4/13/2022

What Kind Of Slot Machines Are At Kentucky Downs

What Kind Of Slot Machines Are At Kentucky Downs Average ratng: 8,9/10 2148 reviews

Kentucky Downs is a gaming & racing center located in Franklin, in the state of Kentucky. Kentucky Downs is an entertainment venue offering 513 gaming terminals based on historical horse racing. Other enjoyable amenities through the property include, simulcasting, seasonal live horse racing, Lucky 7s Diner, live music, and an expansive bar. Typical slot machines. I don't remember if they had other gaming tables, I don't think so - just slots and televisions showing horse races. Watch out for the machines - they may say.01 or.25 slots but there is a small label on the front which indicates a 'minimum' bet. The best online slots are the source of excitement and enjoyment for players. When it comes to free slots, the size and frequency A List Of Slot Machines At Kentucky Downs In Kentucky of payouts don’t matter because you can’t really win anything when playing in demo mode.

The thoroughbreds that race at Kentucky Downs move quickly as they gallop around the uniquely shaped European-style turf track. Talking with Director of Marketing John Wholihan, it sounds as though those working at Kentucky Downs have been doing a lot of racing around at top speed as well.

The track is readying to host its annual race meet, with the first day of races happening Labor Day, Sept. 7.

Coinciding with that event will be the unveiling of a renovated, 30,000-square-foot expansion to the property’s gaming space, the newly-named Mint Gaming Hall at Kentucky Downs.

There’s still work to be done, says Wholihan. But it appears the team has jockeyed themselves into good position for an exciting September, with further plans for Kentucky Downs in the future.

What kind of slot machines are at kentucky downs handicappers

Visitors invited to make some coin at the new Mint Gaming Hall

Kentucky Downs is located in Franklin, KY, a bit north of Nashville and just over the Tennessee border. For most of the year, the action primarily happens indoors where patrons playhistorical horse racing machines and enjoy simulcast wagering.

Then every September comes the annual race meet. This year’s schedule includes six days’ worth of races (as opposed to the usual five) lasting Sept. 7-16.

Following a three-month spring shutdown due to COVID-19, the facility reopened in June with new safety protocols in place. But expansion plans were already underway, introduced by new owners early last year.

What Kind Of Slot Machines Are At Kentucky Downs Selections

Groundbreaking on the expanded Kentucky Downs gaming hall came in November 2019. After many months of work, the fruits of all that labor will soon be revealed.

“It’s been an interesting summer,” says Wholihan with a chuckle. His understatement becomes more obvious as he catalogs what has been added.

There’s a new 24-seat bar with large screen TVs for watching sports. There is a proper stage where bands and others can perform.

It also features a new high-limit room where the Players Club will be relocated. The number of historical horse racing machines will be increased as well, likely settling between 1,100 and 1,200 when all is said and done.

The new name, Wholihan explains, is meant to evoke both gaming and horse racing at once. “The mint is where they make coin, and it’s an old Vegas name,” he points out. But it is still Kentucky Downs, a name that “stays true to the horse racing roots.”

More machines, variety among historical horse racing games

The additional HHR machines have led some to ask if the new gaming hall will feature other casino games, too. Kentucky gambling law won’t allow that, but visitors will be encountering some new games.

“While we don’t have the Vegas or Tunica-type games or slot machines, we are going to be bringing in some new manufacturers,” says Wholihan.

Up to now, Exacta Systems has been the sole provider of the HHR games for Kentucky Downs. “But there are now a couple of the bigger, traditional slot machine makers from Vegas that are jumping into historical horse racing. That’s exciting.”

For those unfamiliar, historical horse racing games draw on a large database of thousands of previously run races to offer bettors a chance to wager on outcomes. Players can either use the auto-handicap feature or test their own handicapping skills to make selections themselves.

Thus, the games do incorporate a skill element that makes them legal.

As Wholihan points out, players adopt different approaches to the games, much as they choose to play for lower or higher stakes. He also notes how the pari-mutuel nature of the games helps build some big jackpots while also lessening the house’s concern about the payouts.

“Since we’ve reopened, we’ve had a $741,000 jackpot, we had another the other day for $200,000, and we’ve had a $115,000 one. We’ve had some juicy five- and six-figure jackpots, too,” he says.

What kind of slot machines are at kentucky downs race track

Since these are pari-mutuel games, the house already has its commission. That helps those running the games join in the customer’s excitement when such big wins come along.

“It’s like the race track. We all bet and the track doesn’t care if the big longshot comes in,” says Wholihan.

More renovations to come, and ongoing safety protocols

Wholihan says they’re aiming to have 1,100 machines operating by the start of September. That’s a total that would more than double what they’ve had in the past. That said, between further renovations and social distancing restrictions, the total could fluctuate as they go.

Speaking of ongoing renovations, work will be continuing after the start of September at Kentucky Downs. Throughout the rest of 2020, the existing 80,000-square-foot building will also be redone. Along with introducing various improvements and matching the new color scheme, additional food options will be coming as well.

Looking a bit further down the road, there are plans to build a hotel on the premises. That would be later 2021 or 2022, says Wholihan, as there’s a lot else to take care of first.

Meanwhile, COVID-related protocols will continue to affect the arrangement of the gaming space.

“We actually reconfigured our floor,” says Wholihan, noting how they couldn’t simply shut down every other machine to ensure proper social distancing. “No matter where you sit, you turn to your left or right and you’re six feet apart… we’re very stringent on following the rules,” he says.

They have also explored using plexiglass and putting in dividers with spacers to ensure distancing. Other measures include:

Temperature checks
Gloves
Masks
Hand sanitizer stations
Enhanced air filtration
Additional cleaning

“We have lots of cash machines, too, so people don’t have to wait in lines to cash out,” says Wholihan. “We’ve adapted, and technology has helped.”

Huge purses once again at Kentucky Downs race meet

While tickets are being sold for the upcoming races, there will be limits there as well with restrictions on crowds and seating.

The Sept. 7 start was picked to avoid conflict with the rescheduled Kentucky Derby, which will take place at Churchill Downs in Louisville on Saturday, Sept. 5.

The race meet at Kentucky Downs is a huge event. There is $2 million a day in purse money, including some $400,000 races and a marquee $1 million race.

TVG will broadcast races live as well. That will help draw more eyes to the picturesque location and its wide, kidney-shaped turf track.

“We’ve had a nice mix of rain and sunshine,” says Wholihan, referring to yet another area of maintenance currently being attended to at Kentucky Downs. “We’ve got good grass that gives a good cushion, and that makes it safe for the horses. All I can say is, you don’t want to lose your golf ball in there!”

As if there were any time to pitch and putt!

Click here for more information about the 2020 Race Meet at Kentucky Downs. And click here for more about the new Mint Gaming Hall and everything else happening at Kentucky Downs.

Introduction to Kentucky Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020

Kentucky slot machine casino gambling does not include games of chance, which are strictly illegal. Instead, Kentucky has competition-based electronic gaming machines at four out of its five pari-mutuel wagering racetracks.

Theoretical payout limits are not available but monthly return statistics are available for electronic gaming machines.

This post continues my weekly State-By-State Slot Machine Casino Gambling Series, an online resource dedicated to guiding slot machine casino gambler to success. Now in its third year, each weekly post reviews slots gambling in a single U.S. state, territory, or federal district.

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Relevant Legal Statutes on Gambling in Kentucky*

The minimum legal gambling age in Kentucky depends upon the gambling activity:

Land-Based Casinos: Not available
Poker Rooms: Not available
Bingo: 18
Lottery: 18
Pari-Mutuel Wagering: 18

Kentucky’s interpretation of legal gambling requires the competitor’s level of skill “must sufficiently govern the results.”

Therefore, competition-based games are legal as well as pari-mutuel wagering. Traditional slots are illegal, including those referred to as Class III, Vegas-style, and games-of-chance slot machines.

Kentucky has competition-based electronic games available in a few of their pari-mutuel facilities. These skill-based games are anonymously-based historical race results.

Historically, Kentucky has had a fascinating relationship with gambling. While casino gambling was never legal, gambling dens were prevalent before the Great Depression of 1929. To this day, the open display of illegal gambling from that time in American history continues to negatively affect the perception of gaming in Kentucky.

If you’re ever in Newport, directly across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, consider walking the Newport Gangster Tour.

*The purpose of this section is to inform the public of state gambling laws and how the laws might apply to various forms of gaming. It is not legal advice.

Slot Machine Private Ownership in Kentucky

In Kentucky, it is legal to own a slot machine privately.

Gaming Control Board in Kentucky

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) regulates skill-based games at pari-mutual racetracks in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

These devices are Historic Horse Racing (HHR) electronic gaming machines. The KHRC reports Kentucky offers 2,981 HHR machines.

Casinos in Kentucky

There are five pari-mutuel racetracks in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Of these, only four sites offer skill-based HHR electronic gaming machines.

The largest casino in Kentucky is Derby City Gaming with 1,000 HHR gaming machines.

The second-largest casino is Red Mile Gaming & Racing, an HHR parlor in partnership with Keeneland Race Course, with 938 gaming machines.

Commercial Casinos in Kentucky

The four out of five of Kentucky’s pari-mutuel racetracks with skill-based HHR electronic gaming machines are:

Derby City Gaming in Louisville located 74 miles west of Lexington on the Indiana border.
Ellis Park Racing and Gaming in Henderson located 105 miles northwest of Bowling Green.
Kentucky Downs Gaming in Franklin located 29 miles south of Bowling Green.
Red Mile Gaming & Racing in Lexington.

Tribal Casinos in Kentucky

The Commonwealth of Kentucky has no federally-recognized American Indian tribes and, therefore, no tribal casinos.

Other Gambling Establishments

As an alternative to enjoying Kentucky slot machine casino gambling, consider exploring casino options in a nearby state. Bordering Kentucky is:

North: Indiana and Ohio Slots
East: West Virginia Slots
Southeast: Virginia Slots
South: Tennessee Slots
West: Missouri Slots

Each link above will take you to my blog for that neighboring U.S. state to Kentucky.

Our Kentucky Slots Facebook Group

Are you interested in sharing and learning with other slots enthusiasts in Kentucky? If so, join our new Kentucky slots community on Facebook. All you’ll need is a Facebook profile to join this closed Facebook Group freely.

There, you’ll be able to privately share your slots experiences as well as chat with players about slots gambling in Kentucky. Join us!

Payout Returns in Kentucky

The Commonwealth of Kentucky does not offer any theoretical payout limits for their competition-based HHR gaming machines.

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission offers statistics for HHR gaming under Quick Links entitled Wagering on Historical Horse Races. Its December 2019 report indirectly offers actual return statistics including comparisons to past actuals.

To calculate a player’s win percentage from the report, divide Less: Return to Public by Total Handle. For December 2019, the monthly Player’s Win% for HHR machines were:

State-wide: 91.5%
Derby City: 90.9%
Ellis Park: 93.9%
Keeneland/Red Mile: 91.3%
Kentucky Downs: 92.0%

From this December 2019 report, Ellis Park had the highest player win% at nearly 94% while Derby City had the lowest at nearly 91%.

Summary of Kentucky Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020

What Kind Of Slot Machines Are At Kentucky Downs Racetrack

Kentucky slot machine casino gambling exists as competition-based, games-of-skill Historical Horse Racing (HHR) electronic gaming machines instead of games-of-chance slot machines.

No minimum or maximum theoretical payout limits have been set. Monthly return statistics are publicly available for each pari-mutuel racetrack with HHR games.

Annual Progress in Kentucky Slot Machine Casino Gambling

In the last year, Kentucky increased its HHR machines by 9% to 2,981 devices. However, the average daily handle for HHRs increased by 46%. For 2020 so far, it’s an amazing 59% increase compared to 2019.

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