MLB Legend Pete Rose Places First Legal Sports Bet in Ohio

By Brian Jones

Pete Rose, the MLB legend who is banned from the sport for betting on games while he managed, just placed the first legal sports bet in the state of Ohio. Per Fox News, Rose placed the bet at the Hard Rock Casino on New Year's Day. Rose betted on his former team, the Cincinnati Reds, winning the World Series in 2023. 

Ohio governor Mike DeWine signed legal sports betting into law in December of 2021, and Jan. 1, 2023, was the first day that people could bet on sports legally in the state. Hard Rock Casino property president George Goldhoff said "Ohioans are crazy about their sports, they really love their sports and we think it's going to be quite popular," per Spectrum News. Goldhoff also said, "The money that was being bet by Ohioans, whether it was in Michigan or Indiana, is all going to stay here in the state and the taxpayers are gonna benefit."

After Rose placed the bet, he said, "I don't know a d— thing about odds. Go Reds! Go Bengals!" In 1989, Rose was banned from baseball for gambling on games while he was the manager of the Reds. In 1991, the Baseball Hall of Fame voted to ban those on the "permanently ineligible" list from induction, meaning that Rose is not in the Hall of Fame despite being the MLB's all-time leader in hits (4,256). Rose has denied betting on games over the years but finally admitted to it in 2004. 

"I bet on my team every night. I didn't bet on my team four nights a week. I was wrong," Rose said while speaking with Keith Olberman and Dan Patrick on ESPN Radio in 2007. "I bet on my team to win every night because I love my team, I believe in my team. I did everything in my power every night to win that game."

Rose played three different MLB teams from 1963-1986. He spent the majority of his career with the Reds (1963-1978, 1984-1986) while spending the rest of his time with the Philadelphia Phillies and Montreal Expos. In his career, Rose was named an All-Star 17 times, won the NL MVP award in 1973 and won three World Series (two with the Reds and one with the Phillies). 

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