Ohio sports bettors surpassed $800 million in wagers for the second April, while operators experienced a 20% year-over-year revenue bump.
Key Takeaways
- Despite significantly fewer dollars wagered, Ohio sportsbooks made more money in April than in March.
- The latest month’s 11.1% hold is the highest year-to-date.
- FanDuel reached the top handle spot for the first time in 2026.
The Ohio Casino Control Commission reported that online and retail sportsbooks generated $800.1 million during a busy month that included the Final Four, the start of the NBA and NHL playoffs, the first full month of MLB, and the Masters.
Wagering dipped a slight 0.9% compared to the previous April, but the latest reported monthly handle took a much steeper decline of 17% from the $963 million generated in March.
However, less wagering didn’t result in less Ohio revenue. Operators hauled in $89.2 million in April, the second-highest monthly profit year-to-date, thanks to an 11.1% hold.
The latest win rate was up two points from the previous April and the highest in 2026.
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Online thrives
While retail revenue failed to reach $1 million for the second time this year, online sportsbooks flourished behind an 11.3% hold, raking in $88.4 million from a $786-million handle.
It also helped mobile operators that their combined promotional spend dropped from $26.4 million in March to $23.9 million in April.
Total taxable revenue of $89.5 million led to a $17.9-million revenue haul for the Buckeye State. A 20% tax rate has filled the state’s coffers with over $70 million from Ohio sports betting.
FanDuel outduels DraftKings
| Online Operator | April Handle | Revenue |
|---|---|---|
| FanDuel | $251.4 million | $32.7 million |
| DraftKings | $250.8 million | $27.5 million |
| bet365 | $85.1 million | $8.2 million |
| BetMGM | $57.4 million | $6.1 million |
| Fanatics Sportsbook | $56.2 million | $5.7 million |
| Caesars | $28.2 million | $2.4 million |
FanDuel generated a higher online sports betting handle than DraftKings for the first month since December 2025. The operator’s $251.4 million in wagers edged DraftKings’ $250.8 million.
Still, Ohio’s dynamic duo accounted for over 60% of all bets made in April. FanDuel, which spent a state-high $9.1 million in promotional bets, continued to be the state’s most profitable sportsbook, producing $32.7 million from a 13% hold. DraftKings won back 11% to reach $27.5 million in gross revenue during April, with a lesser promotional spend of just under $6.8 million.
Third place continued to be dominated by bet365, which generated a $85.1-million handle and produced a 9.6% hold. BetMGM stayed slightly ahead of Fanatics in handle by $1.2 million and about $400,000 in revenue as both operators won back over 10% for the month.
Caesars rounded out the top five with a $28.2-million handle, while theScore Bet was the only other Ohio operator to generate at least $20 million in wagers. Hard Rock Bet fell just below that mark, and all three online sportsbooks each hauled in over $2 million in gross revenue.
