‘Let’s enjoy.’ Sports gambling underway in Kentucky as politicians claim credit, place bets.

The first legal sports bets were cast in the commonwealth Thursday morning, just in time for the start of the NFL season.

And in true election year fashion — the Kentucky governor’s race between Democratic incumbent Andy Beshear and Republican challenger Daniel Cameron is the most expensive race in the nation this year — there’s already political jockeying about who gets credit for sports betting’s legalization.

“Once we saw what the original vote count was, and went to work and worked it hard and started seeing the first couple of votes turn, and then more after that,” Gov. Andy Beshear said of sports betting’s passage in the General Assembly in March. “And truly, the various businesses and and cities and towns, that host tracks or off-site facilities were really excited about this, and they did a lot of work too, so I thought we had a chance but the momentum really picked up. I want to thank (Republican Rep.) Michael Meredith who did a good job as the sponsor working with us directly day in and day out to get it done.”

Kentucky Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown — a longtime advocate for legal sports wagering in the commonwealth — said Thursday that getting sports gambling legalized in Kentucky took work from all parts of the state.

“From all over the state people took tough votes. These are folks who are not going to have retail sportsbooks in their backyard,” Thayer said. “But they recognized that this is something that the people wanted, that it’s better to have legal sports betting regulated in a secure environment like this.”

“I appreciate every legislator who made the tough vote to legalize sports betting.”

Just minutes after the start of legal sports wagering in Kentucky, Beshear and Thayer both claimed on social media and in news releases to have cast the first bet.

Beshear, gathered with other elected officials and sports figures at Churchill Downs, placed the first bet around 9:53 a.m.

About 75 miles away at Lexington’s Red Mile racetrack, Thayer gathered with other Republican lawmakers and local Democrats and placed his own bet just after 10 a.m.

Beshear later made an early-afternoon appearance at Red Mile, and he cut a ceremonial ribbon to mark the opening of the brick-and-mortar Caesars Sportsbook, which takes up more than 4,600 square feet and is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to midnight.

“We get to see dollars that are being contributed to this marketplace not leaving our state anymore to support Indiana and Ohio and Illinois and Tennessee, but to support the programs here in our state,” said Rep. Michael Meredith, R-Oakland, who sponsored House Bill 551, which made sports betting legal in Kentucky.

In response to frequent Republican criticism that the governor’s office wasn’t a factor in the law’s passage, Beshear said Meredith was in communication with his office “day in and day out.”

“We worked hard to flip a number of votes. They all know the truth. It’s just an election season,” Beshear said. “But why don’t we all just be happy today? Right? Sports betting is legal in Kentucky. Let’s not play politics with it. Let’s make sure people do it responsibly. Let’s keep our dollars in state, and let’s enjoy.”

Rep. Al Gentry, D-Louisville, said Thursday was the result of years of work.

“It shows our potential, what we can do when we sit down and we listen to each other, and we fix whatever needs to be fixed, and we pass what we can pass and get things done for the betterment of our citizens in Kentucky,” Gentry said. ‘I think this is a good example of how we can do that.”

“It took a Republican super majority having some of their members join Democrats, a Democratic Governor happy to sign it, because it’s what people want,” Beshear said. “My job isn’t to move a state to the right or the left, but to move it forward for all of our families... When so many people want something like this, it shouldn’t get caught up in partisanship.”

Long process of legalizing sports wagering finally complete

During his remarks at Red Mile, Thayer reiterated that the issue of sports betting is one that’s been of great interest to Kentucky residents for a while.

“I’ve never had an issue like this where no matter where I went, to the gym, to the grocery store, to restaurants, to UK games, to the halls of the Capitol where more people came up to me and said, ‘When are you going to get sports betting passed?’” Thayer said.

Thayer also thanked Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, who helped push HB 551 over the line earlier this year with his newfound support for sports wagering legislation.

Joining Thayer, Meredith and other lawmakers at Red Mile was former Rep. Adam Koenig, a Republican who was previously the primary advocate in Frankfort for bills that would have legalized sports betting.

“People like to campaign on freedom. This is actual freedom,” Koenig said. “Getting government out of the way and not telling people what they can and can’t do.”

When asked by the Herald-Leader about the arduous process of legalizing sports betting in Kentucky, Koenig drew comparisons to legislation regarding alcohol, which he called another formerly “taboo subject.”

“I think when it comes to gaming in five to 10 years, it will be much like we view alcohol,” Koenig said. “As a business, and something that people enjoy.”

Like Thayer, Beshear also said that Kentucky residents have been vocal about their support for legal sports betting.

“This is something I’ve heard about every day I’ve been Governor,” Beshear said. “People will say ‘I don’t care about the rest of politics, but I want you to get this done.’”

According to a fiscal note to the bill provided by the Legislative Research Commission, HB 551 is projected to bring in almost $23 million per year once fully implemented.

The majority of the tax revenue will go to the Kentucky pension fund.

Online betting will begin at 6 a.m. on Sept. 28 in Kentucky.

“This has been paying for roads in Indiana, and Tennessee and virtually every other state around us (that has) legalized sports betting,” Beshear said. “We had to get in this game, not just because our people demanded it, but to keep our dollars at home, here, to strengthen our pension system.”

State politicians make first legal sports bets

While squabbling may persist over who was the first person to place a legal sports bet in Kentucky, something that can’t be disputed are the wagers themselves.

At Churchill Downs, Beshear made a $20 “Kentucky Special” season-long, college football parlay bet that includes three parts: Both Kentucky and Louisville to have more than 7.5 wins, and for Duke to have less than 7.5 wins, during the 2023 season.

At Red Mile, Beshear bet on the Kentucky men’s basketball team to win the national championship.

Thayer made a $20 bet on the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals to win the Super Bowl. He said this was the first sports bet he’s ever made.

What about Koenig, who previously pushed for legal sports wagering during his time as an elected representative?

He also went out-of-state, placing a $10 wager on professional soccer team FC Cincinnati to win the MLS Cup.

At another celebratory, start of sports wagering event held at Turfway Park in Florence, Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman also wagered $20 on the Bengals to win the Super Bowl.

UK’s Mitch Barnhart discusses start of sports betting

During a Thursday morning speaking engagement at the Lexington Forum — just a few hours before sports wagering became legal in the commonwealth — UK athletics director Mitch Barnhart addressed this new-look landscape.

“Information is king in today’s world,” Barnhart said, referencing a recent phone call between college athletics directors and ESPN.

In August, ESPN signed a licensing deal with Penn Entertainment to create ESPN BET, a sportsbook for audiences in the United States. Penn will rebrand to ESPN BET this fall.

Thayer, the Kentucky Senate Majority Floor Leader, also referenced the changing sports programming landscape and how it creates familiarity with sports betting.

Barnhart said every piece of information — from coach and player availability and injuries, to even potential travel issues for teams — will affect sporting gambling tendencies.

“(It’s) really important that our education is strong,” Barnhart said of the preventative measures UK is taking regarding sports gambling with its student athletes.

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