How Will Kentucky Betting Launch Compare to Neighboring Ohio’s Launch?

The Midwest is home to some of the most popular online sports betting states, with Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Iowa all offering mobile wagering. Then there’s Kentucky, which is now getting in on the action, with Kentucky sports betting apps slated to launch Sept. 28.

It's a long time coming for the Bluegrass State, which had previously only allowed horse race betting. It undoubtedly felt pressure from tax revenue bleeding out to bordering states — Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee all have online betting. 

What can new bettors expect? Just looking at what happened in neighboring states, these players should have access to thousands of dollars in Kentucky sportsbook promos once online operators launch in late September, just in time for NFL Week 4 action (and ahead of a Kentucky-Florida showdown).

How Will Kentucky Stack Up to Ohio Betting Launch?

One storyline that will be interesting to watch play out is whether Kentucky will be as — or more — successful as its neighbor Ohio, which legalized online sports betting and launched a handful of Ohio sports betting apps on New Year’s Day 2025 in time for the NFL playoffs and College Football Playoff title game (unfortunately, the Buckeyes lost on New Year’s Eve in a national semifinal.

While a smaller overall market, Kentucky is launching during the NFL season with lots of runway ahead of it, setting itself up for a potentially strong opening.

Bettors in the Buckeye State have been using the various Ohio sportsbook promos available to them since the calendar turned, and the state has brought in more than $50 million in tax revenue since that launch.

Sports bettors who are close to the border were just one short drive over one of the many bridges connecting the two states to place their bets, so that may have impact some of the initial sign-up surge in Kentucky, as the state does have its share of Cincinnati Bengals fans. Also keep in mind that if you signed up for specific sportsbook promo codes in one state for an operator you can't sign up for a second welcome offer.

September is Go-Time For Kentucky

Kentucky should get off to solid start, considering the Sept. 7 launch of retail betting matches up with the first NFL regular season game of the year. That said, in states with sports betting apps, mobile wagering far exceeds in-person betting for a variety of reasons, including the welcome offers mentioned above and the convenience of betting on the go.

So, all eyes are on the Sept. 28 launch of online sports betting, which is two days before the Kentucky Wildcats’ SEC football home opener against the Florida Gators.

Working in Kentucky’s favor is that the launch of online sports betting should also be a boon for the various horse racing tracks around the state, which should get a boost in revenue as some mobile licenses are tethered to racetracks.