FanDuel Meet at Kentucky Downs Sees 5% Handle Increase As State Prepares For Online Sports Wagering

Kentucky Downs, one of the most popular horse racing tracks in the Bluegrass State, has just seen a record handle come in with $83.7 million wagered throughout the FanDuel Meet at Kentucky Downs. This comes as the state’s betting scene continues to gain momentum, with online Kentucky sports betting launching on September 28, 2023.

Retail sportsbooks have already opened at a number of racretracks in the area, and Kentucky Downs is expected to open one early next year.

Kentucky Downs Collects $83.7 Million

Located in Franklin, KY, Kentucky Downs is one of the top horse racing tracks in the state. The track just completed its seven-day FanDuel Meet at Kentucky Downs and saw a record handle along the way.

According to Horse Racing Nation, bettors wagered $83.7 million on different races this year, up 5% from last year’s $79.7 million total. This came as the track saw some controversy with a 1% increase in its takeout, fueling backlash from fans.

Throughout the 76 races in the meet, an average of $1.10 million was wagered on each race. While this was a 0.9% increase per race from the previous year, it’s still lower than 2021, when each race saw an average $1.15 million handle. This can be explained by the increased number of races in the meet, with a total up 52% since 2019.

Kentucky Sports Betting Will Fully Launch At The End Of The Month

While horse racing is always connected to the Bluegrass State, sports betting promises to be a big hit in the area. Online sports betting will go live on September 28, 2023, allowing bettors to sign up for different betting sites and start placing wagers. Some of the top sportsbooks will become available in the area, such as DraftKings, BetMGM, FanDuel, Bet365, and Caesars.

Interestingly, the betting age will vary from platform to platform upon launch. In Kentucky, the general legal betting age is 18 and up for anyone looking to bet on horse races or play the lottery. However, some sports betting sites such as BetMGM Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook, and Caesars Sportsbook will require bettors to be 21 and up.

Bet365 Sportsbok and DraftKings Sportsbook, on the other hand, will accept bets from individuals that are 18 and up. Many bettors have already pre-registered for some of these platforms in anticipation of the launch.

The state should see plenty of success when it comes to sports betting, with popular teams like the Kentucky Wildcats and Louisville Cardinals in the area and a projected yearly revenue of $23 million.

Kentucky Retail Sports Betting Has Already Launched

Although mobile sportsbooks aren’t available quite yet, in-person sports wagering has been available for over a week. Brick-and-mortar sportsbooks began opening on September 7, 2023, coinciding with the start of the NFL season.

There are now plenty of physical sportsbooks to check out in the state, such as the FanDuel Sportsbook at Turfway Park Racing & Gaming, the Caesars Sportsbook at Red Mile Racing & Gaming, and the Fanatics Sprotsbook at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming, & Hotel. Retail sportsbooks are also expected to open soon at Kentucky Downs and Sandy’s Racing & Gaming, giving bettors more options across the state.