Underdog Sportsbook will be one what could be 20+ sportsbooks offering mobile services to Ohio residents as of January 1, 2023. This news comes after Underdog received a provisional license, according to data released by the Ohio Casino Control Commission in September.
While Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed the sports betting bill into law in December 2021, the state moved slowly to implement the process. The Ohio Casino Control Commission announced in June that the state’s betting program would go live on January 1, 2023.
Ohio will be one of the biggest sports betting areas in the United States. To date, more than 800 applications have been received by the regulatory agency. Over 300 provisional licenses have been approved thus far, the majority of which will offer only a gambling kiosk at their business location.
Until 2022, Underdog was purely a fantasy sports platform. The company is home to the industry's leading Best Ball daily fantasy game, making Underdog one of the fastest-growing fantasy sites in the country.
In September 2021, Underdog acquired tech company Goat Gaming, a backend provider for its soon-to-launch mobile betting services. This acquisition allowed Underdog to wade into the sports betting waters, a move that has excited the company’s investors about its potential growth in the sportsbook marketplace as well as revenue opportunities.
Underdog Sportsbook will be licensed to provide mobile gaming services in at least two states by 2023: Ohio and Colorado. The company has also applied for a license in Maryland and New York as well, but the group’s applications have not yet been approved.
Underdog Sports Wagering will serve as the Cincinnati Reds’ mobile service provider. The agreement will allow Underdog to market its online gambling services using one of Ohio’s best-known professional sports brands in an exclusive partnership. The move will also allow the company to use live statistics provided by the Cincinnati Reds, creating multiple unique opportunities for in-game wagers.
Jeremy Levine, who created Underdog Fantasy in 2020, has expressed interest in a non-traditional sportsbook by introducing innovative live betting experiences unlike any currently available. Levine has promoted the Underdog Sportsbook service as an immersive experience to engage new bettors to the company’s mobile offering.
For professional sports teams, partnering with a mobile betting service provides the club with a new (and growing) revenue stream. Pro sports teams like the Cincinnati Reds realize betting - especially in-game wagering options - creates a heightened fan process. In-game and prop bets require engaged fans to watch the contest either in-person or via a cable/subscription service, enhancing the team’s marketability as well as boosting traditional revenue streams.
For their retail sports wagering service, the Cincinnati Reds selected BetMGM. While fans can bet through Underdog Sportsbook on their mobile devices anywhere, including their stadium seats, BetMGM will run an on-site sportsbook at the Reds’ Great American Ballpark.
Fans looking for insight into pregame sports betting can check out EatWatchBet.com daily for updates about upcoming professional and collegiate sports betting previews. Veteran sports writers from around the country provide information fans need to know before wagering on their favorite teams.
In addition, fans can check out all of the promotional opportunities available in states where legal online gambling is permitted at EatWatchBet.com. In addition to Underdog Sportsbook, fans of local Ohio teams will find every major online betting service’s bonus offers and promotional betting information to determine which site is right for you.
Ernie is a 25-year veteran of the newspaper industry. He's spent those early years working as a sports reporter and editor. He made the move back to the digital world in 2022 and covers college football betting for EatWatchBet.