With Kentucky set to have sports betting go live in the coming months, many people are wondering if betting on in-state schools will be allowed. After all, the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville are two very popular programs in the Bluegrass State, so it makes sense that people would want to take advantage of those opportunities to bet on their favorite teams.
The short answer is yes – you will be able to wager on in-state schools with the best sports betting sites in Kentucky. Below, we will describe how this became possible and different areas of interest that will apply to this groundbreaking moment.
When Will Sportsbooks Begin Operating in Kentucky?
After House Bill 551 was signed into law by Gov. Andy Beshear on March 31, 2023, the race to get sports betting launched in Kentucky officially began. While there is no official launch date for Kentucky betting apps in the Bluegrass State, most are hopeful that things will be up and running by the start of the college football and NFL seasons in late August or early September.
It would certainly behoove Kentucky to be operable at that point because it has been noted by most sportsbooks that 70-75% of their business comes from the NFL. When the top sports betting apps launch in the state, you can expect Kentucky sports betting promos to have generous offers for new bettors.
Betting On College Teams Is Allowed In Kentucky
As mentioned earlier, betting on college teams is allowed in Kentucky – when sports betting finally launches with the top PayPal betting sites. There are a few different states that have certain restrictions on collegiate sports, props on college sports, or just altogether do not allow it at all. For instance, Massachusetts doesn't allow you to bet on in-state schools unless they're in the tournament, Iowa doesn't allow you to bet on college props, and Oregon doesn't allow college wagering of any kind.
The most notable letdown of states not allowing wagering on in-state schools on the best credit card betting sites is undoubtedly New Jersey, which has had three of the most memorable NCAA Tournament upsets/runs over the last two seasons. In 2022, #15-seeded St. Peters had a magical run that ended in the Elite Eight, but New Jersey bettors couldn't get in on the action with legalized sportsbooks. In 2023, Garden State bettors also missed out when #16-seeded Fairleigh Dickinson won their first-round game against #1-seeded Purdue, while #15-seeded Princeton won two big games against #2-seeded Arizona and #7-Missouri.
What Schools Are In Kentucky That You Can Bet On?
Of course, we mentioned earlier that Kentucky and Louisville are going to be super popular, but there are a few others that you may not have at the top of your mind. Western Kentucky University has been rising up the ranks in recent years, especially in football; they do have a fairly decent program in basketball but have not reached the NCAA Tournament since 2013.
Other schools you will be able to wager on include: Bellarmine University (ASUN), Eastern Kentucky University (ASUN), Morehead State University (Ohio Valley), Murray State University (Missouri Valley), and Northern Kentucky University (Horizon).
One thing you can be sure of is that collegiate sports fans will be lining up at the window and logging on to their computers/phones to place these wagers. It's just a matter of time now on when it will finally take place. Expect to be able to wager and claim bonuses with the BetMGM Kentucky bonus code, along with the Caesars Kentucky promo code.
This article is part of our Kentucky Sports Betting News series.
