Ohio sports betting handle dropped below $700 million for the first time in nearly a year, closing out June at $658.9 million. Ohio online sports betting revenue followed suit, sliding to $68.9 million as operators kept a smaller share of the money wagered. It marked a quieter month for the Buckeye State, even with the World Cup, NBA Finals, and Stanley Cup Final all playing out at once.
Comparing June to Last Year and to May
June 2026 actually beat June 2025 on handle, with bettors wagering $72.6 million more than they did twelve months earlier, according to the Ohio Casino Control Commission. That bump came largely from a heavily bet U.S. men's national team, which played three group stage matches during the month. Revenue told a different story. Operators brought in 8% less than they did in June 2025, a sign that the hold, or the share of every dollar wagered that sportsbooks kept, wasn't as favorable this time around.
The month-over-month drop was more dramatic. May 2026 produced $744.1 million in handle and $88.5 million in revenue on an 11.9% hold, the best win rate of the year to that point. June's hold fell to 10.5%, and handle dropped by roughly $85 million. Combined with the loss of NFL and college football content, the summer slate didn't generate the same betting volume, even with three major championship events overlapping.
Which Sportsbook Is Carrying the Market
DraftKings posted the largest handle in June at $213.7 million, edging FanDuel by about $10 million. But handle alone doesn't tell the full story for gamblers looking to see which apps are performing best. FanDuel's $203.1 million handle came with an 11.8% hold, which translated into $23.9 million in revenue, the highest of any operator in the state. That gap between DraftKings and FanDuel in revenue, despite a smaller handle, shows that FanDuel is squeezing more value out of its user base right now. For everyday bettors, that often means tighter lines and less generous payouts on FanDuel compared to some competitors. Bet365 held onto third place with $6.5 million in revenue from a $78.4 million handle, while BetMGM and Caesars rounded out a competitive but clearly top-heavy field.
Looking Ahead as Football Season Approaches
Ohio's sports betting market has weathered a summer lull before, and the numbers still reflect a state that continues to draw serious wagering activity even without football on the calendar. Lawmakers have floated proposals to raise taxes or restrict mobile wagering altogether, and that political pressure isn't going away. Still, the market has proven resilient through legislative noise in the past.
The bigger story for the rest of 2026 is timing. NFL and college football kick off in the fall, historically the biggest driver of handle and revenue in Ohio. If May and June are the soft months, as they typically are, the numbers should climb sharply once football season arrives. Bettors downloading Ohio sports betting apps ahead of kickoff will likely find no shortage of promotions as operators compete for market share heading into the busiest stretch of the year.
