Will Sportsbook Accounts From Other States Work In Ohio?

Written By Jake Garza on December 12, 2022
Will your sportsbook accounts from other states work in Ohio?

Sports betting in Ohio isn’t quite here yet, but that hasn’t stopped some residents from placing their bets over the past few years.

Ohio has four different sports betting states surrounding it: Indiana, Michigan, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

It took Ohio sports betting a few extra years to get off the ground compared to its neighbors. Lagging behind meant some gamblers in Ohio had to visit these other states to place their bets online.

If you’ve been betting in another state nearby Ohio, then chances are you’re already familiar with a handful of the bigger sportsbook brands. Names like DraftKings, FanDuel and Caesars are prominent across the country.

Now that sports betting in the Buckeye State is less than a month away, many bettors will be hoping to use their sportsbook accounts from other states in Ohio. As it turns out, whether or not you’ll be able to use your same account from another state depends on which online sportsbook you’ve been using.

Some sportsbook accounts transfer across states, others don’t

Ohio sports betting will kick off on Jan. 1, 2023. The wait is almost over.

If you’ve been betting in another state, then you might already have some sportsbook apps on your phone.

However, you might need to create a new account for the same app, depending on which one you’ve been using. About two dozen online sportsbooks are on their way to Ohio, so it’s important to know what to expect if you plan on using your old accounts.

For example, if you’ve been using DraftKings Sportsbook, then the process will be simple.

DraftKings accounts transfer over state lines, so if you have an account that you’ve been using in a nearby state like Pennsylvania, then that same account will work in Ohio when you log in. No extra hoops to jump through to get in on the action.

A company representative told PlayOhio that bettors will have any easy time trying to use their accounts from other states in Ohio.

“You will not have to re-sign up when visiting another state. Everything from your account now will transfer and be the same.”

That’s incredibly convenient for Ohio bettors who have been betting elsewhere in recent years.

But not every sportsbook makes things quite as simple.

Will you need a new sportsbook app in Ohio?

BetRivers ends up on the other end of the spectrum compared to DraftKings when it comes to using your account in multiple states.

The company does not allow accounts to transfer from one state to another. If you’ve been using BetRivers in Indiana, then you’ll have to create a brand new account to use the sportsbook in Ohio.

BetRivers has entirely separate apps for each state, so if you’re using the BetRivers PA app, then you’ll have to download a new app specifically for Ohio to keep betting with the company.

Other companies end up somewhere in the middle of these two situations. BetMGM Sportsbook is one of them.

BetMGM uses a single app for each state where it operates. Bettors moving from one state to another can manually change their location without needing to download a separate app.

However, while the BetMGM app itself will transfer across states, your actual account will not. If you signed up for BetMGM in Michigan, you’ll have to create a new account in Ohio to keep betting with the company.

Transferring sportsbook funds from one state to another

Sportsbook wallets are the virtual part of your account that holds your money. For example, if you deposit $25 into your DraftKings account, then that money is being held virtually in your “DraftKings wallet.”

If you’ve been betting in another state, then you might still have money left in one of your sportsbook wallets.

Whether or not your wallet will transfer to Ohio depends on the company.

For example, your DraftKings wallet will automatically shift from one state to another. When you log into your account in Ohio, all of your deposits and winnings from other states will be there.

That once again differs from BetMGM, which does not allow customer funds to transfer.

“No, you can use your funds only in that state wherever you had deposited. Example: If you deposited funds into your New Jersey state account, those funds will not be available when you switch to Indiana state.”

If you’ve been using BetMGM in a nearby state and plan to also use it in Ohio, then that’s something to keep in mind.

Some online sportsbooks mix and match

When it comes to transferring your info, PointsBet is somewhere in between DraftKings and BetMGM.

PointsBet told PlayOhio that the company lets bettors move their accounts across states, but not their wallets.

“If you are looking to bet in other states, you will simply ‘step up’ your account by clicking the log in button and then clicking the state you want to make an account in and then you login into the state with the same credentials. With that being said, you cannot take advantage of sign up offers in other jurisdictions per our terms and conditions. In addition, you cannot transfer funds from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.”

It just goes to show that the situation will be different from one person to another. It’s entirely dependent on which sportsbook you’ve been using.

However, it’s important to note that the majority of sportsbooks aren’t in the same boat as DraftKings. Most companies won’t give you the chance to seamlessly transfer your account and wallet to Ohio.

If there’s any confusion for the specific sportsbook you’ve been using outside of Ohio, then be sure to contact customer support. Ohio sports betting begins on Jan. 1, so it’s good to know what to expect if you’re hoping to transfer your info over from another state.

Photo by playohio.com
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Jake Garza

Jake Garza is a US Gambling Industry Analyst for Catena Media. He specializes in Midwest sports betting and casino content. Prior to covering the legal gambling industry, he spent time as a professional sports writer, reporting on teams such as the Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts and Indiana Pacers. Garza is currently working as a Managing Editor for PlayIndiana and PlayOhio, with previous stops at other well-known brands such as PlayIllinois and PlayMichigan. He has been covering the gambling industry since 2019, and currently works with a team of other journalists to provide comprehensive coverage of the legal U.S. gambling industry.

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