BetMGM to Relocate Sportsbook at Reds Great American Ball Park

• BetMGM announced today plans to relocate its sportsbook at Reds Great American Ball Park
• The new sportsbook will be relocated to downtown Cincinnati
• The sportsbook at the Reds stadium will remain open through the Fall of 2023

After being open for just a four months, BetMGM announced today the relocation of its BetMGM Sportsbook at the Reds Great American Ball Park to a new location in downtown Cincinnati.

The new sportsbook will be located at The Banks, a mixed-use development near the baseball stadium and in proximity to the Ohio River. BetMGM noted that the sportsbook at the Reds ball park will remain open through Fall 2023.

“We are thrilled to expand BetMGM’s offering in Ohio,” said Matt Prevost, Chief Revenue Officer, BetMGM, in a press release. “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 Sportsbook Struggled to Gain Traction

BetMGM and the Cincinnati Reds agreed to a multi-year partnership in October 2022, announcing BetMGM as the official sports betting partner of the MLB franchise. The sportsbook, however, struggled out of the gates. It reported only $119,802 in total handle during its first month of operation, which resulted in a loss of $8,646 for January 2023.

Through the first four months of operation, the BetMGM Sportsbook at the Great American Ball Park has been one of the least trafficked of the 14 brick-and-mortar sportsbooks in the state, according to revenue figures released by the Ohio Casino Control Commission.

From January 2023 through April 2023, the sportsbook reported just over $604,000 in total handle, only outperforming FC Cincinnati’s Superbook sportsbook in terms of total handle through that time period.

The BetMGM retail sportsbook struggled to report positive taxable revenue. It only reported positive revenue totals in two out of its  four months of its operation, with its top month only resulting in a little more than $21,000 in taxable revenue.

Compared with other top-performing sportsbooks, and you can see why BetMGM is hoping for a change of luck at a new venue in the Ohio sports betting market. Hard Rock Cincinnati, the top brick-and-mortar sportsbook in the state by total handle, reported $13.2 million in total handle in that same time period. The Barstool Sportsbook at Hollywood Columbus Casino also reported $12.9 million in total handle over those four months.

BetMGM Hoping New Location Helps

The new sportsbook will be located at the corner of Second Street and Joe Nuxhall Way in the area formerly occupied by Galla Park, according to the announcement.

BetMGM has partnered with Nation Kitchen Bar to bring an all-ages restaurant to the sportsbook.

“Bringing BetMGM and Nation Kitchen & Bar together adds another exciting destination to our vibrant downtown. This Nation Kitchen & Bar brings best-in-class food service from one of Cincinnati’s best eateries and BetMGM brings best in sports gaming experience,” said Doug Healy, Reds Chief Financial Officer.