Kentucky sports wagers surpass $2 billion

Sports Betting

Kentucky sports betting handle has cleared more than $2.39 billion this year.

If that number seems massive, that is because it’s absolutely massive. In fact, experts and state officials are quick to note the handle is higher than they expected. If you will recall, state governor Andy Beshear said Kentucky sports betting was obliterating projections back in July. As it turns out, he was underselling how many wagers were being placed in The Bluegrass State.

The Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Commission (KHRGC) recently discussed financial results from the first year of business. In doing so, KHRGC president Jamie Eads disclosed that the Kentucky sports betting handle surpassed $2.1 billion between the September 2023 launch and the end of June 2024.

“It far exceeded what any of us thought it would do,” he said during an August Budget Review Subcommittee on Economic Development, Tourism, and Environment Protection meeting.

He’s not kidding. Most projections thought sports betting in Kentucky would sniff a $1.5 billion handle. Hitting $2.1 billion in business (i.e. the total amount of dollars wagered) is a 40 percent increase over expectations.

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