The final month of 2025 was a massive improvement from December 2024 for the Buckeye State’s sports betting operators.
Key Takeaways
- Revenue spiked nearly 150% year-over-year in December.
- Ohio sportsbooks saw the amount wagered fall 1% from the previous December.
- Yearly profits topped $1 billion for operators as 2025 generated more than $10 billion in handle.
The Ohio Casino Control Commission recently reported that online and retail sportsbooks generated a nearly 150% year-over-year total taxable revenue increase with December 2025’s $138.3-million haul, the second-highest ever. Operators won over $100 million back for the third consecutive month, a first for the state since wagering launched in January 2023.
The latest 14.5% hold was more than double the 5.8% win rate produced during the same month in 2024. Ohio State failing to cover or win on Dec. 31 against Miami in the College Football Playoff’s Cotton Bowl likely factored into such an impressive win rate for sportsbooks.
Ohioans wagered $954.3 million during December, a 1% decrease from the previous year and $200,000 less than November’s $1.15-billion record handle. That also kept the Buckeye State from extending its billion-dollar handles to three months. Still, Ohio closed out 2025 with four consecutive months of at least $900 million wagered.
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Yearly revenue rises
Online and retail sportsbooks generated just over $1 billion in Ohio sports betting revenue for 2025, a nearly 16% year-over-year spike. Wagering for the entire year surpassed $10 billion, giving state operators a double-digit hold in 2025.
The full-year handle was up 14.6% from 2024, and it was the most ever wagered in Ohio. Counting December’s $14.4-million tax haul, the Buckeye State filled its coffers with nearly $210 million in 2025.
FanDuel, DraftKings dominate
| Online Operator | December Handle | Revenue |
|---|---|---|
| FanDuel | $316.1 million | $53.4 million |
| DraftKings | $301 million | $45.6 million |
| bet365 | $75.5 million | $8.6 million |
| BetMGM | $63.2 million | $9.1 million |
| Fanatics Sportsbook | $53.5 million | $6.1 million |
| Caesars | $30.5 million | $3.1 million |
Ohio online sports betting generated over $132 million in revenue, led by FanDuel’s $53.4 million in December profits as promotional credits were nearly cut in half compared to November. The online operator produced a nearly 17% win rate for the month from the $316.1 million in wagers.
DraftKings turned a 15.1% hold on a $301-million handle to rack up $45.6 million in December revenue, while bet365 won back $8.6 million from a $75.5-million handle. BetMGM came in fourth with $63.2 million in wagers, but the online operator generated the third-best profit with $9.1 million.
Fanatics took in over $50 million in bets and enjoyed an 11.4% hold, while Caesars just got over a double-digit win rate on a $30.5-million handle.
Profitable start
In PENN Entertainment’s first month after transitioning from ESPN BET to theScore Bet, the operator generated $28.3 million in wagers, more than $10 million less than in November.
However, the online sportsbook’s hold increased from 10.1% to 15.3% month-over-month, leading to $4.35 million in December revenue. It was the most profitable month of 2025 in Ohio for PENN and more revenue than Caesars and Hard Rock.
