Arena District businesses see boon with betting

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Businesses in and around the Columbus Arena District said they have seen an increase in customers in the two weeks sports betting has been legal in Ohio. Not only does that mean an increase in sales, but also an increase in energy.

“We definitely get a sports crowd in 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 Nationwide Boulevard.

Tanner said last Sunday’s crowd was about 20% more than normal, crediting a lot of that to Bengals and Browns fans, but also to sports betters anxiously waiting to see if their bets hit.

Boston’s was also preparing for similar crowds Saturday and Sunday for the first round of the NFL playoffs.

Overall, Tanner thinks having sports betting in Ohio will be great for business. Boston’s has the advantage of being in a location where it can draw hockey and soccer fans as well as others.

In the last few weeks, Tanner has also noticed a huge camaraderie among the fans at the restaurant. People with similar bets or similar favorite teams are becoming friends and cheering on their parlay bets together, she said.

“Everybody is super excited,” she said. “I mean, whether it be, you know, obviously people are betting on their game, but it’s excitement for, maybe you’re not a Seahawks fan, you could be rooting for the Seahawks, so it’s a very positive energy.”

Tanner thinks betting will bring huge crowds to Boston’s for the Super Bowl and the March Madness, when first and second round games take over Nationwide Arena.