Ohio sportsbooks posted $87.9 million in gross gaming revenue in March 2026, a 32.3% jump from the $66.4 million collected during the same month last year. The Ohio Casino Control Commission released the figures this week, capping a six-month streak of double-digit hold percentages in the Buckeye State.
The strong revenue number came despite a 2.9% year-over-year decline in total handle, which fell from $992 million to $963.1 million. The drop is the first March handle dip since Ohio sportsbooks launched in January 2023.
Hold rate carries the month
Operators won back 9.1% of the total handle — far above the 6.7% hold posted during the 2025 NCAA Tournament window and the sixth consecutive month above 9%. Heavy public action on chalk that busted early in the tournament (including Ohio State, which lost to TCU in the first round) helped operators run hotter than usual.
Of the $88.1 million in taxable revenue, the state collected $17.6 million in tax — up from $15.1 million in March 2025. Ohio applies a 20% tax rate on operator gross sports gaming revenue.
FanDuel tops revenue, DraftKings tops handle
FanDuel was the single biggest beneficiary of the high-hold March. The Flutter-owned operator generated $33.1 million in gross revenue on $298.1 million in handle, equating to a 10.9% hold — the only major Ohio operator in double digits for the month.
DraftKings led all books in handle with $304 million but recorded $29 million in revenue at a sub-10% hold rate. Still, that revenue figure was nearly $6 million higher than DraftKings' March 2025 result.
| Operator | March Handle | Revenue | Hold |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | $304.0M | $29.0M | 9.5% |
| FanDuel | $298.1M | $33.1M | 10.9% |
| bet365 | $100.4M | $7.1M | 7.1% |
| BetMGM | $73.8M | $4.0M | 5.4% |
| Fanatics | $65.5M | $4.7M | 7.2% |
| Caesars | $32.0M | $2.9M | 9.0% |
bet365 was the only other Ohio operator to clear $100 million in handle, but its 7.1% hold left revenue at $7.1 million. BetMGM had a noticeably rougher month, retaining just $4 million of a $73.8 million handle. Fanatics improved to a 7.2% hold for $4.7 million in revenue, and Caesars hit 9% on a smaller $32 million handle. Hard Rock Bet and theScore Bet failed to reach 6% hold.
Promotional spending climbs
Online operator promotional spending rose from $19.9 million in February to $26.4 million in March as books leaned harder into NCAA Tournament boosts, bonus bet promos, and parlay insurance offers. Online betting accounted for $86.4 million of the total $87.9 million in revenue and $950.2 million of total handle.
College basketball drives a big-handle month — minus Ohio State
Even with the year-over-year handle dip, March still represented a $195 million increase in betting volume over February, helped by the NCAA Tournament, conference tournaments, the start of the MLB regular season, and the World Baseball Classic.
Ohio State's first-round exit against TCU likely capped further Buckeye-driven wagering, since Buckeyes games consistently rank among the highest-handle events on the Ohio sportsbook calendar. With the Ohio Casino Control Commission's February 2026 ban on college player props, Buckeyes betting was already limited to team markets, spreads, totals, and futures.
Other Ohio betting news
In separate regulatory action, the Ohio Casino Control Commission moved to fine prediction-market platform Kalshi $5 million, alleging that the trading exchange has been offering illegal gambling products in the state.
Ohio lawmakers are also considering legislation that would remove credit cards as a funding option for online sportsbook accounts — a step several other states have already taken to address problem gambling concerns.
What it means for Ohio bettors
For Ohio bettors, the six-month streak of 9%+ holds suggests sportsbooks have priced parlays and player props sharper than ever. Shopping lines across DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, bet365, and Caesars remains the simplest way to recover the cost of widening juice — see the Ohio sportsbook comparison hub for current welcome bonuses and line quality.