The political betting odds in Ohio have caused bettors headaches for decades thanks to it being one of the core swing states in U.S. politics. Whether it's presidential election betting or placing wagers on the midterms, players can never be sure of what's going to happen in the Buckeye State.
Political events provide furtive ground for both pundits and bettors trying to predict the winner of upcoming election. Coupled with polls, betting odds can help indicate which party and which candidates will be victorious on election night.
Ohio participates in local elections and presidential elections with a passion almost unrivalled across the U.S. There is intense focus on this state come election night, which makes it the perfect place for betting on political races.
Can I Bet on Politics in the US?
Right now bettors in the U.S. cannot bet on politics. Betting on politics is legal in Europe, Australia and elsewhere in the world, but the licensed U.S. bookmakers are not permitted to provide politics betting odds to American citizens.
Is Political Betting Legal in Ohio?
Likewise, betting on politics is not legal in Ohio. Sports betting in Ohio was legalized in Jan. 2023 but so far players cannot place wagers on politics. In this page we will show you the odds from Ohio-licensed sportsbook bet365, which offers its bettors in Europe access to its politics betting markets. It's important to note these odds are taken from bet365 UK. Even thought you can sign up with bet365 Ohio, you won't be able to see these odds or bet from them. We are posting them here for entertainment purposes only.
Betting Markets Important to Ohio
Political betting needs to be done with a level head, otherwise bettors risk losing big stakes on hope, not logic. This is particularly relevant for Ohio markets because you can never know which way they will flip.
Here are some of the Ohio political race markets that are worth looking out for:
- Ohio Senate Race – Ohio is a swing state for the presidential election but the Senate has commanded a Republican majority since 1984. Backing the GOP here is usually a sire-fire winning bet.
- Ohio House Race – The House is just as likely to remain Republican as the Senate, but flipped blue under Barack Obama for two years. That shows there is a possibility of the Democratic party winning seats here.
- Ohio Governor's Race – Ted Strickland is the only Democrat to serve as Ohio governor since the early 1990s. This is another GOP-heavy field.
- Ohio Midterms – On average, two thirds of the 15 House of Representative seats Ohio votes on during the midterms go to Republicans. There are some districts such as the 9th and 11th that have always voted Democrat. But Hillsboro (2nd district), Urbana (4th), and Bowling Green (5th) are examples of strong GOP areas.
- Ohio Supreme Court – Republicans hold a 4-3 swing on the Ohio Supreme court at the time of writing, with Republican Joe Deters being sworn in in 2023 to tip the balance. Betting on this market is notoriously difficult.
What Is the Average Amount of People Who Vote on Election Day in Ohio?
There are just over eight million registered voters in Ohio, and voter turnout varies depending on the election. The 2022 U.S. midterms attracted a turnout of just 52.32%. However, the 2020 U.S. presidential election saw almost six million people vote, with a 73.99% turnout.
The lowest ever turnout since the government began to keep specific records was 26.97%, when just over two million people voted on as many as 1,677 local issues.
Political Betting Odds on the 2024 Presidential Election
Betting on Joe Biden and Donald Trump in the upcoming presidential elections is already underway but unfortunately you cannot place wagers on the race from the state of Ohio.
Where Can You Find Political Betting Odds?
You can find political betting odds at bet365 but only via its U.K. and European sites. Even though bet365 is legal in Ohio, bettors in the state won't see the latest politics betting options. It is not advised to seek Ohio politics odds at offshore sportsbooks as they are not legal, and can be dangerous. Offshore sportsbooks offer players zero protection against fraud and you could be prosecuted for gambling there.
How to Read Political Betting Odds
Reading political odds is done in exactly the same way as other sports odds. The aim is to show the bettor what chance each candidate has of winning their election. The higher the odds, the less chance a candidate has, and the bigger your payout if you succeed in betting on them.
Here's one of our betting tips as an example. Say a Republican odds nominee is favorite to beat their Democrat rival for one of the two OH senator seats in Congress. The Republican has odds of -250 to win the election, and the Democrat is priced at +300. In this instance, you would need to bet $250 on the Republican to win $100 profit (assuming they win!). But for the Democrat, you only need to wager $100 to win $300 profit, as their odds are positive.
Popular Political Betting Elections and Latest Political Betting Odds
Here are some of the most popular political betting elections and the latest odds from around the world:
Party Primaries
Betting on party primaries in the lead-up to the U.S. presidential election is big business. Bettors and pollsters will already have a strong idea of which way each state will vote when it comes to endorsing both Republican and Democrat nominee picks. In Ohio political races like the primaries are closely followed as they can often reveal which way the U.S. election will fall. State primary odds usually go live close to the time of the vote.
Current Events
There are always other political events going on that sportsbooks may decide to offer betting lines on. These include:
- Joe Biden's exit date
- Who will be House leader
- Vice Presidential nominations
- Will a president pass certain laws in office
- Combo of the GOP and Democrat tickets
- Will a president be impeached while in office
Donald Trump Odds
Media outlets never stop reporting on Trump, so it's no wonder many betting sites provide prop bets on the ex-president. The Trump 2024 odds right now suggest he will moonwalk to the GOP pick in the primaries, and then beat Biden come election night in November 2024.
The Trump odds vary depending on his exposure and media coverage, but right now he is on course for victory:
- Trump to win the GOP pick -175
- Trump to win the 2024 U.S. election +275
- Trump to win the popular vote +225
Democratic Nomination
An incumbent president such as Joe Biden in 2024 is almost certain to get the pick again. Rarely does a party refuse a president a shot at a second term. After all, the exposure usually gives an incumbent a poll boost in elections.
Democrat Primaries Odds
Republican Nomination
What happens when Trump, a former president, tries to regain power of the GOP? It's impossible to predict what the outcome might be but Trump is beating Ron DeSantis in the polls and is likely to dominate the TV debates between the two candidates.
Republican Primaries Odds
Most Common Types of Political Bets
Most political bets focus on the moneymen and on which candidate wins. However, there's more to politics betting that just the straight race! Here are some other types of bets:
Moneyline
A moneyline bet is a simple wager on who will win an election. In most cases in Ohio this is a one-v-one race between a Democrat and a Republican. It can also focus on which way Ohio will vote in the presidential election – will the state back the GOP or the Dems?
Futures
Futures betting is where you wager on an event before the candidates are confirmed. In horse racing its akin to betting on the Kentucky Derby months before, even if you don't know which horses are running. For politics, futures betting is great for wagering on the winning party months or even years out from an election.
Props
Props betting focuses on the small details in politics, away from the moneyline. Props bets include:
- Margin of victory for the winning candidate
- Which states will flip red and blue
- Which TV network will call the winner first
Props are a great way of expanding your bet choices and using polling data to make smarter, more intricate wagers at better odds.
Totals
Bet above and below figures in the totals market, and make smart predictions on a number of factors during an election. These include:
- Number of votes cast in an election
- Number of electoral college votes earned
- Voter turnout in Ohio
Totals betting markets set a line from which bettors can wager above or below. So, for example, you could wager on voter turnout in Ohio being above or below 50%.
