CINCINANTI – The Bengals’ primetime match up against the Buffalo Bills marked the first time fans in Ohio could bet on their favorite team.
The official sports betting partner of the Cincinnati Bengals, UK-based, Betfred, spent most of the 2022 season introducing itself to fans at Paycor Stadium and now with betting legal in the new year, the sportsbook expects a massive influx of fan wagers.
Betfred sportsbook announced a multiyear partnership with the Cincinnati Bengals in July helping the 50-year bookmaker break into the Ohio market. The sportsbook has more than 1,400 betting shops in the UK and is now licensed in nine U.S. states.
Over the past seven months, Bryan Bennett, the COO of Betfred USA, said the company has been working to grow its presence in and around Cincinnati, sponsoring a gate at Paycor Stadium, hosting its own suite at the games and introducing itself to fans at the Banks and home game tailgates.
“It’s Bengals country and we want to be part of a franchise and a team that we can really kind of build our brand with,” he said.
Betfred hosted a launch party on Jan. 1
Bennett refers to the NFL as one of the biggest drivers of sports betting in the U.S. and with the Cincinnati Bengals gearing up for a post-season run, he believes Ohio’s betting will get off to a quick start.
“We’ve obviously made a big commitment to the Bengals and to Ohio and we anticipate it being, if not the top market, one of our top markets for us as a company,” he said.
Bennett spent Sunday and Monday at various launch events across Cincinnati helping fans sign up and activate Betfred accounts in anticipation of Monday night’s game.
“I think it’s going to be a massive betting event,” he said of the primetime matchup. “Super Bowl level excitement is probably not the right word, but it’s going to be close. It’s a massive game and I think we’re going to see lots of action.”
Mike Fawley was one of the first time betters getting signed up outside the stadium. He said his son got him interested so he’s starting small, looking for a new way to interact with the game as a fan.
“Just the game right now,” he said. “We’ll see how it goes.”
As of 2023, all of Betfred’s wagers in Ohio will take place online, through its app. The Bengals declined to pursue a license for a retail sportsbook as the NFL currently bans in-stadium betting during games.
At First Energy Stadium, however, the Cleveland Browns have been approved for a retail sportsbook, Bally Bet.
In Cincinnati, Bennett signaled he hopes to get fans acquainted with the book over the next few weeks, as they get used to sports betting in the early days of legalization. Come next season, he said anyone coming to Paycor Stadium will see and hear a lot more from the book.
“Now that we’re live next football season I think you’ll have a lot more Betfred presence,” he said.
