On this page, you will learn everything you need to know about Ellis Park in Kentucky, including how to get in touch, if you can bet on sports at Ellis Park, and much more.
By: Johnny Covers Open for more than 100 years, Ellis Park is a horse racing track in Henderson, KY that offers both quarter horse and thoroughbred horse racing action throughout the year. Affectionately known as the “Pea Patch”, Ellis Park in Kentucky hosts live horse races throughout the summer and historical racing machines available year round.
With a storied history that lives on today, let’s take a closer look at everything you need to know about Ellis Park in Kentucky.
Situated right along the Ohio River in Henderson, KY, Ellis Park opened its doors in 1922 as a thoroughbred and quarter-horse racing track. Known as “Pea Patch” to locals due to the soybean fields that surround the track, Ellis Park in Kentucky has long been a staple in the BlueGrass state.
During the spring and summer months, Ellis Park offers live horse racing, with both quarter-horse and thoroughbred horse races held every week. Known for its family-friendly atmosphere, it’s a popular place to take both horse-racing die-hards and casual fans looking to check out the action.
Added in recent decades, Ellis Park now also has historical racing machines, which are electronic machines similar to slots, that allow customers to bet on past horse races. Using a historical random generator with results from past races, visitors can take advantage of the machines and bet just like they would traditional slot machines in casinos.
One of the most picturesque race tracks in the country, just over the walls of Ellis Park sits the Ohio River, making a great backdrop for the races there. In addition to a grandstand, Ellis Park in Kentucky has made comfortable accommodations for spectators throughout the year, showing a commitment to enhancing the experience as time has gone by.
Yes, as of August 2023, you can bet on sports at Ellis Park with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) granting temporary licenses to open a KY sportsbook to the iconic race track. The announcement came with six other operator licenses including Churchill Downs, Derby City Gaming, The Mint Gaming Hall Cumberland Run, The Mint Gaming Hall Cumberland, Newport Racing and Gaming, Oak Grove Gaming and Racing, The Red Mile, and Turfway Park.
The announcement came less than six months after the state of Kentucky passed House Bill 551, legalizing retail and online sports betting officially on March 31, 2023. All licensed and regulated by the KHRC, national operators including BetMGM, FanDuel, DraftKings, and Ceasers operate online sportsbooks in the state.
The sportsbook at Ellis Park is operated by Kambi, which is the service provider for all retail operations in the state. While there are no betting windows at the sportsbook present at Ellis Park, there are a handful of self-service kiosks that allow bettors to get in their wagers after following intuitive prompts.
Ellis Park in Kentucky serves as one of just nine retail sportsbooks in the state along with Churchill Downs (FanDuel), Cumberland Run, Oak Grove Racing & Gaming, Red Mile Racing & Gaming (Caesars), Sandy’s Racing & Gaming (BetMGM), Turfway Park Racing & Gaming, Newport Racing & Gaming, The Mint Gaming Hall at Cumberland Run in Corbin and Williamsburg.
Throughout the summer months, visitors can watch and bet on the thoroughbred and quarter horse races held there directly at the track. That is the only form of gambling available at Ellis Park in Kentucky, however, as we look at everything else they have to offer when it comes to gaming.
With a history dating back more than 100 years, the history of Ellis Park is a long and storied one. Let’s take a closer look at some key dates in the history of Ellis Park, and how we got to where it is today.