Online sports betting goes live in Kentucky

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WXIX) - Online sports betting is now live in Kentucky.

As of 6 a.m. Thursday, betters in the Bluegrass state could begin placing wagers on computers and phones.

Sports betting in Kentucky officially kicked off earlier this month with in-person starting Sept. 7, just in time for the start of the NFL season.

Kentuckians wanting to place sports bets through their phone have been able for the past month to pre-register an account with approved mobile applications.

Then, on Sept. 7, bettors started depositing funds into their pre-registered accounts with approved mobile applications.

You have to be at least 18 to enter and bet and some places but both of Northern Kentucky’s betting locations require wagers to be 21: Newport Racing and Gaming and Turfway Park in Florence.

A list of licensed retail sportsbooks is available here. Some locations are coming soon.

Kentucky sports betting is expected to generate an estimated revenue increase of $23 million annually, according to the Gov. Andy Beshear’s office.

The increase in revenue will support the oversight of sports wagering and then be dedicated to the Kentucky permanent pension fund.

Additionally, 2.5% will support the problem gambling assistance account operated by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, according to the governor’s office.

The new sports betting legislation also established an excise tax on sports wagering: 9.75% on the adjusted gross revenues on wagers made at a licensed facility and 14.25% on wagers placed online or on a smartphone.

Kentucky’s wagering catalog lists the sports people can bet on, including fan favorites like NFL, MLB, NBA, WNBA and NCAA sports.

Other sports Kentuckians can bet on are eSports, boxing, the Olympics (including the trials), hockey, motorsports and several more.

Types of wagers offered are listed below and can be defined in the sports wagering administrative regulations.

• Single game bets
• Teaser bets
• Parlays
• Over-under bets
• Money line bets
• Pools
• In-game wagering
• In-play bets
• Proposition bets
• Straight bets

For more information on sports betting in the Commonwealth, visit the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission’s website.

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