I probably don't need to tell you this, Kentucky resident, but Kentucky is surrounded by states that have already launched legal online betting. And a few of the state's biggest metros share a border with another legal betting state.
This all means that you may have already signed up for DraftKings, FanDuel and other legal sportsbooks while visiting Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee or West Virginia.
Unfortunately, you won't be able to sign up for a new account and claim the full bonuses that someone who is brand new to the platform can get. But that doesn't mean there won't be 1) other promos and boosts available to you and 2) aren't other sportsbooks to get started with so you can take advantage of said promos.
In fact, some users have reported getting smaller deposit matches from FanDuel and DraftKings if they're already signed up in another state:
- DraftKings: 50% deposit match, max $100 bonus (so deposit $200 and get $100 in bonus bets)
- FanDuel: 100% deposit match up to $50 in bonus bets
Again, your offers may differ slightly, but it's likely these sportsbooks will do something to make sure you're betting with them when Kentucky goes live.
Here are a few frequently asked questions about grabbing bonuses again.
1. Will there be any bonuses available if I already have DK and FanDuel?
While it's unlikely you'll get the same, full promo as a brand-new user, these companies can segment you in their databases as Kentucky residents who signed up in another state. So it's possible they could send you a smaller offer to re-engage with their sportsbook — DraftKings notably did this for Massachusetts users who had already signed up in neighboring New Hampshire, which had sports betting for several years before Mass. launched in March 2023. So keep an eye on your email account for any offer.
Like we mentioned above, some Kentucky bettors have reported smaller deposit match offers coming in — like a $100 bonus with a $200 deposit at DraftKings, and a $50 deposit match with FanDuel.
All users in Kentucky will also get some "no-brainer" boosts at DraftKings:
- Double your money if there's a point scored in Kentucky vs. Florida on Saturday
- Double your money if there's a point scored in Titans vs. Bengals on Sunday
2. Which other books should I check out?
Although it's available in Ohio, most Kentucky residents probably haven't started betting with bet365 yet, which is our favorite app for same game parlays and might have the best product on the market right now for many different reasons.
Plus, you'll get $365 in bonus bets with just a $10 deposit and up to $50 more in bonus bets if there are five TDs scored in the Lions-Packers game on Thursday Night Football.
All in all, there are seven books launching in Kentucky this week:
- bet365
- FanDuel
- BetMGM
- Caesars
- DraftKings
- Fanatics Sportsbook
- Barstool Sportsbook (soon to be ESPN Bet)
3. Do any books have different accounts per state?
The number of sportsbooks that require you to sign up for a different account in each state is dwindling. BetMGM had separate wallets by state for a long time, allowing you to sign up multiple times, but they've since unified their accounts so this is no longer the case.
BetRivers still makes you sign up for different accounts, but they won't be in Kentucky at launch.
4. What if I'm just traveling through Kentucky?
Like in all sports betting states, you just need to be physically located in the state to sign up and bet. It doesn't matter if you're from California — as long as you're in Kentucky, it's perfectly legal. You can even withdraw money once you've already left Kentucky.
Just use your real address at home (even if it's a non-legal betting state) because your account is tied to your identity through the last four digits of your SSN. If you put a fake address, the sportsbook can't verify you and you won't be able to deposit.
