BetIGG actually paid out more in winnings than they took in. BeIGG ended up in the hole by $3,145.
Gold Rush debuted in early February, launching its machines in 58 locations. The company brought in the least amount of handle at $47,440. However, Gold Rush did well with revenue. Its $15,446 revenue wasn’t far behind UBet, which brought in more than three times more handle.
UBet’s revenue was $17,467 on a $207,617 total handle.
January Ohio sports betting kiosk revenue:
| Operator | Handle | Revenue | Payout Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| SportsBet | $610,650 | $32,379 | 94.68% |
| UBet | $207,617 | $17,467 | 91.59% |
| Gold Rush | $74,440 | $15,446 | 79.25% |
| Bet IGG | $80,501 | ($3,145) | 103.91% |
| Total | $973,208 | $62,146 | 93.61% |
The revenue reports show a total of 866 locations operating in February.
- SportsBet: 728
- Gold Rush: 58
- UBet: 31
- BetIGG: 49
Kiosks had a rough start, but the market continues to grow
Prior to January, the vast majority of Ohio businesses adding kiosks were slated to begin offering them in partnership with SportsBet, formerly known as Intralot. But due to software updates and other technical difficulties, the company didn’t get most of its machines operating until nearly the end of the month.
In fact, 700 of the 772 initially licensed host locations were partnered with Intralot and were affected by the delays.
Now, in mid-March, most of the 899 licensed host locations have their kiosks up and running. But the numbers won’t stop there.
The Ohio Lottery has pre-approved over 1,500 businesses that expressed interest in hosting sports betting kiosks. In order to host kiosks, a business then needs to partner with a kiosk proprietor and apply through the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) for final approval.
The OCCC has approved over 1,100 businesses to date. Most of them are currently hosting kiosks provided by the four proprietors listed ab, but other kiosk companies are waiting in the wings.
Elys Game Technology, BetSkybox and J&J Ventures are all licensed to supply kiosks in Ohio. So far, the Lottery’s list of partnered businesses shows no partnerships with these three. With hundreds of licensed and pre-licensed host businesses at large, it’s likely we’ll see the number of active kiosk locations grow in the coming months.
