COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Businesses in and around the Columbus Arena district say they have seen an increase in customers in the two weeks since sports betting became legal in Ohio. This not only means increased sales, but also increased energy.
“We definitely have a sports crowd here, but we’ve definitely seen an uptick in business,” said Natalie Tanner, general manager of Boston’s Pizza, a restaurant and sports bar on National Drive.
Sunday’s crowd was 20 percent larger than normal, Tanner said, thanks in large part to fans of the Bengals and Browns, but also to sports fans anxiously waiting to see if their bets would go up. success.
Boston is also preparing for the first round of the NFL playoffs on Saturday and Sunday.
Overall, Tanner believes that sports betting in Ohio is very good for business. Boston’s advantage is that it can attract hockey and football fans, among others.
Over the past few weeks, Tanner has also noticed a tremendous amount of camaraderie among the restaurant’s fans. People with similar bets or favorite teams are becoming friends and rooting for their parlays together, she said.
“Everyone was so excited,” she said. “I mean, whether it’s, you know, obviously people are betting on their games, but the exciting thing is, maybe you’re not a Seahawks fan, you might root for the Seahawks, so it’s a very positive energy.”
Tanner believes the betting will bring large crowds to Boston for the Super Bowl and March Madness when the first and second rounds take over the National Arena.