But behind the glamour of the 151st Run for the Roses lies a fast-growing industry whose reach now extends far beyond the gates of Churchill Downs.
With the legalization of Kentucky sports betting in 2023, the Derby has evolved from a once-a-year betting event into a powerful engine fueling a larger, more complex gambling economy — one that’s drawing in new users and raising red flags.
From Tradition to Technology: How the Derby Became a Betting Juggernaut
The Kentucky Derby has long been the crown jewel of American horse racing, but its status as a top-tier betting event has only intensified with the rise of mobile gambling.
In 2024, bettors wagered more than $210 million on the Derby race alone and over $320 million across all races during the Derby weekend — both all-time records. With this year’s race expected to shatter those figures again, Kentucky’s gaming industry has never been more vibrant.
Since the state launched legal sports betting in September 2023, Kentucky has seen over $3.6 billion in wagers placed online.
Just in February 2025, sportsbooks handled $218.9 million in mobile bets. Platforms like FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars, and BetMGM are capitalizing on the Derby’s reach, offering single-wallet betting for horse races and traditional sports, targeted promotions, and user-friendly education tools for newcomers.
FanDuel, in particular, has positioned itself as the go-to app for casual and experienced bettors alike by integrating traditional sportsbook features with its racing-focused TVG brand. The goal is to turn the Derby from a seasonal draw into a gateway to year-round engagement.
But while these innovations have fueled impressive tax revenue — bringing in over $32 million in just six months — they’ve also made gambling more accessible, more engaging, and more addictive.
Problem Gambling Rising: “It’s Derby Day Every Day”
With the rapid normalization of betting comes a darker reality. Kentucky’s problem gambling hotline reported a fourfold increase in calls between 2022 and 2024, and experts say the accessibility of mobile apps is driving the spike. Sports betting is now the leading form of gambling cited by callers, overtaking casino games and traditional horse racing.
“We’re seeing a big shift,”
said RonSonlyn Clark, a certified gambling addiction counselor in Louisville.
“It’s not just people betting on the Derby or March Madness anymore. It’s live bets on obscure games, prop wagers at midnight, and people chasing losses they racked up on their phones.”
The trend is especially concerning among young men, a demographic heavily targeted by sportsbook advertising.
“Younger gamblers are being trained to treat betting like social media — a constant scroll, always on,”
Clark added.
One of the most outspoken voices warning of these risks is Creig Ewing, a former editor for the Courier Journal who became addicted to gambling via TwinSpires. Now in recovery, Ewing says today’s gambling landscape is even more dangerous.
“When I got hooked, it was horse racing on the weekends,” he said. “Now? It’s Derby Day every day. You can lose your savings before lunch.”
Ewing’s experience underscores what regulators and public health experts are increasingly grappling with: how to balance economic gains from gambling with the very real social costs.
