Kentucky Sports Betting Promos and Bonuses: Best Expected Offers for 2023

All Kentucky sportsbook promo codes and bonuses

Whether at the end of 2023 or the beginning of 2024, the arrival of the best sportsbooks and sports betting apps in the nation is imminent in Kentucky. With up to 27 options — each of the state’s nine horse racing tracks will be able to partner with up to three mobile operators — making themselves available, KY bettors will have a litany of the best sportsbook promos at their fingertips.

Here is the full list of Kentucky sportsbook promo codes and welcome bonuses we anticipate will arrive in the Bluegrass State:

1. DraftKings Kentucky welcome offer

From owning one of the industry’s leading sports betting apps to providing the most seamless user experience available, DraftKings reigns supreme even amongst sports betting’s elite. We fully anticipate the top Kentucky sportsbook bonus to be DraftKings’ bet $5, win $150 offer when the state’s market launches in earnest.

Here’s what you need to know about DraftKings Kentucky’s potential upcoming welcome bonus:

• You will not need a need a DraftKings promo code to get started.
• Following registration, put down a minimum deposit and wager of $5 on any pre-game moneyline. 
• Should your qualifying bet win, DraftKings will credit your account with $150 in bonus bets.
• You will receive the $150 as six (6) $25 bonus bets.
• The bonus bets must be used within seven days, or they will expire.

In advance of the sportsbook’s launch in KY, read our complete DraftKings review.

DraftKings promo pros and cons

What does the upcoming DraftKings sign-up promo mean for you?

DraftKings’ bet $5, win $150 in bonus bets offer is an excellent way for novice bettors to get their feet wet. While your $5 qualifying wager on any pre-game moneyline does have to win to unlock the $150 in bonus bets, no odds restrictions are attached. So, you can lock in a bet on a favorite to easily garner the reward.

How much money can you earn with the upcoming DraftKings sign-up promo?

The six $25 bonus bets you can obtain from the DraftKings KY sign-up promo cannot be withdrawn as real cash. Instead, you’ll need to use them to wager further with the sportsbook. For example, if you use a $25 bonus bet on a market with odds of +200 and win, you’ll receive $50 in cash you can take out immediately.

Why DraftKings’ upcoming bonus is better than the others

None of the other projected Kentucky sportsbook promos offer new users such a low wagering requirement. A $5 ask for the opportunity to add $150 to your bankroll — on top of your other winnings — is a great low-risk, high-reward entry point to the sports betting space.

2. Caesars Kentucky welcome offer

When choosing a betting site, Kentuckians may find the pizazz of Caesars’ Las Vegas atmosphere alluring — along with its equally flashy up to $1,250 welcome offer that includes 1,000 Caesars Rewards® Tier Credits and 1,000 Caesars Rewards Reward Credits.

Here are the most vital pieces of information about Caesars Kentucky’s potential new-player bonus:

• You will need to utilize the active Caesars promo code — SBRBONUSFULL — to obtain the bonus.
• You must be 21 years or older to wager with Caesars, despite Kentucky law permitting those who are at least 18 to bet.
• Once your account is live, you must make a minimum initial deposit of $10.
• Place your first bet of any amount on any sports market. Should it lose, Caesars will reimburse your money, up to $1,250, as a bet credit.
• The lone bet credit you acquire cannot be broken down and must be used on a single wager. It will arrive in your account within 48 hours of your qualifying wager settling.
• If you do not use the bet credit within 14 days, it will expire.

Dig into our exhaustive Caesars review if you plan on signing up for the sportsbook once it launches in Kentucky.

Caesars Sportsbook promo pros and cons

What does the upcoming Caesars sign-up promo mean for you?

If you aim to jump-start your sports betting journey with a big early payday, Caesars has the Kentucky sportsbook bonus for you. The offer allows you to take a riskier approach than would usually be recommended because if you lose, Caesars will refund your stake, up to a maximum of $1,250, as a bet credit.

How much money can you earn with the upcoming Caesars sign-up promo?

You can use the bet credit from the Caesars KY welcome offer to wager on either an underdog — in an attempt to earn big winnings — or a favorite — to go a safer route. Ultimately, the path you choose and the amount of money you can make will depend on your comfort level.

Why Caesars’ upcoming bonus is better than the others

Simply put: Caesars’ welcome offer looks to be the most lucrative of all the Kentucky sportsbook promos coming to the Bluegrass State. If you plan to bet big immediately, taking advantage of Caesars’ bonus is optimal. 

3. FanDuel Kentucky welcome offer

Aside from its rival, DraftKings, arguably no modern sportsbook is as iconic as FanDuel. When the platform officially launches in the Bluegrass State, it will likely offer one of the best Kentucky sports betting promos via its $1,000 no sweat first bet.

Here are the sign-up bonus’ most pertinent details:

• No FanDuel promo code is necessary, but you must download the sportsbook’s mobile app to claim the bonus.
• You must deposit at least $10 after registration.
• Should your initial wager on any available sports market lose, FanDuel will provide you a refund, up to $1,000, in non-withdrawable bonus bets.
• You will receive the bonus bets within three days of your qualifying wager settling as a loss.
• The bonus bets have a lifespan of 14 days and will expire if unused.

Dissect our complete FanDuel review to find out more about the sportsbook.

FanDuel promo pros and cons

What does the upcoming FanDuel sign-up promo mean for you?

FanDuel’s $1,000 no sweat first bet is one of a few potential Kentucky betting promos that allows new users to be riskier with their initial wager since, should they lose, the sportsbook will return their stake — up to $1,000. When the time comes, ensure you search closely through FanDuel’s wide swath of markets — it’s one of the best live betting sites — before submitting your qualifying wager.

How much money can you earn with the upcoming FanDuel sign-up promo?

Using the bonus to back an underdog is risky, but you could earn a considerable amount of real, withdrawable cash. Alternatively, using it on a favorite is safer but less likely to garner a big payday. Ultimately, your comfort level will dictate how much money you earn from bonus funds.

Why FanDuel’s upcoming bonus is better than the others

Not many Kentucky sportsbook promos for first-time users will equal or exceed $1,000. Not only does FanDuel’s offer provide that, but it can also be broken down into multiple smaller bets.

4. BetMGM Kentucky welcome offer

BetMGM hopes its historic reputation in the gaming industry will entice the people of Kentucky to join its platform once live. To further tempt prospective bettors, the sportsbook will likely tender its up to $1,000 back in bonus bets welcome offer.

Here’s what to keep in mind when BetMGM KY’s new-bettor bonus comes online:

• After signing up for your new BetMGM Kentucky account, you must make a first deposit of at least $10.
• Locate your preferred market(s) and place your initial wager. Should it flop, BetMGM will return your stake, up to $1,000, as bonus bets.
• The bonus bets you receive will be divided into 20% denominations on wagers of over $50. You will garner a single bonus bet if you wager less than $50.
• The reward will appear in your account within 24 hours, and you’ll have seven days to use it.

Thrilled at the prospect of BetMGM coming to Kentucky? Scour our BetMGM review for all the gritty details.

BetMGM promo pros and cons

What does the upcoming BetMGM sign-up promo mean for you?

The BetMGM sign-up bonus permits you to make a more aggressive first wager than you might have otherwise since the sportsbook will refund your stake, up to $1,000, in bonus bets should you lose.

How much money can you earn with the upcoming BetMGM sign-up promo?

If your initial wager with BetMGM goes down in flames, the amount of real cash you can earn with the bonus bets depends on their success. So, you won’t make any money if you receive five (5) $200 bonus bets and each of them loses. But if any of them win, the profits are yours to withdraw.

Why BetMGM’s upcoming bonus is better than the others

It’s a near certainty that Kentucky sports betting promos worth $1,000 or more will be few and far between. Additionally, BetMGM paying out its bonus bets in five increments on losing first wagers of at least $50 adds some valuable flexibility.

5. PointsBet Kentucky welcome offer

PointsBet is known for its unique bet types, but it will also likely offer one of the most distinctive Kentucky sportsbook promos. New bettors will be able to snag up to $250 in bet credits over their first five days of wagering with the sportsbook. A PointsBet promo code is not required to get started.

Here are the most vital elements of the welcome bonus to make a note of before PointsBet arrives in Kentucky:

• During your first five days of betting with PointsBet, place your first five fixed odds wagers — one each day — on whatever markets you prefer.
• If one of your qualifying bets fails during this period, PointsBet will issue you a refund, up to $50, in bet credits. So, if all of your wagers lose, you can garner a maximum of $250.
• Should any of your first five wagers win, you will not receive a bonus for that day.

Read our complete PointsBet review for a big-picture look at the sports betting platform.

PointsBet promo pros and cons

What does the upcoming PointsBet sign-up promo mean for you?

The PointsBet KY promo insures new bettors up to $50 on each of their first five bets over their first five days of wagering with the sportsbook. This offer is easily the most flexible of those possibly coming to Kentucky since you can divide each $50 bonus into four equal bet credits.

How much money can you earn with the upcoming PointsBet sign-up promo?

Should any of your initial five bets flop, PointsBet will credit your account with up to $50 each time. Using those second-chance bets, the amount of money you can earn depends on their success. The more consecutive hits you put together, the more money you can obtain.

Why PointsBet’s upcoming bonus is better than the others

By limiting each of its five bonus bets to $50, PointsBet does new Kentucky players a favor. Rather than pushing you to make one large bet to garner a bonus, PointsBet incentivizes dipping your toe in and starting your sports betting journey at a steady pace.

How we rate and review sports betting promotions

When the first batch of legal online sportsbooks goes live in Kentucky, you can rest easy knowing our industry experts have spent numerous hours reviewing and critiquing every one. We zero in on specific aspects of sports betting sites to fabricate custom ratings for our detailed reviews.

And so, as it pertains to assessing the top Kentucky sports betting promos and bonuses, we take a similar approach. Here are some of the questions we weigh before rating the quality of any welcome bonus:

• What is the sign-up offer’s maximum value?
• Is the welcome bonus guaranteed, or does it necessitate a specific circumstance to activate?
• What is the type of welcome bonus? Is it a deposit match, bet and get, or first bet insurance offer?
• Is a promo code required?
• How challenging are the playthrough requirements, and are they achievable within a short timeframe?
• How fast does the bonus expire?

Types of Kentucky sign-up offers and bonuses

Since they’re the three most common sportsbook sign-up bonuses in the country, it stands to reason that Kentucky bettors will come across deposit matches, bet and gets, and first bet insurance offers when legal sports betting officially launches in the state. 

Here’s a quick breakdown of how each of these soon-to-be Kentucky betting promos works:

Deposit Match

Deposit matches are one of the most straightforward sign-up bonuses for new players since they require nothing more than making a first deposit. Once the deposit has been made, the sportsbook will match the amount, up to a specified number, in non-withdrawable bonus funds. For example, a betting site offering a 100% deposit match up to $1,000 would provide $1,000 in bonus funds if you made an initial deposit of $1,000 in real cash, instantly doubling your bankroll.

Bet and get

Bet and get bonuses are often the most friendly welcome offers for new players since they typically have low wagering requirements to garner comparatively higher rewards. By placing a first deposit and wager — usually about $10 — the sportsbook will credit bonus funds to your account, regardless of your wager’s outcome. Sometimes, there will be an additional stipulation, such as requiring your first bet to win. An old iteration of DraftKings’ bonus, for example, demanded just that, needing you to bet $5 on any pre-game moneyline and hit to trigger $150 in bonus bets.

First bet insurance

Arguably the most common sign-up bonus available today, first bet insurance offers only trigger when your first bet loses. Then, the sportsbook will refund your stake, up to a certain amount, in bonus funds. For example, Caesars will likely offer Kentucky’s largest first bet insurance offer with a maximum value of $1,250. Should you register with the platform, wager $1,250 in real cash, and lose, Caesars will reimburse you the $1,250 as a single bet credit. Remember to read the terms and conditions associated with each bonus, as some sportsbooks will allow you to chop up the reward into multiple bets, while others won’t.

Kentucky online sportsbooks

While no online sportsbooks currently exist in Kentucky, there are nine racing tracks where you can legally bet on horses: Churchill Downs, Oak Grove Racing and Gaming, Ellis Park, Keeneland Race Course, Kentucky Downs, Turfway Park, Bluegrass Downs, The Red Mile, and Thunder Ridge.

When sports betting officially launches in the state, each of those nine tracks will be home to a new retail sportsbook and will be able to partner with up to three online operators. So, eventually, Kentucky could welcome up to 27 sports betting sites and apps. 

However, eager bettors should temper expectations because when sports betting goes live in the state at the end of 2023 or early 2024, chances are there will only be about five or six online sportsbooks immediately available.

Kentucky online and mobile sportsbooks

Kentucky betting resources

Since there are several months before online sportsbooks and sports betting apps launch in Kentucky, it’s a good idea for newbies to get a lay of the land. Ensure you check out the rest of our sports betting resource pages, including how to bet on sports, read betting odds, and effectively manage your bankroll.

Responsible sports betting with Kentucky promos

House Bill 551 states that the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission will oversee all sports betting-related activities in the state. The KHRC will be in charge of reviewing applications, approving sportsbook licenses, performing audits and site security checks, enforcing laws, and handing out fines. 

The KY Horse Racing Commission will also oversee responsible sports betting initiatives, including efforts to curb problem gambling via digital resources, prevention, and treatment options. Kentucky’s sports betting law sets aside 2.5% of tax revenue to fund problem gambling recovery programs.

Some resources are already in place due to Kentucky’s popular horse racing betting industry:

• Problem gambling hotline: 1-800-GAMBLER
• Active counselors courtesy of the Kentucky Coalition of Problem Gambling

Sportsbook promos and bonuses in other regions

U.S. states with legal sportsbook promos and bonuses

Sportsbook promos and bonuses in international regions

• Canada sportsbook promos (excluding Ontario)
• U.K. sportsbook promos