Kentucky’s Sports Betting Soars in January 2025 

A Strong Start to the Year

January saw Kentucky bettors wager a total of $277.1 million, a solid 12.8% jump from the same month in 2024. Online betting dominated, accounting for $270.1 million of that figure, while retail sportsbooks chipped in $7 million.

Revenue, however, landed at $32.3 million, down slightly from January 2024’s $34.3 million but a rebound from December 2024’s $19.6 million.

The state collected $4.6 million in taxes, a 5.2% dip from last January but a striking 59% increase over December.

FanDuel and DraftKings Vie for Dominance

FanDuel claimed the top spot in betting handle, raking in $96.2 million in wagers. Yet, DraftKings stole the revenue crown with $13.4 million, edging out FanDuel’s $13.2 million thanks to a standout 14% hold rate, a metric of how much an operator keeps after payouts. DraftKings’ handle wasn’t far behind at $95 million.

Bet365 held steady in third place, posting a $26.6 million handle and $2.4 million in revenue. That revenue figure is a remarkable 142% surge from December.

Fanatics Sportsbook made waves, climbing from sixth to fourth place. With a $15.2 million handle and $1.6 million in revenue, it’s carving out a bigger slice of the market.

Caesars, meanwhile, nudged past BetMGM with a $14 million handle to BetMGM’s $13.5 million, though both operators netted $1.2 million in revenue.

ESPN BET logged a respectable $7.5 million in bets, while Circa Sports trailed with a $2.9 million handle and a $200,000 loss, a rare stumble in an otherwise buoyant month.

Retail sportsbooks also turned a corner. After a loss in December, they generated over $711,000 in gross revenue.

What’s Driving the Numbers?

January’s performance highlights Kentucky’s maturing sports betting scene, now in its second full year since legalization in September 2023. The 12.8% handle growth shows bettors’ increasing comfort with wagering, likely fueled by the NFL playoffs and college basketball’s early-season buzz, two pillars of Kentucky’s sports culture.

The revenue dip from last year, however, hints at tighter competition among operators, with higher hold rates like DraftKings’ balancing out the equation.