In The News 28 February 2024

College prop bets no longer legal in Ohio

By J.D. Davidson 
The Center Square

Ohio bettors can no longer place college bets on individual performance or in-game statistics.

After the Ohio Casino Control Commission established new rules, college bets can only be placed on overall outcomes, final scores, over/under point totals, and against the spread.

The change came quickly after Gov. Mike DeWine encouraged the NCAA to request the change at the end of last month.

“The Ohio Casino Control Commission took quick action to protect student athletes from unnecessary and potentially harmful threats,” DeWine said. “Amending rules to focus bets on the team and away from individual athlete will improve the marketplace in Ohio and properly focus betting attention on the teams and away from individual student athletes."

The rule changes will not affect professional sports, and bettors in Ohio can still place prop bets on professional sports contests.

The change comes after an incident in January 2023 when Dayton men’s basketball coach Anthony Grant said his players received threats after a loss.

“Our men's basketball coach Anthony Grant and I have long advocated for the elimination of proposition bets on individual college athlete performances,” University of Dayton Vice President and Director of Athletics Neil Sullivan said. “We support any action that aims to protect students and their families from inexcusable abuse and threats.”

DeWine said the move to ban college prop bets comes after months of discussion and several other reports of social media threats made against college athletes.

The commission has the authority to establish a lifetime ban for anyone who threatens violence or harm against someone involved in a sporting event when the threat is related to gambling on that event.

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