Sports gambling has been huge in Ohio after bets became legal in January and the state bested even the most optimistic expectations. But the new industry is actually costing the Ohio Lottery tens of thousands of dollars. The lottery had $335,000 of startup costs associated with sports gambling. It pays $650,000 on staffing each year to help regulate sportsbooks. And it spends $54,200 to operate and regulate sports betting kiosks each month. So far, the agency has made about $75,000 in revenue from the kiosks. It doesn’t even out. That’s very different from the state’s seven racinos, where the Lottery Commission runs the slot machines. The lottery gets one-third of the revenue each month, so in the last fiscal year, July to June, the racinos brought in $1.33 billion and the lottery kept $446 million. -- Laura |
Overnight Scores and Weather |
Guardians at Boston Red Sox: Guardians get reacquainted with Chris Sale in a bad way in 7-1 loss to Boston Northeast Ohio weather forecast: Cold and rainy start to May |
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The Ohio Lottery’s sports-betting kiosks found in bars, restaurants and grocery stores are not bringing in much revenue so far. (David Dermer, Associated Press file photo) |
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Sports betting: Sports betting has generated millions of dollars in revenue, but the Ohio Lottery’s piece of the pie is so small that its been a losing proposition for both regulators and state coffers so far, reports Sean McDonnell. The Lottery’s sports-betting kiosks bring in only a sliver of the money wagered each month and the lottery’s share of the revenue isn’t enough to cover its costs. Hate groups: A 20-year-old member of White Lives Matter Ohio made Molotov cocktails, drove some 50 miles to a small Geauga County town, and hurled them at a church planning to host a drag brunch and story hour the following week. Studies show a spike in white supremacist activity in Ohio, reports Adam Ferrise. Childcare: Ohio has fewer childcare workers (12,849) than at any time since 1999 (12,330), more than 20 years and multiple recessions ago, reports Zachary Smith. Between a combination of low wages, shifting poverty thresholds, changing state reimbursement markers and licensing, childcare workers and facilities have had to deal with mounting issues while still providing a necessary service. Cleveland debate: The debate raging at City Hall over using federal aid to repair the West Side Market is one that feels, for better or worse, quintessentially Cleveland, reports Courtney Astolfi. Time and again, Cleveland politics -- and decisions about how and where to invest public money -- culminate in standoffs between two seemingly opposing sides. It’s a tale of two cities: East vs. West, neighborhoods vs. city center, white vs. Black, haves vs. have-nots. The dispute is based in part by the city’s political structure, modeled off an older, East Coast-style of municipal government, in which council members represent geographically concentrated territories, known as wards, with no at-large members. Today in Ohio: Backers of a proposal to make citizen-led constitutional amendments much harder to pass submitted a letter they say has the backing of 59 House Republicans who want House Speaker Jason Stephens to take a floor vote on the proposal. We’re talking about those Republicans, and whether they’re paying attention to abortion-ban backlash in other states, on Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast.
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Super PAC: A super PAC that can raise unlimited sums from corporate donors is taking to the airwaves with ads warning of “radical big-money liberals who don’t share our values,” reports Jake Zuckerman. The Save Our Constitution PAC, whose paperwork was handled by an attorney with a history of running dark money organizations for anti-abortion organizations and activists on the Christian right, is pressuring Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens and a top lieutenant amid the fight to stifle future citizen-led constitutional amendment campaigns. Republican backers: More than 50 Ohio House Republicans have signed on to an effort by Ohio Statehouse lobbyists to stage a floor vote on a proposal that would make citizen-led constitutional amendments much more difficult to pass. Jeremy Pelzer has the list of lawmakers who have lined up behind a vote on the resolution, which includes at least half of House GOP leadership, as well as supporters of both House Speaker Jason Stephens and his nemesis within the Republican caucus, state Rep. Derek Merrin. Teacher’s pension: The board governing the state’s teacher pension fund is considering awarding $11.1 million in bonuses to its investment staff as retirees wait to see if the fund will offer a cost-of-living adjustment amid high inflation. Laura Hancock reports the proposed bonuses for 91 investment department staff at the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS) is even higher than the controversial bonuses awarded last year, when the fund lost money during a down year for the market. Rail crossings: The Republican-controlled Ohio House passed a two-year, $88 billion state budget this week stripped of $125 million Republican Gov. Mike DeWine had included for improvements to rail crossings across the state. Peter Krouse reports there is still hope among backers of DeWine’s proposal that the money will be restored as the Ohio Senate takes up the bill. Recreational marijuana: A deadline for the Ohio General Assembly to pass a bill based on a proposal to legalize recreational marijuana is likely to come and go without action, and the backers expect they’ll begin gathering signatures to try to get it on the November ballot as an initiated statute, reports Laura Hancock. Solar tariffs: The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives voted Friday to overturn the Biden administration’s suspension of tariffs on Chinese solar-product parts that go through other countries. Sabrina Eaton reports the point of Biden’s two-year ban was to ensure an adequate supply of solar panels while domestic production ramps up. |
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West Side Market: The corner of West 25th Street and Lorain Avenue was a busy farmer’s market for at least 100 years before the West Side Market brought structure and formality to the corner. Paris Wolfe reports the 241-by-124-foot yellow-brick market hall represented a modern, expansive shopping experience for European immigrants. Seventh-grader killed: A Wadsworth City Schools seventh-grade student died Friday afternoon after being hit by a van while riding a bike, reports Molly Walsh. Wadsworth police department received a report of a motor vehicle crash at about 2:37 p.m. Nautica cruises: A new lady will be cruising Lake Erie and Cuyahoga River. Pretty soon, a dining cruise ship called the Lady Caroline will replace the Nautica Queen, which has been cruising since 1992. Jacobs Entertainment Inc. announced Thursday that its new ship would be arriving in early May and would likely start sailing in early June, reports Sean McDonnell. Akron mayor: All seven candidates running for Akron mayor are registered to run as Democrats. Megan Becka profiles the contenders. Road project: The Cuyahoga County Department of Public Works, village of Cuyahoga Heights, city of Cleveland and Ohio Department of Transportation are asking for public input on a project to repair and resurface Grant Avenue, reports Kaitlin Durbin. |
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FirstEnergy Stadium: FirstEnergy revealed Friday that taking its name off the home of the Cleveland Browns cost them millions of dollars — although the exact amount and many of the details are unclear. While the utility reported earnings of $292 million in the first three months of the year, the report included a special item expense of $28.6 million that’s tied to the naming rights deal, reports Sean McDonnell. Nurse strike: Unionized nurses and other staff at Cleveland Clinic Lutheran Hospital voted Friday to authorize a strike as early as May 11 if an agreement cannot be reached on a new contract, Julie Washington reports. Rent increases: The asking price for a one-bedroom apartment in the Cleveland metro area has increased by 11.1% from a year ago, while the national average has dropped by 0.1%, reports Megan Sims. The March median rent in the five-county Cleveland area of Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain and Medina increased to $850. Downtown office space: The office real estate market in Greater Cleveland is showing signs of weakness based on first-quarter 2023 data, reports Megan Sims. There has been a significant increase in office vacancies. COVID-19 map: For the second week in a row, Cuyahoga County joined the rest of Ohio as designated green for low COVID-19 spread on the latest U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention map, reports Julie Washington. |
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8-year-old killed: A 22-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the death of an 8-year-old girl in Akron. Molly Walsh reports Robert Scott was picked up Wednesday in Michigan involving the August 2020 slaying of Mikayla Pickett, who had been at a birthday party. Bathtub bills: A Cleveland man was sentenced Thursday to more than four years in prison for stealing about $5 million in bitcoin that federal agents had seized from his brother, reports Adam Ferrise. Gary Harmon, 31, used the stolen bitcoin to spend lavishly, including converting some of it into $100,000 in dollar bills that he used to fill a bathtub and sit in at a Miami club. Police posing: A Cleveland man is charged with posing as a police detective to extort a 93-year-old man into forking over his car and thousands of dollars in cash, reports Cory Shaffer. A Cuyahoga County grand jury indicted Mark Davis, 55, on charges of extortion, burglary, impersonation of certain officers and multiple theft offenses. |
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Cleveland Orchestra: The Cleveland Orchestra’s program Thursday at Severance Music Center laid a bold, colorful foundation, surveying American musical character ahead of a larger exploration of American ideals, writes Zachary Lewis. Karamu: Karamu House has announced a five-show lineup, which includes the latest dramedy from a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, the world premiere of a dark comedy by a local playwright, and the return of a holiday favorite, reports Joey Morona. House of the Week: Merriman Road is one of the most picturesque streets in Akron. The home formerly owned by Firestone Tire President Lee Jackson is now available for the first time in 36 years. Joey Morona reports the 95-year-old, 4,800-square-foot residence sits on nearly four lush acres, with a $875,000 price tag. |
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Woman who was suspect in slaying of boyfriend found dead in Stark County Read more Driver in stolen car arrested after leading police on high-speed chase in Brook Park, then crashing in Medina County Read more Shaker Heights pedals ahead on Van Aken, Lee Road bikeway plans this month Read more Roof collapses at house near Ohio State University, injuring at least 14 people Read more Seven children, four adults displaced after apartment fire in Elyria, officials say Read more South Euclid sees food truck park, opening June 9, as a key to Mayfield-Green investment; many fun things planned for summer Read more University Heights dispatcher Rob Marcinick retires after almost 33 years Read more NOPEC explains utility aggregator’s role to Middleburg Heights council Read more Coe Lake provides perfect setting for Berea’s Earth Day Festival Read more Berea City Schools shows committed focus on keeping kids fed Read more Quick application turnaround critical to getting Brook Park home maintenance help Read more |
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