The municipality lies on a flat expanse in the valley of the river Kyll in the Vulkaneifel, a part of the Eifel known for its volcanic history, geographical and geological features, and even ongoing activity today, including gases that sometimes well up from the earth.

In 845, Bettingen, or more specifically, Niederbettingen Castle, had its first documentary mention in a document from King Lothar by way of St. Maximin’s Abbey in Trier.

In the Middle Ages, the village belonged to the House of Bettingen, under whom were the Counts of Blankenheim, Manderscheid and Gerolstein.

Under French rule (1794-1814), Oberbettingen was assigned to the mayor of the Mairie (“Mayoralty”) of Lissendorf in the like-named canton.

In 1970, in the course of administrative restructuring in Rhineland-Palatinate, Oberbettingen, along with Basberg, Mirbach and Wiesbaum, was transferred from the Amt of Lissendorf to the Verbandsgemeinde of Hillesheim.

The municipal election held on 7 June 2009 yielded the following results:[4] Oberbettingen’s mayor is Hans-Jakob Meyer.

[1] The German blazon reads: In Silber, bestreut mit blauen Fadenkreuzchen, ein blauer Zickzack- Schrägbalken.

The municipality’s arms might in English heraldic language be described thus: Argent semée of crosses a bend dancetty azure.

[5] Buildings: Oberbettingen-Hillesheim railway station lies on the Eifelbahn (Cologne–Euskirchen–Gerolstein–Trier), which is served by the following local passenger services: For all local public transport, three tariff systems apply: the Verkehrsverbund Region Trier (VRT), the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Sieg, and for journeys crossing tariff zones, the NRW-Tarif.