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BetMGM and the Cincinnati Reds have announced they are moving the Great American Ball Park’s BetMGM Sportsbook out of the stadium…and across the street.
The new sportsbook will be located in The Banks, a multi-use apartment development located across Joe Nuxhall Way from Great American. The location will include Nation Kitchen & Bar, a Cincinnati-based restaurant.
“We are thrilled to expand BetMGM’s offering in Ohio,” BetMGM Chief Revenue Officer Matt Prevost said in a statement. “The Reds and Nation Kitchen & Bar are great partners and together we’re building a premier entertainment venue that we can’t wait to see filled with fans.”
BetMGM expects the sportsbook-restaurant to open this fall.
New sportsbook location will be “permanent” home
The announcement of the BetMGM move comes less than seven months after sports betting launched in Ohio. There was no indication that the ballpark sportsbook was a temporary location when it debuted on Jan. 1, leading to the question: Why is the sportsbook moving so soon?
A rocky start may be to blame. The sportsbook was ground zero for a betting scandal involving University of Alabama baseball coach Brian Bohannon. Additionally, the Journal-News reported that the in-stadium sportsbook is the worst-performing brick-and-mortar sportsbook in the state.
It’s likely that BetMGM wanted to make the move across the street because Nation will bring far more foot traffic than its current location. The litany of options the popular restaurant offers is likely to draw more customers than the “wings and rings” menu at BetMGM’s ballpark sportsbook.
The new location will have self-serve betting kiosks as well as betting windows. BetMGM and the Reds did not give specifics as to whether the number of in-person betting options will be more or less than the 18 currently available at the stadium sportsbook, though.
Nation Partner Andrew Salzbrun said the restaurant is honored to partner with BetMGM.
“Our hospitality team is honored to bring our award-winning burgers and dining experience to The Banks this fall with BetMGM. We look forward to hosting fans of sport and food alike in the city’s premier sports viewing environment at the footstep of Great American Ball Park.”
The ballpark-adjacent restaurant will be Nation’s fourth in Cincinnati.
Sports betting continues to boom in Ohio
BetMGM’s move will likely give the company a bigger slice of the Ohio sports betting market, which has surged to a top-five spot in the United States since launch. Ohio will likely be one of only four states to generate $10 billion in handle from May to December according to PlayOhio.
Through April, bettors have wagered more than $3 billion. BetMGM’s Ohio online sportsbook has captured nearly $200 million of that handle (amount bet), lagging far behind DraftKings and FanDuel. Those two brands have amassed more than $2 billion in combined handle.
BetMGM’s online book has generated more than $38.5 million in revenue and boasts the highest hold rate (revenue relative to handle) of any online sportsbook in the state at 20.6% through April.
