Kentucky Sports Betting

Sports betting is coming to Kentucky later this year!

Gov. Andy Beshear signed HB 551 into law at the end of March, which legalized retail and online sports betting. Per the new legislation, the state’s nine horse tracks and Kentucky Speedway can open brick-and-mortar sportsbooks. They can also partner with up to three companies for online operations.

Caesars Sportsbook became the first major operator to guarantee itself a place in the Kentucky market. It partnered with Keeneland and The Red Mile for retail sportsbooks and a Kentucky sports betting app.

Even though the sports betting industry won’t launch for several months, Kentuckians can still bet on horse races. FanDuel horse racing Kentucky is one of the more popular apps for Kentucky gamblers.

PlayKentucky has all you need to know about KY sports betting. Check back for updates about when and where sportsbooks will launch and what to expect when they do.

Is it legal to bet on sports in Kentucky?

Yes, sports betting is legal in Kentucky now that the Bluegrass State has joined the growing list of states that authorize it.

In March 2023, the Kentucky House passed HB 551 by a 63-34 margin. Then, a couple of weeks later, the Kentucky Senate passed it as well by a 25-12 vote on the final day of the legislative session. The bill needed 60% to vote in favor, which meant it passed the Senate with a couple of votes to spare.

Gov. Andy Beshear then signed the bill into law on March 31, 2023, officially legalizing sports betting in Kentucky.

When will Kentucky sports betting launch?

The new law puts the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) in charge of regulating sports betting in the state. The law stipulates the KHRC “shall promulgate administrative regulations to establish a fully functioning sports wagering system within six (6) months after the effective date” of the bill.

That effective date is June 28, 2023, which makes Dec. 28, 2023, a deadline of sorts for the KHRC to have everything in place for sports betting to launch.

Most observers believe the retail sportsbooks at KY racetracks will likely be ready to open before that date, perhaps in time for Kentuckians to bet on the 2023 football season. Online sportsbooks could launch at the same time, or might go live soon after.

In any case, expect more concrete news to emerge as the racetracks apply for licenses and strike up deals with online operators while the KHRC hammers out and finalizes sports betting rules.

Kentucky sports betting updates

• May 31 — In a bold public statement, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said KY officials are “committed to make it happen” in regards to launching sports betting by NFL kickoff.
• May 30 — DraftKings told PlayKentucky it was committed to following the age limits in each jurisdiction it operates. Does that mean DraftKings could be 18+ in Kentucky?
• May 25 — The Red Mile hires former Caesars Entertainment director of racing operations Gabe Prewitt to run its retail Caesars Sportsbook when it launches.
• May 22 — An official at The Red Mile told the local FOX station that the racetrack will call its retail Caesars Sportsbook “The Red Room.” It will be located in the former clubhouse.
• May 17 — Churchill Downs Inc. CEO Bill Carstanjen shared during a business presentation that he believes Kentucky sportsbooks will launch “around football season.” Churchill Downs has yet to announce its retail sportsbook partner, or any of its up to three online partners.
• May 16 — Becoming the first sportsbook to secure its place in the KY sports betting market, Caesars inked deals with Keeneland and The Red Mile for two retail sportsbooks and a mobile sportsbook app.
• May 10 — Rep. Josh Calloway and Rep. Michael Meredith told PlayKentucky why the 21-plus and credit card amendments failed during Kentucky sports betting bill deliberations.
• May 5 — DraftKings CEO Jason Robins told investors during the company’s first-quarter earnings call that he expects a Kentucky launch timeline by August.
• May 3 — During their first-quarter earnings call, executives for Rush Street Interactive — the parent company of BetRivers — said they aren’t yet sure whether BetRivers will enter the Kentucky market.

Best online sports betting apps in Kentucky

There is still uncertainty about which online sportsbooks will come to Kentucky. The law allows race tracks each to have up to three online licenses, meaning there could potentially be more than two dozen sites although the final total will likely be less.

Chances are good that several popular online sportsbooks already established and operating in other states will secure partnerships with KY racetracks and become available.

Since Kentucky has no retail casinos, the only significant gambling company in the state is Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI), the parent company of Churchill Downs in Louisville where the Kentucky Derby runs each spring.

CDI has experience with online sports betting after launching BetAmerica in 2018, later rebranding as TwinSpires. The TwinSpires Sportsbook had operated in more than a half-dozen states, but in 2022 CDI announced it was shutting down its TwinSpires online casinos and sportsbooks.

Setting CDI aside, then, we can expect other big online sportsbooks to find their way into KY to operate sites for the racetracks.

Here are the top 6 Kentucky sports betting candidates

One reason Kentucky was eager to legalize sports betting is the fact that out of the seven states that border this landlocked state, six already have online sports betting (only Missouri does not). Five of the six online sportsbooks listed above are live in those six states.

Retail sports betting locations in Kentucky

The KHRC will issue sports wagering licenses to entities that presently have racetrack licenses. Here are the racetracks where retail sportsbooks will be able to open:

• Churchill Downs (Louisville)
• Cumberland Run (Corbin)
• Ellis Park (Henderson)
• Keeneland (Lexington)
• Kentucky Downs (Franklin)
• Oak Grove Racing & Gaming (Oak Grove)
• The Red Mile (Lexington)
• Revolutionary Racing (Ashland)
• Turfway Park (Florence)
• Kentucky Speedway (Sparta Kentucky)

Two of the above-listed tracks have yet to open. Cumberland Run is due to start running races in 2023, while Revolutionary Racing is targeting the 2024 season to open.

Note that simulcast facilities can also have retail sportsbooks via the partner of their parent racetracks.

On May 16, Caesars Sportsbook announced a partnership with Keeneland and The Red Mile. The gaming giant will operate the retail sportsbook at those two locations and ensures the company’s online operations will be available at launch in the Bluegrass State.

Furthermore, it marks the first of what will be several partnerships surrounding Kentucky sports betting.

Both tracks are owned by Keeneland Association Inc., located in Lexington, and have begun planning their Caesars-branded sportsbooks. The Red Mile will call its Caesars Sportsbook “The Red Room.”

Both retail sportsbooks should be completed by the start of the 2023 NFL season, which coincides with when Beshear wants the industry to launch. The bill stated sports betting must launch six months after the Attorney General enacts the legislation. In an absolute worst-case scenario for Kentucky bettors, sports betting will be available on Dec. 28.

Kentucky sports teams to bet on

Kentucky has legalized betting on professional and collegiate sports. There are several colleges and universities in the state with high-profile NCAA teams, though a few stand out as especially popular.

Kentucky Wildcats

Known best for its historical success in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, the Kentucky Wildcats also field a football team that has recently emerged as a national contender. Both teams play in the always-competitive Southeastern Conference (SEC).

The Kentucky basketball program counts eight NCAA titles, the most recent coming in 2012. It has the highest winning percentage and second-most wins in NCAA history. Meanwhile, the football team has made bowl game appearances annually in recent years.

Louisville Cardinals

The Louisville Cardinals men’s basketball team has also enjoyed significant success over the years, making numerous Final Fours and winning two NCAA titles in 1980 and 1986. (A third title from 2013 was later vacated.)

The Louisville football team has also posted winning records and made bowl games in recent years. Both Louisville teams compete in the tough Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Don’t forget about the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers men’s basketball team, either, playing out of Conference USA. The team put together a run of NCAA tournament appearances during the 2000s and 2010s, making the Sweet Sixteen in 2008. Earlier, the team made a Final Four in 1971.

While there are no major professional teams in KY, there are quite a few in nearby states, including:

• Illinois: Chicago Bears (NFL), Chicago Blackhawks (NHL), Chicago Bulls (NBA), Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox (MLB)
• Indiana: Indiana Pacers (NBA), Indianapolis Colts (NFL)
• Missouri: St. Louis Blues (NHL), St. Louis Cardinals (MLB), Kansas City Chiefs (NFL)
• Ohio: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns (NFL), Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians (MLB), Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA)
• Tennessee: Memphis Grizzlies (NBA), Nashville Predators (NHL), Tennessee Titans (NFL)

Other gambling options in Kentucky

Horse betting

Although Kentuckians will have to wait until late 2023 to place legal sports bets, they can legally bet on horse races in Kentucky and across the world right now. Horse betting in Kentucky is 100% legal via online apps like FanDuel Racing Kentucky, or in-person at the state’s racetracks and simulcast facilities.

Daily fantasy sports

Daily fantasy sports is legal in Kentucky, as well, providing bettors with daily contests for chances to win money. DraftKings DFS and FanDuel DFS dominate the industry. But other platforms, such as Boom Fantasy and Jock MKT, are trying to carve out their niche.

History of Kentucky sports betting

In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to lift the federal ban on sports betting, thereby making it possible for states other than Nevada to consider legalizing it. Kentucky lawmakers immediately created a panel to study whether KY might want to legalize sports betting.

By 2019, multiple sports betting bills were being introduced by lawmakers. Of these, Rep. Adam Koenig’s bill to legalize sports betting, daily fantasy sports, and online poker made it through a committee but failed to advance any further.

Then, it appeared for a time in 2020 that KY might pass a bill. Proponents were gaining momentum, and Gov. Andy Beshear spoke out in its favor. Rep. Koenig pushed a new bill through the committee, but it also failed to move forward.

Three more sports betting bills arrived in 2021, though each failed to get out of committee.

Then, Rep. Koenig tried again in 2022 with HB 606, this time making it through a House committee and receiving a favorable 58-30 from the entire House. But the Senate chose not to vote on it, letting the bill die.

Finally, in 2023, it was Rep. Michael Meredith’s HB 551 authorizing the state’s racetracks to offer retail and online sports betting that was passed into law.

The House approved it by a 63-34 margin. A couple of weeks later, the Senate passed it as well by a 25-12 vote on the final day of the legislative session. The bill needed 60% to vote in favor, which meant it passed the Senate with a couple of votes to spare. Gov. Beshear then signed the bill into law on Mar. 31, 2023, officially legalizing sports betting in Kentucky.