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Kentucky Reports Strong Start to Legal Sports Betting

Perry Sandra

Updated on September 22, 2023 at 4:17 PM EDT • Read time: 2 minutes and 19 seconds. Find more information on Twitter and Google News.

General view of the Kentucky Wildcats as Kentucky had a strong opening weekend of mobile sports betting.
General view of the Kentucky Wildcats against the EKU Colonels at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky. Andy Lyons/Getty Images/AFP

The legal sports betting industry in Kentucky began just over two weeks ago, with a focus solely on retail locations. Nine horse racing tracks in Kentucky started accepting sports bets on September 7, offering a wide range of sports and markets for residents to enjoy.

On Thursday, regulators issued a report detailing the performance of Kentucky’s brick-and-mortar sports betting industry thus far, which has shown strong wagering activity leading up to the launch of a more comprehensive mobile platform with online sports betting sites set to go live on Sept. 28.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear expressed excitement over the strong number of sports wagers placed during the state’s kickoff of legal sports betting. He anticipates that the number will continue to grow significantly with the start of college football and the NFL season, as well as the introduction of mobile wagering.

After years of waiting, sports betting has finally become a reality in Kentucky. This is a positive outcome for residents, allowing them to enjoy entertainment while also supporting the local economy and contributing to the improvement of our state.

$4.5 million in two weeks

Governor Beshear revealed that state brick-and-mortar sports betting facilities had received slightly more than $4.5 million in wagers in the two weeks since legal sports betting was introduced in Kentucky.

The number of sports bettors in the new jurisdiction is commendable, although it may have been influenced by the absence of a mobile option. Fortunately, a mobile option will soon be available in the Kentucky market starting on Sept. 28.

Nevertheless, $4.5 million in retail sports betting is a significant achievement for any state. The fact that it was achieved in just two weeks in Kentucky is even more remarkable.

Looking forward

There is a strong sense of optimism surrounding the future of the Kentucky legal sports betting market. The retail numbers are promising, and there are already 60,000 accounts set up for the upcoming online sports betting platform, which is set to launch in just a week. It is rumored that the 60,000 accounts may not even include all of the pre-registered accounts that have been created to take advantage of Kentucky sportsbook promotions.

Seven Kentucky sports betting apps are set to launch on Sept. 28, with up to 27 licenses available for distribution by state regulators. Each licensed horse racing track is eligible for three skins.

They include:

Other recent developments in the Kentucky scene

The Kentucky Sports Wagering Council convened on Thursday and, in addition to other topics, endorsed new additions to its sports wagering offerings. When mobile sports betting goes live next week, the state’s wagering menu will include the following sports.

  • Formula 1 Racing
  • National Rugby League in Australia
  • Professional Fighter’s League MMA
  • Bellator MMA
  • Universal Tennis League

Kentuckians have a wide variety of sports to choose from, making the Kentucky sports betting menu comparable to other legal sports betting jurisdictions across the country.

It is worth mentioning that horse racing and dog racing are currently not available on the Kentucky sports betting menu. This was not a major concern during the launch of retail betting, as all bets on these events had to be made in person. However, it is hoped that in the near future, Kentucky sports betting apps will be able to provide betting options for both horse and dog racing.

Kentucky is renowned for hosting one of the largest and most heavily wagered upon annual sporting events in the United States – the Kentucky Derby.

Written By:
Perry Sandra
Perry Sandra and betting go hand-in-hand. Both are characterized by “odds”. Dave fancies himself as one of the most dedicated sports and pop-culture junkies around, to the chagrin of his family and friends. Following sports for 50 years and writing about it for 20, Dave hasn’t found a sport yet that can’t contribute to 2-3 straight hours of couch time. That search remains ongoing. As a good old Canadian boy, hockey is in Dave’s heart, as is curling sadly. But evolution is a real thing and that’s why football, baseball, and just about every sport on the planet has become a passion. Dave isn’t afraid to kill some time obsessing over politics or the far-too-frequent awards shows the consume the airwaves.