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Sports betting activity in Ohio cooled slightly during the first month of 2026. Wagering volume dipped compared with the same period last year, yet sportsbook revenue still increased thanks to stronger hold rates across operators.
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The Ohio Casino Control Commission reported that online and retail sportsbooks combined for $931.1 million in total wagers during January 2026. That figure represented an 8 percent decline year over year, as betting activity remained below the $1 billion threshold reached during the same month last year.
January 2025 saw unusually strong betting activity because Ohio State football captured the College Football Playoff national championship, which kept local interest high throughout the postseason. The situation looked different in 2026. The Buckeyes ended their season on New Year Eve after losing to Miami in the Cotton Bowl, meaning no playoff momentum carried into January wagering.
Even with the lower handle, sportsbook profitability improved. Operators generated $99.6 million in gross gaming revenue, representing a 24 percent increase compared with January 2025.
The statewide 10.7 percent hold rate drove that increase. Sportsbooks kept a larger share of wagers than the previous January when the hold sat at 7.9 percent. January also became the third consecutive month with a double digit win rate for operators in Ohio.
Online sportsbooks dominated the market. Digital platforms generated $98.3 million in revenue from a $917.6 million handle, while retail sportsbooks contributed $1.3 million in revenue from $13.5 million in wagers. Taxable revenue totaled $99.7 million, which produced roughly $20 million in tax contributions to Ohio public funds.
Competition among operators remained tight at the top of the market. DraftKings recorded the highest wagering volume in January with $301 million in bets, matching the company performance from December.
However, FanDuel produced the strongest revenue results. A 13.2 percent hold on a $295.3 million handle allowed the sportsbook to generate $39.1 million in revenue, nearly $7 million more than DraftKings, which posted $32.5 million with a 10.8 percent win rate.
bet365 finished third for both wagering volume and revenue. The operator reported $78 million in bets and generated $9 million in revenue, representing an 11.5 percent hold.
Results looked weaker for BetMGM, which handled $68.9 million in wagers but produced only $3.4 million in revenue, translating into a 4.9 percent hold rate.
Other operators posted mixed results as well. Fanatics Sportsbook handled $52.8 million in wagers and achieved a double digit win rate, while Caesars processed $31.6 million in bets and remained in single digit hold territory.
Several other sportsbooks continued building market share during the month. theScore Bet, owned by PENN Entertainment, reported just under $2.5 million in revenue during January. Although profit declined from the platform launch month, wagering activity increased 5.9 percent compared with December, reaching $29.97 million in handle.
That handle total placed theScore Bet just behind Caesars and ahead of Hard Rock Bet, which processed $23.6 million in wagers during the month. Hard Rock Bet performed more efficiently, though, delivering a 9.6 percent hold rate compared with theScore Bet 8.3 percent win rate.
Prime Sportsbook produced the lowest hold of any operator during the month. The platform failed to reach a 3 percent hold rate despite accepting $18.4 million in wagers.
Overall results highlight how operator profitability can rise even when wagering volume declines. Higher hold percentages across sportsbooks helped offset the drop in betting activity tied to the absence of a deep postseason run by Ohio State football.