Gaming has blocked Pete Rose from enshrinement into the the Baseball Hall of Fame. But it will open a new door for him on Jan. 1, 2023. Rose will place the first bet at Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati when legal Ohio sports betting begins in the new year. 

Rose remains MLB’s all-time leader in hits (4,256) and games played (3,562). His well-earned moniker “Charlie Hustle” was earned at the plate, in the field, and on the base paths. Rose played on the 1975 and ’76 World Series champion Reds and the 1980 World Series-winning Phillies. 

But those accolades and many more were not enough to overcome Rose’s gambling, which ran afoul of baseball’s rules. In 1989, Rose accepted a settlement that would ban him from the game for life. In his 2004 book, Rose finally admitted to gambling on the Reds while manager of the team from 1984-89. 

The paradox of Rose being shunned by baseball’s Hall while baseball has fully embraced legalized MLB betting stands as the game’s greatest 21^st Century hypocrisy. 

We’re going to table that discussion for another day. 

Where Will 'Charlie Hustle' Put His Money?

Right now, let’s try to figure out what bet Rose will make when he walks up to the window at the Hard Rock in Cincinnati and places his first legal sports wager in the state Ohio. 

Here are our odds on which bet Rose will make with his first wager on New Year’s Day. All bets listed are based on events in 2023.

This betting market was created by our Bookies.com team and is for entertainment purposes only.

Hometown Teams A Likely Pick 

It would be hard to imagine Rose not backing one of the hometown teams when he makes that first legal wager in Cincinnati. But Rose, 81, has made a post-career career out of doing the unexpected. Since it will be New Year’s Day, there’s little doubt that college football betting and the Ohio State Buckeyes will be top of mind.

Rose played and won with both the Phillies and Reds. And both teams have made him part of celebrations in recent years. 

The Bengals and Browns could both be in the hunt for a playoff spot and that day, January 1, is a Sunday and marks Week 17 of the NFL betting season. 

The biggest question is whether Rose might want some immediate action on a same-day event, or back a futures play, or confound us with an unforeseen parlay. 

Where To Bet In Ohio On January 1, 2023

Rose won’t be alone when operations at the Hard Rock Sportsbook begin at 12:01 a.m on New Year's Day. Tom Browning, Bronson Arroyo and long-time Reds broadcaster Marty Brennaman will be on hand for the Hard Rock opening. They will be joined by ex-Bengals Anthony Munoz, Jim Breech, David Fulcher and Ickey Woods; and Olympic gold medalist Mary Wineberg. 

The retail book will be located inside the resort next to the café, and it will feature 33 betting kiosks and windows. 

Ohio allows for up to 25 online mobile licenses to be awarded, in addition to the brick-and-mortar books available for sports teams, casinos and racing facilities. All forms of lottery, retail and online betting will launch on January 1. 

Among the Ohio betting apps approved for online licenses thus far: Barstool, Caesars Sportsbook, SuperBook, bet365, PointsBet and Betfred. 

Several of the betting apps have already launched early sign-up offers in the state. If you sign up today, you can get the following:

• Caesars Sportsbook Ohio: Get a $100 free bet and entry to a Cavs ticket sweepstakes
• BetMGM Ohio: Get $200 in free bets for signing up today
• DraftKings Ohio: Get $200 in free bets for signing up today and entry into a sweepstakes to win a $100k free bet
• FanDuel Ohio: Get $100 in free bets for signing up today