Kentucky Sports Betting: Best KY Sportsbooks

The long road to legal sports wagering has actually been rewarding for Bluegrass State bettors. In 2026, 8 online Kentucky sportsbooks and 12 retail areas are accepting legal wagers.


Here's how we arrived:


April 2, 2026: Kentucky is on the edge of making sweeping changes to the state's gaming laws, consisting of a new age requirement to place sports bets, keeping current operators from releasing prediction markets, and player prop bet defenses.


March 30, 2026: In one sweeping bill, Kentucky proposes raising its sports wagering age, banning college gamer props, controling DFS, and taxing forecast markets.


March 20, 2026: Lawmakers in Kentucky, California and Minnesota are introducing expenses to control or restrict forecast markets, particularly those connected to sports.


March 6, 2026: A brand-new expense provided to Kentucky lawmakers intends to make several significant modifications to the state's betting guidelines, such as prohibiting proposition bets on student-athletes at in-state institutions.


Oct. 6, 2025: Kentucky sports wagering operators produced a massive 87% more profits in August compared to the very same month last year, helped by the early start to the college football project and a complete month of NFL preseason.


Sept. 11, 2025: Kentucky's July sports wagering profits grows 25% year-over-year, generating over $160 million despite one of the year's slowest sports months.


Aug. 12, 2025: Kentucky's online and retail sportsbooks hauled in $23 million in gross earnings on a $174.8-million manage in June, with 16% more wagers than a year ago.


July 28, 2025: Prime Sportsbook introduces in Kentucky, its third market.


July 24, 2025: Circa Sports debuted Kentucky's greatest largest sportsbook at The Mint Gaming Hall, Kentucky Downs in Franklin.


July 11, 2025: Kentucky sports wagerers bet 15.6% more cash in May compared to the exact same month in 2024, with gross income increasing 21.3% from the previous May.


June 17, 2025: Lawsuits against prediction market operator Kalshi, and the trading platforms Robinhood, Susquehanna, and Webull, began to pop up across the U.S. this month, with suits filed in 5 states, including Kentucky, Ohio, Massachusetts, Illinois, and South Carolina.


June 9, 2025: Kentucky's year-over-year sports betting action increases 17.3% in April while Bluegrass State operators produced double-digit keeps in 4 of the previous six months.


May 5, 2025: Churchill Downs revealed that the 151st Kentucky Derby, won by Sovereignty on Saturday, generated $234.4 million in all-sources wagering, a brand-new all-time high ahead of 2024's $210.7 million. The 2025 deal with was likewise up 24.2% from 2023


May 2, 2025: Sportsbook operators have great reasons to anticipate brisk wagering business for this weekend's 151st Kentucky Derby.


May 1, 2025: The Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation reported a March manage of $293.2 million, the third-highest quantity wagered in the state since sports wagering launched in September 2023.


April 21, 2025: The Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation to select brand-new sports betting markets ahead of the Kentucky Derby's 151st running at Churchill Downs.


April 4, 2025: Kentucky's manage drop 19.2% month-to-month in February, receiving only simply over $218.9 million in sports bets for the month.


March 3, 2025: Kentucky's sports betting manage increases 12.8% in January, producing $33.6 million in gross earnings on $277.1 million overall wagers.


Jan. 29, 2025: Kentucky ended 2024 with an 11% year-over-year increase in sports betting action. However, the most affordable hang on gross income produced yet led to just $20.2 million in revenue, a 38% decline from December 2023 and down almost 45% month-over-month.


Dec. 27, 2024: Kentucky makes a record $300 million manage in November.


Dec. 10, 2024: The Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation all authorized a service company license to Prime Sports, the first online sportsbook to partner with Churchill Down. The hope is to launch in time for the 2025 Kentucky Derby in early May.


Dec. 9, 2024: An aggressive gambler in Kentucky sweated out a $3.1 M wager on the Philadelphia Eagles (-700) to defeat the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, which returned $442,800 k in profit.


Nov. 28, 2024: Kentucky's October sports wagering profits falls 61% year-over-year, in spite of still making $18.8 M in gross profits.


Oct. 30, 2024: Kentucky sportsbooks earn a 13.5% hold after regional operators roll gamblers in September.


Oct. 4, 2024: Kentucky makes a $151 million handle in August to finish its very first year of legal sports betting.


Sept. 9, 2024: Kentucky's manage and revenue drop in July as summer season sports wagering slump hits regional operators.


Aug. 9, 2024: Kentucky has its slowest sports betting month in June as the state's manage experienced a 17.1% month-over-month decrease.


July 30, 2024: The KHRGC select Susan Speckert as its first-ever COO.


July 12, 2024: Kentucky sportsbooks generate $629.4 million in wagers from March through May 2024.


July 4, 2024: Kentucky is still pondering the NCAA's ask for a college player prop betting restriction.


May 17, 2024: Scottie Scheffler is detained by authorities at the PGA Championship in Kentucky and charged with several counts, developing uncertainty for sports gamblers.


May 14, 2024: Circa Sports announces Kentucky online betting launch, marking the 5th legal jurisdiction for the Las Vegas-based sportsbook.


May 6, 2024: The 2024 Kentucky Derby sets a new wagering handle record, reaching $320.5 million in all wagers for the day and $446.6 million across the week.


May 3, 2024: The Kentucky Derby may shed light on the success online sportsbooks are having with horse racing.


April 25, 2024: Louisville-based operator Churchill Downs reports record-setting quarter one results, earning $590.9 million in earnings.


April 23, 2024: Kentucky regulators review NCAA's demand to ban college gamer prop betting within the state.


April 16, 2024: Kentucky sportsbooks take pleasure in double-digit keeps in the first two months of 2024.


April 15, 2024: Kentucky's General Assembly bypasses Gov. Beshear's regulative video gaming veto.


April 2, 2024: Circa Sports launches in Kentucky, making it the eighth online operator in the state.


March 26, 2024: A brand-new Kentucky law will restructure sports wagering in the state, producing a brand-new Division of Sports Wagering, which will be managed outside of the Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering.


March 26, 2024: bet365 and SIS are now offering ebasketball content in Kentucky, making esports wagering offered for the first time in the state.


Feb. 24, 2024: Kentucky exceeds sports betting tax profits projections following a last two strong months in 2023, earning $55 million from a $546.6 million deal with.


Feb. 22, 2024: Churchill Downs reports a record-high $2.5 billion in revenue in 2023 and announces plans to open a brand-new retail sportsbook in 2025.


Dec. 11, 2023: The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission met and authorized nine sports wagering provider permits for 2024. There will be no operator modifications, as all 9 were currently authorized on a short-term basis previously this year.


Nov. 21, 2023: The Kentucky Sports Wagering Advisory Council gives a formal blessing to ESPN BET after releasing in the state last week. The committee also recommends adding several sports to the wagering catalog, including NCAA beach ball, TGL golf, Dana White's Contender Series for the UFC, and more.


Nov. 14, 2023: ESPN BET goes live with online and mobile sports betting, launching in Kentucky and 16 other states.


Nov. 8, 2023: Kentucky sports wagering proponent Andy Beshear is reelected as state Governor for another term.


Nov. 2, 2023: ESPN BET plans to introduce on Nov. 14, 2023, with online sports betting going reside in 17 U.S. states, consisting of Kentucky.


Oct. 31, 2023: The KHRC reveals that more than $310 million in wagers given that the legalization of online sports wagering.


Oct. 23, 2023: Kentucky reports nearly $250 million in manage for its very first month of legal sports wagering. Almost 500,000 betting accounts have been developed.


Oct. 13, 2023: Sandy's Racing & Gaming reveals it will open on Oct. 26. The brand-new video gaming facility will be home to BetMGM Sportsbook.


Oct. 7, 2023: The Louisville Cardinals (+200) upset the going to Notre Dame Fighting Irish, snapping the No. 10 seed's 30-game ACC regular season winning streak.


Oct. 5, 2023: Circa Sports receives authorization to launch online and retail sports wagering operations in Kentucky, though no date has been validated yet.


Oct. 5, 2023: Gov. Andy Beshear exposes sports betting numbers from Kentucky's first week of legal mobile wagering. Beshear says KY online sportsbooks took in well north of $50 million in wagers because introducing on Sept. 28.


Sept. 29, 2023: GeoComply Solutions verifies there were over 2 million geolocation checks on the very first day of online sports betting in Kentucky, suggesting a massive amount of interest.


Sept. 28, 2023: Circa Sports reveals a partnership with ECL Corbin LLC at Cumberland Run harness track. No date has been set for an official launch.


Sept. 28, 2023: Online sports wagering starts in Kentucky as 7 sportsbook operators officially introduce their betting apps at 6:00 a.m. ET.


Sept. 27, 2023: The launch of Kentucky online sports wagering is one day away. Have a look at this short article from our own Geoff Zochodne for whatever you need to know.


Sept. 26, 2023: With online sports betting showing up in Kentucky quickly, Covers' Geoff Zochodne discuss the finer points of the latest U.S. legal sports betting launch.


Sept
. 25, 2023: Seven online sports betting operators will go live in KY on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023. According to Gov. Andy Beshear, bet365, BetMGM, Barstool Sportsbook, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fanatics Sportsbook will all start accepting online wagers on the first day of legal Kentucky sports betting.


Sept. 22, 2023: DraftKings announces that Matt Jones from Kentucky Sports Radio will make the inaugural very first bet when online sports wagering goes survive on Thursday, Sept. 28 at 6 a.m. ET.


Sept. 21, 2023: Caesars Kentucky's pre-launch offer goes live - $100 in benefit bets.


Sept. 21, 2023: The Kentucky Governor's workplace confirms that Kentucky bettors wagered over $4.5 million at retail sportsbooks in the very first 2 weekends of legal sports wagering. 60,000 individuals have actually signed up for online sports betting accounts in anticipation of the Sept. 28 launch.


Sept. 21, 2023: The Kentucky Sports Wagering Advisory Council votes to suggest the addition of several sports to the sports wagering inventory, consisting of Formula 1 racing, the National Rugby League of Australia and New Zealand, along with numerous combined martial arts companies and the UTR Pro Tennis Tour.


Sept. 19, 2023: A current survey reveals most Kentuckians favor increased wagering opportunities, though they still largely prefer horse betting.


Sept. 15, 2023: Licensing continues as Kentucky remains on track for the Sept. 28 online launch.


Sept. 7, 2023: Legal retail Kentucky sports wagering begins with Gov. Beshear putting a ritualistic wager at Churchill Downs, while online sportsbooks now accept deposits.


Sept. 6, 2023: Kentucky readies for legal sports wagering on Sept. 7 at brick-and-mortar racing and gaming centers.


Aug. 31, 2023: The Kentucky Sports Wagering Advisory Council held its inaugural meeting to talk about a proposed sports-wagering brochure, which described different bet types that can be made and the events and leagues that they can be made in.


Aug. 30, 2023: BetMGM Kentucky goes cope with its pre-launch offer: $100 in bonus offer bets.


Aug. 28, 2023: The Kentucky online sports betting pre-registration duration starts.


Aug. 24, 2023: FanDuel reveals its pre-launch deal - $100 in bonus offer bets, which can be declared starting on Aug. 28, 2023.


Aug. 23, 2023: Gov. Beshear will position Kentucky's very first legal sports bet at Churchill Downs Racetrack on Sept. 7.


Aug. 22, 2023: The KHRC approves seven licensed tracks and 7 online sports betting operators for temporary Kentucky sports betting licenses: bet365, BetMGM, Caesars, Circa, DraftKings, Fanatics, FanDuel, and PENN Sports Interactive (ESPN BET).


Aug. 17, 2023: Gov. Andy Beshear exposes that Kentucky sports wagering pre-registration will start on Monday, Aug. 28, at 6 a.m. ET.


Aug. 10, 2023: The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) verifies that bet365, BetMGM, Caesars, Circa, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Penn Interactive have actually all sent Kentucky online sports wagering applications.


Aug. 7, 2023: BetMGM gains approval in Kentucky to release its online and retail sports wagering platform via a market access arrangement with Revolutionary Racing Kentucky (RRKY).


Aug. 4, 2023: DraftKings reveals that it will release its online sportsbook in Kentucky on Sept. 28, 2023.


Aug. 1, 2023: FanDuel follows Caesars by executing a minimum age of 21 for making use of its item, regardless of Kentucky choosing for a sports wagering age of 18+.


July 27, 2023: Churchill Downs announces that it will use legal sports betting at its historic horse racing device (HRM) venues on the first day they have the ability to.


July 21, 2023: The KHRC has actually started to fill the 14 added positions to aid with the policy of sports wagering, a previous member of the biometric security market, Hans Stokke.


July 13, 2023: Gov. Andy Beshear develops a "Sports Wagering Advisory Council" that will direct the oversight of legal sports wagering in Kentucky, both retail and online.


July 10, 2023: The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission authorizes guidelines for retail and online Kentucky sports betting. Retail sportsbooks will start accepting wagers on Sept. 7, while online operators will go live on Sept. 28.


July 7, 2023: The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission meets Monday, July 10, at the Red Mile to examine legal sports betting policies.


June 29, 2023: FanDuel Kentucky validates its partnership with Churchill Downs, making it the second sportsbook operator to gain market gain access to in the Bluegrass State.


June 20, 2023: According to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, race tracks and satellite centers in the state took $744.7 million in historic horse racing wagers in May.


May 16, 2023: Caesars announces a partnership with Keeneland and the Red Mile in Lexington. This is the very first offer in between a sportsbook and a KY track that will see both mobile and retail sports wagering. Though Kentucky's law permits 18-year-olds to bet, Caesars will limit sports betting to 21+.


April 27, 2023: Kentucky Derby owner predicts a huge boost in service with Kentucky sports betting legalization.


April 18, 2023: The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission fulfills to discuss sports wagering guidelines.


March 31, 2023: Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear indications House Bill 551 into law, legalizing retail and online sports betting. Kentucky is on track to release legal sports wagering in late 2023 or early 2024.


March 30, 2023: HB 551 passes its vote in the Kentucky Senate 25-12. The decision to legislate retail and online sports wagering websites now lies with Governor Andy Beshear.


March 29, 2023: DraftKings Launches its DK Horse App within the Kentucky sports wagering fold ahead of the Kentucky Derby.


March 13, 2023: Your Home of Representatives approves HB 551 by a vote of 63-34. The bill now heads to the Senate, where a similar sports wagering bill failed in 2022.


March 8, 2023: Kentucky's Licensing and Occupations Committee votes in favor of HB 551, sending it onward to the House.


Feb. 22, 2023: Rep. Michael Meredith files a costs - HB 551 - that would legislate sports wagering in Kentucky and make the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission the regulatory company in charge.


Jan. 6, 2023: Lawmakers take another perform at proposed Kentucky sports betting legislation.


July 19, 2022: Caesars Racebook launches in Kentucky, its 6th state, following Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Oregon, and Montana.


April 14, 2022: The state Senate does not pass HB 606 on the last day of the 2022 legal session. Kentucky will not get legal sports wagering in 2022.


March 29, 2022: Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer explains the status of HB 606 as "still a longshot." If sufficient support constructs for the costs, Kentucky legislators might pass it by mid-April.


March 18, 2022: House Bill 606 is passed by the Kentucky Legislature by method of a 58-30 vote. The bill now heads to the Senate for further approval.


March 16, 2022: The Kentucky House Licensing, Occupations, and Administrative Regulations Committee passes HB 606.


Feb. 28, 2022: Rep. Adam Koenig unveils another Kentucky sports wagering costs to your house (HB 606). The costs aims to legislate online and retail sports betting, together with everyday dream sports and online poker.


Feb. 23, 2022: Sen. David Yates introduces SB 213, which would legalize retail and mobile sports betting in the state in addition to online poker.


Feb. 10, 2022: Robert Blizzard of Popular opinion Strategies studies 500 Kentucky residents, finding a persuading 65% are in favor of legislating sports wagering in KY.


. Jan. 9, 2021: House Bill 241 is presented in your home. HB 241 would have legalized sports wagering, online poker, and everyday dream sports in Kentucky.


Jan. 7, 2020: House Bill 137 is introduced in order to legislate Kentucky sports wagering, online poker, and everyday fantasy sports. The bill fails to pass.


May 14, 2018: The Supreme Court removes the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). This allows all states to produce their own sports betting guidelines.