How to Bet on Sports in Ohio
A complete walkthrough of the seven core bet types every Ohio bettor should know. Each guide covers the math, when to use it, and where it pays the most at DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and other licensed Ohio sportsbooks.
Moneyline
A moneyline bet is the simplest wager in sports betting: pick the team or player you think will win the game outright.
Read guide → 📏Point Spreads
Point spread betting evens out matchups by giving the underdog a head-start in points.
Read guide → 🎯Totals
A totals bet (also called over/under) wagers on the combined final score of both teams.
Read guide → 🔗Parlays
A parlay combines two or more individual bets into a single wager that requires every leg to win.
Read guide → 🎲Prop Bets
A prop bet (short for proposition bet) is a wager on a specific outcome within a game that is not directly tied to the final score.
Read guide → 🔮Futures
A futures bet wagers on an outcome that will be decided weeks or months in the future — Super Bowl winners, NBA Finals, division champions, regular season win totals, and individual awards like MVP.
Read guide → ⚡Live Betting
Live betting (also called in-play or in-game betting) lets you place wagers while a game is in progress.
Read guide → 📊Reading Odds
Decode American, decimal, and fractional odds — and convert between them.
Read guide →Where to Start
If you're brand new to sports betting, start with our moneyline guide — it's the simplest bet type and the foundation for everything else. From there, learn point spreads for football and basketball, then totals for over/under wagers.
Once you're comfortable with single-game wagers, explore parlays for higher-payout combinations, prop bets for player and team-specific markets, and futures for season-long wagers like Ohio State winning the College Football Playoff.
Ready to place your first bet? Compare welcome bonuses from DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM.