Sports betting operators in the Bluegrass State produced a third consecutive double-digit hold in June and significant year-over-year betting increases.
Key Takeaways
- Kentucky’s June hold is its highest since February and fifth-ever over 13%.
- The Bluegrass State’s operators only made $3 million less in revenue compared to May.
- Tax revenue for the state surpassed $20 million year-to-date.
The Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation recently reported monthly gross revenue of $23 million on a $174.8-million handle. June’s 13.2% hold is the highest since February and the fifth win rate over 13% since wagering launched in September 2023.
The Commonwealth’s sportsbooks enjoyed a 16.3% year-over-year handle increase and a 45.6% revenue spike compared to June 2024. With mainly the late stages of the NBA playoffs and MLB regular-season games to attract bettors, month-over-month action fell off by 16.6%.
However, Kentucky operators still generated $22.6 million in adjusted revenue, only $3 million less than the previous month despite a $35-million drop in dollars wagered. The increase in profits led to $3.2 million in tax revenue for the Bluegrass State, which upped its year-to-date total to more than $21 million.
All about online
Kentucky online sports betting accounted for $171.4 million of the total handle in June, while the $22.7 million in gross revenue made up over 98% of the month’s profit.
Retail sportsbooks struggled to contribute, with just $323,000 of June’s total gross revenue coming from in-person wagering of $3.4 million. It’s the lowest amount of profit produced by retail operators since suffering a $70,018 loss in adjusted revenue in December 2024.
Churchill Downs generated over half of the retail’s adjusted revenue with $160,930 in profits. The other eight sportsbooks failed to reach $50,000 in revenue, including three that fell below $10,000. Circa Sports’ new sportsbook at the Mint Gaming Hall, which opened last month as the largest in the state, will look to drive retail action.
DraftKings leading the way
| Online Operator | June Handle | Revenue |
| DraftKings | $67.5 million | $8.9 million |
| FanDuel | $53.8 million | $8.3 million |
| bet365 | $17.7 million | $1.7 million |
| Fanatics Sportsbook | $10.1 million | $1.4 million |
| BetMGM | $8.5 million | $1 million |
| Caesars | $7.4 million | $831K |
DraftKings produced a win rate in line with the Bluegrass State’s average in June to rack up $8.9 million in gross revenue on a $67.5-million handle, both market-best categories. Revenue only fell off by only $500,000 despite generating nearly 10 million less in wagers.
FanDuel enjoyed an even better hold, winning back 15.4% on a $53.8-million handle to produce $8.3 million in gross revenue. bet365 came in third with $1.7 million on $17.7 million in wagers. The operator was one of just two to not produce a double-digit hold in June.
Fanatics Sportsbook generated a $10.1-million handle that led to $1.4 million in profits, while BetMGM and Caesars both enjoyed win rates over 11%. ESPN BET’s $4.8-million handle was its lowest in 2025, but the online sportsbook churned out a double-digit hold for the second consecutive month. Circa Sports stayed in the black, producing $53,000 on a $1.6-million handle.
Total gaming stays hot
Kentucky’s sports betting scene is growing. Prime Sportsbook will make the list for the first time when July’s figures are reported.
The online operator, partnered with Churchill Downs Incorporated, made its Kentucky debut July 28. Prime also operates in neighboring Ohio as well as New Jersey. Prime, which prides itself on not limiting winners and offering fair pricing, has a full menu of betting options in the Bluegrass State.
