Off Track Betting Ohio

Horse racing in Ohio has a history stretching back nearly two centuries, and it continues to thrive in 2025. Though historic venues like Glenville, Ascot Park, and Beulah Park have closed, the state’s seven active racetracks ensure there is always a place to hear the call to the post.

Thoroughbred racing takes place at three tracks:

  • Thistledown in North Randall (near Cleveland)
  • Belterra Park in Cincinnati
  • Mahoning Valley Race Course in Austintown, near Youngstown

Standardbred (harness) racing is hosted at four venues:

  • Dayton Raceway in Dayton
  • Miami Valley Raceway in Lebanon
  • MGM Northfield Park in Northfield
  • Eldorado Scioto Downs in Columbus

Together, these tracks offer year-round live racing across the state. With three Thoroughbred venues and four harness tracks, Ohio racing fans always have opportunities to enjoy a day at the races—and bettors have plenty of chances to back the local horses. In addition to these racetracks, Ohio’s only stand-alone off-track betting (OTB) facility is Cedar Downs in Sandusky, which offers simulcast wagering on races from across the country.

Recommended Online Racebooks

Ohio’s only stand-alone off-track betting venue in 2025 is Cedar Downs in Sandusky, where fans can enjoy simulcast wagering on races from around the country. While convenient for those nearby, it’s the sole dedicated OTB facility in the state—making offshore racebooks an attractive option for anyone who lives farther away or prefers to bet from home.

Offshore racebooks let you wager on races in Ohio and across the globe from the comfort of your computer, tablet, or phone. They combine convenience with market-leading odds and also feature futures and prop bets on the sport’s biggest events.

On top of that, offshore racebooks provide bonuses you won’t find at tracks or local OTBs—such as sign-up and deposit offers, referral perks, and cash-back style rebates that return a portion of every wager. These incentives make it easier to grow your bankroll while enjoying more flexibility in how and when you bet. Here are some of the best offshore racebooks available in 2025:

Ohio Horse Racing Tracks

There are seven tracks in Ohio where fans and bettors can attend the races. Three of them specialize in Thoroughbred racing, while the other four host exclusively harness racing.

Thistledown’s 2025 Thoroughbred meet runs from April 21 through October 9, with racing on a mix of weekdays and weekends including key Saturday stakes such as the Ohio Derby. Belterra Park’s live racing season in 2025 spans early May through early October, primarily on Wednesday through Saturday. Mahoning Valley hosts its live meets from late October through mid-April, making it Ohio’s go-to track through the winter months

On the harness side, Northfield Park races nearly every week throughout the year, offering more than 200 live racing nights in 2025. Miami Valley’s winter/spring meet runs from early January through early May. Eldorado Scioto Downs follows with a summer harness season, beginning in early May and wrapping up by mid-September.

Horse Races in Ohio

There is horse racing to bet on in Ohio almost every day, though each track does have its premier cards.

The Ohio Derby (G3) is the state’s premier Thoroughbred race and currently the only graded stakes event in Ohio. With a purse of $500,000, it is traditionally run in late June at Thistledown and often attracts a mix of Triple Crown participants alongside later-developing three-year-olds aiming to make their mark in the second half of the season.

Mahoning Valley’s marquee event is the $300,000 Steel Valley Sprint, a six-furlong dash for three-year-olds contested on a stakes-filled card each November. Belterra Park highlights its season with $75,000 stakes such as the Babst/Palacios Memorial, the Cydney Gendelman Memorial, and the Queen City Oaks, spread across the racing calendar.

In harness racing, Scioto Downs hosts Grand Circuit events like the Nadia Lobell (3-year-old pacing fillies) and the Moni Maker (3-year-old filly trotters), each with a $100,000 purse in 2025. Northfield also features series for Ohio-sired runners, and there are Ohio-Sires Stakes events elsewhere in the state as well.

OTB Locations in Ohio

Aside from Ohio’s seven live racetracks—which provide year-round simulcast wagering on races from around the globe—the state’s only stand-alone off-track betting venue in 2025 is Cedar Downs in Sandusky. With few local bars or restaurants offering off-track betting, making a trip to watch and wager can be inconvenient. That’s why many bettors in the Buckeye State turn to offshore racebooks for a more accessible option.