By 
Kentucky off track betting is available through the state's world-class racetracks and their simulcast wagering facilities, despite Kentucky having no standalone OTB parlours.
We bring you the complete guide to horse racing in Kentucky, covering active simulcast wagering venues and online betting options for 2026, including off-track betting for the Kentucky Derby.
Betting is also available to Kentucky residents through a range of top online sportsbooks, giving bettors another way to wager when they cannot attend live racing.
Best online OTB sites in Kentucky
-
EXCLUSIVE BONUS
125% up to $1,250Play NowT&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly
-
EXCLUSIVE BONUS
225% up to $3,625Play Now
T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly
-
50% up to $250Play Now
T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly
-
125% up to $2,500Play Now
T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly
-
100% up to $1000Play Now
T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly
Why Kentucky has no standalone OTB parlours
Kentucky previously operated three off track betting locations in Corbin, Jamestown and Maysville. Unfortunately all three closed down in 2013, following declining handles and the rise of online betting. A fourth location in Pineville closed three years earlier in 2010.
The state is yet to make any progress in reviving the standalone OTB model. As it stands, simulcast wagering at the racetracks and online ADW platforms now serve as the primary options for betting on horses.
Kentucky simulcast wagering venues
As previously mentioned, Kentucky has no standalone OTB parlours, with the last facilities closing in 2013.
Fortunately, simulcast wagering is still available year-round at the state's active racetracks, each of which operates as an off track betting venue outside of live race meets.
We have profiled the venues below:
Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs hosts America's most-watched and most-attended horse race in the United States, the Kentucky Derby. As such, it’s one of the most recognised racing venues in North America.
The track is located in Louisville and hosts two annual live meets alongside year-round simulcast wagering.
| Location |
700 Central Avenue, Louisville, KY 40208 |
| Opened |
1875 |
| Surface | Dirt & Turf |
| Racing Type |
Thoroughbred |
| Phone |
502-636-4400 |
| Website |
churchilldowns.com |
Keeneland
Located in Lexington, Keeneland is one of the most prestigious and visually iconic racetracks in the world.
It meets in spring and fall, with both dirt and turf racing on offer. Across the calendar it hosts major graded stakes races and Breeders' Cup events.
| Location |
4201 Versailles Road, Lexington, KY 40510 |
| Opened |
1936 |
| Surface | Dirt & Turf |
| Racing Type |
Thoroughbred |
| Website |
keeneland.com |
Ellis Park
Ellis Park is Kentucky’s summer thoroughbred venue, located in Henderson near the Indiana border. Opened in 1922, the track features both dirt and turf racing.
Its summer meet traditionally begins in July and runs toward Labor Day, although the 2026 season concluded on August 23.
The Groupie Doll Stakes, formerly a Grade 3 race and now a Listed event, remains one of Ellis Park’s signature contests for fillies and mares.
| Location |
3300 U.S. Highway 41 North, Henderson, KY 42420 |
| Opened |
1922 |
| Racing Type |
Dirt and Turf |
| Racing Type |
Thoroughbred |
| Phone |
812-425-1456 |
| Website |
ellisparkracing.com |
Turfway Park
Turfway Park is Kentucky’s premier winter thoroughbred venue, hosting live racing from December through March.
The track is located in Florence just south of Cincinnati and was opened in 1959.
From 2005 until 2020, the tracked used Polytrack, before switching to Tapeta. It is one of the few synthetic racing surfaces still used in North America, and offers simulcast wagering throughout the year, making it a convenient hub for northern Kentucky bettors.
| Location |
7500 Turfway Road, Florence, KY 41042 |
| Opened |
1959 |
| Surface |
Tapeta (Synthetic) |
| Racing Type |
Thoroughbred |
| Phone |
859-371-0200 |
| Website |
turfway.com |
Kentucky Downs
Kentucky Downs is one of North America’s most distinctive thoroughbred venues, featuring a European-style, all-turf course in Franklin near the Kentucky–Tennessee border.
Unlike a traditional oval, its undulating, kidney-shaped layout includes a rare right-hand bend.
The Horseplayers Association of North America twice ranked Kentucky Downs its No. 1 track. Its seven-day fall meet is short but highly competitive, attracting leading horses and horsemen with some of the country’s richest turf purses.
| Location |
Franklin, Kentucky |
| Opened |
1990 |
| Surface | All Turf |
| Racing Type |
Thoroughbred |
| Website |
themintkentuckydowns.com |
The Red Mile
The Red Mile is one of the world’s most historic harness racing tracks, located in Lexington at the heart of Kentucky’s Bluegrass region.
Opened in 1875, it is the second-oldest harness track in the world and remains a premier standardbred venue, best known as the home of the Kentucky Futurity.
The Red Mile offers simulcast wagering throughout the year, giving bettors access to races from tracks across the country.
| Location |
1200 Red Mile Road, Lexington, KY 40504 |
| Opened |
1875 |
| Surface |
Dirt |
| Racing Type |
Standardbred Harness |
|
Website |
theredmile.com |
Newport racing & gaming
Newport Racing & Gaming is a simulcast wagering venue at 1723 Monmouth Street in Newport, serving greater Cincinnati and northern Kentucky.
Its wagering lounge covers thoroughbred and harness racing from tracks across the country, making it a convenient option for bettors throughout the northern Kentucky corridor.
Major Kentucky horse races
Kentucky is home to some of the most significant thoroughbred harness races in the World.
In this section we cover the headline races on the Kentucky racing calender:
Kentucky Derby
Breeders’ Cup
Blue Grass Stakes
Clark Stakes
The Kentucky Derby is the most famous horse race in North America, held annually on the first Saturday in May at the Churchill Downs track.
Known as the first jewel of the Triple Crown, the Purse is worth $5 million, with the race taking place over 1.25 miles. Goes without saying but it’s a grade 1 race.
The Breeders’ Cup is horse racing’s year-end championship event, held over two days with 14 races across different distances and dirt and turf surfaces.
Kentucky has hosted it several times at Churchill Downs and Keeneland. With huge purses and championship titles on offer, it attracts the best horses from the US, Europe and beyond.
The Blue Grass Stakes is one of the most important Kentucky Derby prep races, held at Keeneland during its April spring meet.
Run over 1 1/8 miles on dirt, the Grade 1 race awards Derby points on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale to the top five finishers.
A big performance here can all but book a horse’s place in the Kentucky Derby.
The Clark Stakes is one of the headline races of the Churchill Downs fall meet, staged around Thanksgiving for leading three-year-olds and older horses.
Run over 1 1/8 miles on dirt, it is currently a Grade 2 event. It remains a major late-season test on the US circuit and gives older horses one final chance to finish the year with a big win.
Kentucky horse racing history
Kentucky is widely regarded as the birthplace of American thoroughbred racing, starting with the opening of the Churchill Downs in 1875 and the inaugural Kentucky Derby.
The development of Keeneland helped shape modern Kentucky racing when it opened in Lexington in 1936, combining a world-class track with one of the sport’s leading auction houses.
Across town, The Red Mile has carried the state’s standardbred tradition since 1875.
Kentucky’s breeding farms, major races and year-round sales have built the world’s leading horse racing market, attracting champion bloodstock, wealthy owners and leading trainers from across the globe.
Is online horse betting legal in Kentucky?
Online horse betting is legal in Kentucky, with licensed advance deposit wagering platforms allowed to accept bets from residents across the state.
Oversight now sits with the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation, which replaced the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission in 2024.
The KHRGC licenses ADW operators and makes sure they follow state rules covering accounts, deposits, reporting and player protections. Goes without saying, but bettors should stick to the recommended licensed sites above for a compliant and secure option.
Wrapping up - betting on horses in Kentucky
Kentucky is the most important horse racing state in the US, home to world-class venues such as Churchill Downs, Keeneland, Kentucky Downs and The Red Mile.
Our tip - whether you follow the sport every week or only tune in for the biggest days, all eyes will soon turn toward the next Kentucky Derby or Breeders’ Cup
