If you are a resident of Ohio or Kentucky and are looking to bet on NBA games online then you are in the right place. On this page I will recommend our top rated betting sites for US residents, touch on the progress of regulated sports betting in Ohio and Kentucky, look at the three most common NBA bets, and finish up with a simple 3 step guide you can follow to bet on NBA games online.
Best Betting Sites For Americans
- Built for American bettors
- Wide variety of competitive betting lines
- Easy to navigate betting platform
Bovada and BetOnline are our two top rated betting sites for Americans, including anyone living in Ohio or Kentucky. These are the two most popular and trusted betting sites serving the United States, with both sites fully committed to the American betting market.
Both Bovada and BetOnline accept players from Ohio and Kentucky. I will be using Bovada.lv for all examples for the rest of this guide.
Sports Betting in Ohio and Kentucky
Sports betting is legal in Ohio. The regulated betting industry (both online and in-person) launched in Ohio on January 1st, 2023. There are currently around 15 regulated online sportsbooks operating in Ohio.
Kentucky also recently launched their regulated sports betting industry. Legislation passed in March of 2023 to legalize sports betting in the state, and both retail and online sports betting launched in the state in September of last year. There are currently eight regulated online sportsbooks operating in the state.
Even though regulated sportsbooks are available in both Ohio and Kentucky, residents do still also have the option to bet on NBA games through offshore betting sites that are licensed and regulated outside the USA, while accepting US players. Both Bovada.lv and BetOnline.ag fall into this category.
NBA Betting Options
There are three NBA bets that are the most popular to bet on. These are the spread, to win, and over/under. You will see these three bets featured for each game at Bovada.lv.
I will use a Cleveland Cavaliers game, the only NBA team in Ohio or Kentucky, for all examples below.
Point Spread
The point spread is the most common and discussed bet on each NBA game. The oddsmaker will set a spread that is meant to encourage an equal amount of action on both sides of the spread. The favorite must win the game by more than the spread, while the underdog must either win the game or lose by fewer points than the spread.
In this example the Grizzlies are 7.5 point favorites, as indicated by the (-7.5). They must win by 8 or more points for spread bets on the Grizzlies to be winners.
The Cavaliers are 7.5 point underdogs, as indicated by the (+7.5). The Cavs must either win the game outright or lose by 7 or fewer points for spread bets on Cleveland to win.
To Win
The win odds, also known as the money line, involves betting on which team will win the game. The oddsmakers will set odds for each team that determine the risk vs reward for your wager. Betting on the favorite will win less money for the same risk than betting on the underdog.
In this example the Grizzlies are -350 favorites, which means you would have to risk $350 to win $100 betting on the Grizzlies. The Cavaliers are +275 underdogs, which means you can risk $100 to win $275 betting on the Cavs to pull off the upset.
Over/Under
The over/under, also known as the total, involves betting on the number of points scored by both teams in the game. The oddsmaker will set a total and you can bet on whether the total points scored in the game will be over or under that number.
In this example the total is set at 216.5 points. If 217 or more points are scored in the game then over bets win, while if 216 or fewer points are scored then under bets win.
NBA Betting From Ohio or Kentucky – How To Guide
Complete these three steps to get your NBA bets placed online from anywhere in Ohio or Kentucky.
Step 1. Join Bovada.lv
Click the above link and fill out the registration form on the home page to open your account.
Step 2. Deposit
Log into your new account and click on the ‘Deposit’ button under your account drop down menu. Choose your preferred deposit method (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Bitcoin, Ethereum, or other cryptocurrencies), enter your deposit amount, and follow the instructions to make the deposit.
You can withdraw your winnings via bitcoin, bank wire or check through the mail.
Step 3. Place Your NBA Bets
It’s time to bet:
- Click ‘Sports’ from the top menu bar.
- Click ‘Basketball’ from the secondary sports menu and ‘NBA’ from the ‘Trending Competitions’ or ‘Basketball A-Z’ menus in the left sidebar.
- Select the betting line you want to wager on and enter your bet on the Bet Slip.
- Click ‘Place Bets’ to confirm your wager.
Ready to bet? Click here to visit Bovada.lv.
Tagged With : Kentucky sports betting • NBA betting • Ohio sports betting