The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission reported $12.1 million in gross sports betting revenue for August on Thursday, as sportsbooks totaled $283.6 million in overall winnings in their first 12 months of operations in the Bluegrass State.
Kentucky began taking wagers at retail sportsbooks on Sept. 7, and mobile operators followed suit three weeks later. Handle peaked at nearly $288 million in October, when digital sportsbooks flooded the marketplace with introductory promotional offers.
To wit, the seven online operators combined to spend $99.8 million in credits and bonuses the first five weeks they were live. Handle topped $250 million on five occasions, the last coming in March at $256.2 million.
The top revenue haul also occurred in October, when the house reaped $54.6 million in gross revenue, posting an eye-watering 19% hold.
