By Lisa Whitaker
Gambling is such a big part of the world today, and no matter where you go, you can find some sort of gambling to enjoy. Here in Kentucky, there is so much gambling close by that you don’t even need to leave town to gamble all your money away. There’s not a month in the year that you can’t find some kind of gambling to try.
Since Kentucky is “Basketball Country,” when March Madness comes around, we all take part in giving at least a little bit of our money away. I don’t think there’s a work place in the state that doesn’t have those little brackets floating around where people have dropped $2,$ 5, or $10 dollars (or sometimes even more) in order to try and win a little money back. And honestly, what are the odds of winning? Slim to none. But we all take part anyway, hoping for that slim chance.
The next big gambling scene in Kentucky is, of course, the Kentucky Derby. Even though the Derby is in the beginning of May, the horse races begin in April and continue on into the summer. People are serious about betting on the races, too. I’ve been to the Derby several years and have seen the amount of people in line at the betting windows. No matter what time of day you go, the lines are so long that you have to wait at least 15 minutes to place your bet. But even those who don’t go to the Derby to place their bets can get into a pot somewhere. Most people who have Derby parties also have some sort of betting pot set up on their own. I looked on the Churchill Downs official website to try and find stats on pay-outs and incomes on Derby day, but of course they didn’t show that information. What they did show, however, is the pay-out to the winner of the previous Derbies. Last year, a horse named Monarchos was the winner, and that horse alone received $812,200 to be split between the jockey, the owner, the trainer, and so on. What does that tell you about how much we spend that day on bets? I don’t think I even want to know.
In the summer months, the local Catholic churches have their picnics, where you can go and stand around the booths, betting your money away once again. Every weekend in the summer is occupied by several church picnics, and they are all the same. Every one you go to serves beer and has about 50 gambling booths, so that there is enough for everyone. And kids can even take part in this activity; if you have a dime, you can bet. The summer picnics spill over into the fall and turn into fall festivals where you can do the same things.
If casino betting is your style, we have those close by, too. You can go to Caesars or Belterra in Indiana and gamble the night away. The list of places where you can gamble or things to gamble for (or against) is endless: the Super Bowl, major league baseball, NBA pro basketball, etc. With all of this gambling available, you’ve got to be careful how you spend your money. Most of the time you don’t come out ahead. So, if you’re going to gamble, be sensible about it. Try to pick only a few things that you will gamble on and leave the rest for everyone else. It is very easy to get caught up in the gambling scene and not find your way out. So, watch yourself and good luck!
