Clifton – Ohio launched sports betting just in time for the NFL playoffs. While it added another layer of excitement for fans, parts of the launch were still delayed, leading to frustration for some businesses.
Matt Esterkamp is a lifelong Bengals fan.
“Every game I really think the Bengals are going to win,” he said.
With the launch of sports betting in Ohio, he’s been putting his money where his mouth is, betting on Ja’Marr Chase’s first touchdown in last week’s Bengals-Bills game.
Estercamp primarily bets on an app on his phone, but in Ohio, there are also sportsbook retail stores and sportsbook kiosks.
With the Bengals back in the AFC championship game, businesses like Martino hope to be places where fans can watch games and bet, but their sports betting kiosks are still not up and running.
“The kiosks were supposed to be downloaded in January, but as of today they haven’t,” said Martino’s manager Marty Anguilli.
The physical kiosks are there, but the sports betting software is not yet on the machines.
Testing at pilot locations began yesterday, the Ohio Lottery Commission said. If all goes well, they say kiosks elsewhere will go live in the next few weeks.
However, it’s still possible to place bets at Martino’s and other businesses with kiosks through the Sportsbet Ohio app. You choose your bet on the app, and it gives you a QR code that the staff scans under the machines behind the bar.
But Anguilli said most people don’t want to bet that way.
“When people realized the kiosks weren’t up and running, they decided to leave,” he said.
Esterkamp seems to agree with the majority. Since the launch of sports betting in Ohio, he has used only one sports betting app, which he believes is the most convenient way to place bets.
While he may try to bet himself in the future, one thing that won’t change is his confidence in the Bengals. He’s already confident that the Bengals will win the Super Bowl.
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