CINCINNATI — One year after sports betting was legalized in Ohio, local bars and restaurants say they’ve seen a boost in business.
“More people are coming in that didn't come in before,” said Tome Jolevski, kitchen manager at Patrick's Sports Bar & Grill in Western Hills.
Jolevski said revenue has gone up since sports betting was legalized. Patrick's has one sports betting kiosk.
“Some people are staying longer, especially when the games are on,” he said.
Some customers, like Mike Dasenbrock, prefer to bet on the kiosks rather than the online apps.
“I don't have to give a debit card or credit card,” Dasenbrock said. “Keeps me in control.”
Jolevski said the surge of online betting apps hasn’t taken away business. Instead, it’s helped boost the bar’s sales too.
“Just because we got 20-something TVs and we'll put different games on all of them,” he said.
It’s a sentiment shared by Billy Watson, owner of Kitty's Sports Grill.
“Mainly online, on your phone, on the different apps, has helped business, but the machine, not as much,” Watson said.
The kiosk hasn't produced as much of a business boost as Watson had originally hoped.
Watson said the majority of his customers bet on their phones, as opposed to using the kiosk he had set up.
“Like 95% of them are betting on their phone,” he said.
Statewide estimates through November show a significant gap between taxable revenue generated by online sports betting versus retail betting.
Estimates show retail sports betting generated more than $21 million for the state during that time frame, while online betting generated more than $827 million, according to revenue data analyzed from both the Ohio Casino Control Commission and the Ohio Lottery.
Watson said he has gained new regular customers since sports betting was legalized, including customers from Kentucky who had crossed the river to bet before sports betting was legalized in their state too.
“I was joking with them when it became legal,” Watson said. “Like, ‘I guess I won't see you guys anymore.’ They're like, ‘Oh, Billy. You know, we'll come back.’ So they still come in.”
Both Watson and Jolevski say setting up kiosks has been worth it, but they hope more people consider betting on kiosks in person.
“So you can watch the games, you can mingle with each other,” Jolevski said. “Because it is so much fun to cheer for your teams or other teams.”
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