The newest app in the Kentucky sports betting market now has a retail option for casino-goers in Franklin.
Circa Sports plans to debut a temporary retail sportsbook at the Mint Gaming Hall Kentucky Downs on Monday, Aug. 12. The launch is the latest sign that the still-young Kentucky sports betting market has room to grow.
“Launching a sportsbook in a new state is a significant milestone for any operator, and we couldn’t think of a better venue than The Mint Gaming Hall,” Circa Sports CEO Derek Stevens said. “Kentucky’s passion for sports makes it an ideal location.”
Franklin is a city of 10,000 residents along Kentucky’s southern border. It’s about 45 miles northeast of Nashville, TN.
Circa Sports Already Part of Online Kentucky Sports Betting Market
Monday’s event marks the launch of Circa’s temporary retail sportsbook, but the Circa Sports betting app has a three-month head start on the new retail space in Franklin.
Circa’s app went live on May 14, 2024, thanks to a partnership with the Mint Gaming Hall’s Cumberland Run location in Corbin, KY. The licensing agreement gave Circa Sports access in its fifth state. Gamblers in Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, and Nevada also have Circa Sports as a betting option.
Kentucky is a promising — but competitive — sports betting market. Online sports betting debuted in the Bluegrass State on Sept. 28, 2023. Circa Sports is Kentucky’s eighth online sportsbook joining:
- bet365
- BetMGM
- Caesars
- DraftKings
- ESPN Bet
- Fanatics Sportsbook and
- FanDuel
The Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation (KHRGC) recently issued its June report, which marks the Circa Sports app’s first full month of operation. In June 2024, Circa collected $1,569,280 in online sports bets, which is about 0.55% of the market.
With Monday’s temporary sportsbook launch in Franklin, Circa Sports will have retail sports betting revenue to add to its future Kentucky totals. But, the lifetime $78 million in retail sports bets is only 3.7% of Kentucky’s overall sports betting market.
$2 Billion in Wagers Since KY Sports Betting Began
The June KHRGG report confirmed that Kentucky bettors passed $2 billion in wagers since the industry’s debut 10 reporting months ago.
In June, bettors:
- Placed $150.3 million in sports bets, including $145.7 million in online bets.
- The bets generated $15.4 million in revenue for the sportsbooks.
- Kentucky collected $2.17 million in excise taxes for the month.
Over the lifetime of legal Kentucky sports wagers, bettors risked $2.03 billion in online sports bets and another $79 million at licensed brick-and-mortar betting locations. Altogether, Kentucky bettors spent $2,105,748,711 on sports bets between September 2023 and June 2024.
The volume created about $235.1 million in lifetime revenue and generated $34.6 million in taxes for Kentucky.
DraftKings Sportsbook leads with 39% of the Kentucky sports betting market. FanDuel Sportsbook follows with a 36% share. Rounding out the top five since online Kentucky betting began are:
- BetMGM Sportsbook — 6.3%
- bet365 Sportsbook — 6.2% and
- ESPN Bet — 4.65%
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