Sports betting in Kentucky begins on Thursday

It’s a historic moment for Kentucky as face-to-face sports betting begins on Thursday, September 7th. A grand opening ceremony was held at the Churchill Downs Race & Sports Book to commemorate the opening day of retail sports betting in the Commonwealth. Andy Beshear placed the first bet at 10am. He placed a $20 accumulator bet on the ‘over’ of the University of Kentucky and University of Louisville football teams to win and the ‘under’ of the Duke University football team. Churchill Downs sports betting office is located in the converted Aristides Lounge on the second floor of the clubhouse. The Churchill Downs Race & Sports Book will open to the public at 11am on Thursday morning. You must be 18 years of age to participate and place bets. Several locations in Kentucky have been approved for betting, including Derby City Gaming, Ellis Park in Henderson and Red Mile in Lexington. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman placed a $20 bet on the Cincinnati Bengals winning the Super Bowl at an opening event at Turfway Park in northern Kentucky. Online sports betting in the Commonwealth begins September 28th.