LOUISVILLE, Ky. — In the first two weeks of in-person betting, over $4.5 million has been wagered in Kentucky. Sports betting experts say they expect those numbers to skyrocket with the launch of mobile sports betting in the state.
Sept. 28 marks the first day Kentuckians can place sports bets online and through their mobile phones. According to Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Ky., more than 60,000 Kentuckians have already pre-registered for mobile sports betting accounts.
Before you hit it big using just your phone, here are some reminders on how to keep your accounts safe and secure.
Use approved sports betting sites
First, before you make an account, be sure you are using one of the seven applications approved by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission:
- Fan Duel
- Draft Kings
- Barstool Sportsbook
- Bet 365
- Bet MGM
- Caesars
- Fanatics
Treat it like a bank account
Second, you should treat sports betting accounts with the same importance as a bank account. Beware of things like phishing and scam messages.
“Things that you need to watch out for are promotional phishing emails. Saying ‘Hey! This is an urgent thing today. Get this special deal,’” explained Jeff Chandler, CEO of Z-JAK Technologies. “Before you click that deal, just think about it. Make sure it’s going to say one of the authorized sports booking sites. Also, make sure that when you sign onto that, use the same precautions if you were to manage a banking account. So make sure you turn on two factor authorization.”
Report it if something goes wrong
Mistakes can happen. If you feel like you might have signed on to something suspicious, Chandler says you should lock your credit report and tell your bank.
Treat it as though you lost your wallet and keep it safe.
The increase in revenue will support oversight of sports wagering and the Kentucky permanent pension fund. Two percent of the revenue goes toward the problem gambling assistance fund.