LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- I don't want to take for granted that I am writing this column from the middle of a sportsbook. In Kentucky. At Churchill Downs, in the remade Aristides Lounge, now the Race & Sports Book Aristides Lounge.
On the northeast wall, Aristides and his jockey, Oliver Lewis, look on, NFL odds streaming on the screens overhead, in whatever constitutes shock for a pair who won the Kentucky Derby in 1875.
My surprise is no less. I thought this day might come but one day after I retired (which is not terribly far off, but far enough).
There is no way I thought it would be today. There's no way I thought I'd be able to bet on Louisville's home opener.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear placed the ceremonial first legal (non-horse racing) sports bet at around 10 a.m., hedging his bets with a three-leg parlay as political as practical: the over on win totals for Kentucky and Louisville football and the under for Duke.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear places his ceremonial first legal bet in the Commonwealth at the Churchill Downs Race & Sports Book grand opening on Sept. 7, 2023.
His heart may be in the right place, and I'm with him on the Cats and Cards. Duke could be a problem.
No matter. I'm watching ESPN 680 radio host Drew Deener approach the kiosk for the first time of many, I'm sure.
"I like the energy of betting in person," he said.
And the energy of the room is pretty constant. There are 15 self-service kiosks at the front of the room, all of them occupied.
A guy who asked that I not use his name because he skipped out of work for a little bit just stopped by my table.
"Never thought I'd see this," he said. "Did you? I figured Churchill would do something pretty nice. This is going to be crazy on Saturdays and Sundays."
I'm not a big better. I put some money on the Cardinals with my first wager. At 42.5-point favorites, it may have been a donation to the cause.
And I'm aware of the dangers of gambling and would urge moderation for anyone.
I also know the history of the state. We subsist on drinking, gambling and, for a long time, tobacco. Those ships have sailed.
In a few weeks, you'll be able to bet on your phones. Accounts may be opened and money deposited today. A trip to a place like this is not necessary. But as places to watch sports go, this isn't too shabby.
On each table is a sticker with a "Bet Builder" QR code. Click it and you have the odds in your hands. You can arrange your bets on your phone. Then you just walk to the kiosk, scan the code the phone gives you, and pay. Your bet is made.
Patrons line the kiosks on the first day of legal sports betting in Kentucky at the Churchill Downs Race & Sports Book, Sept. 7, 2023.
For Kentucky, this is a bet on the future. Nobody is delusional about the amount of money this will bring the state. With each subsequent state to approve sports wagering, the amount is a little less.
But I also would advise: Never underestimate Kentucky's ability to wager.
The state was slow to get to this day. But once sports betting passed, it moved with impressive speed to get things up and running by opening day for the NFL.
It opens, frankly, new possibilities for tourism. The Kentucky Derby remains a heavy hitter on the American sports landscape. Earlier this week, Sports Business Journal compiled a list of the five most-watched TV broadcasts of any kind this year, with NFL games excluded.
The Kentucky Derby was No. 5, behind the State of the Union address (on 14 channels), the Academy Awards, the College Football Playoff championship and a cooking show that aired after the Super Bowl.
If this is a success, perhaps casino betting and table games could enter the realm of possibility. It's not a cure-all. And those aren't really my thing.
But for a state that has embraced elegant vice throughout its history, maybe there's a market to had.
For now, we'll take what we can get.
Be careful, but enjoy.
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