Reporter:
Steve Bittenbender covers Midwest and Gulport news for Casino.org. He also specializes in sports betting and horse racing. Steve is a veteran reporter and brings more than two decades of experience covering sports, business and politics. He joined Casino.org in 2019.
Steve has also covered major collegiate and professional sports for the Associated Press and the Louisville Courier-Journal and is frequently featured on local network TV newscasts and podcasts for his horse racing business and legislative expertise. A Reuters contributor, he has also previously served as editor for Government Security News.
Steve lives in Louisville, Kentucky -- the epicenter of the US horse racing industry -- with his wife and son. He is also an avid poker player, having learned from his uncle as a wholesome after-school pastime with cookies and milk.
Contact Steve at [email protected].
Areas of Expertise
1982 stories by Steve Bittenbender
Epicenter Owner Frets About Kentucky Horse Racing After Koenig’s Primary Loss
A prominent Kentucky horseman said Thursday he’s worried about the impact state Rep. Adam Koenig’s loss in a primary election earlier this week may have on horse racing in the Bluegrass State. Ron Winchell spoke to reporters Thursday in advance of Saturday’s...
Ohio Sports Betting Universal Launch Date to be Revealed on June 1
Ohio officials expect to announce on June 1 when legalized sports betting will start in the state. But on Wednesday, the state’s Casino Control Commission (OCCC) advised that the launch will not occur any time in the near future. The law passed...
Preakness Draws Nine With No Triple Crown at Stake; Epicenter Favored
Kentucky Derby runner-up Epicenter is the heavy favorite after drawing the eighth post Monday afternoon for Saturday’s Preakness Stakes. The Steve Asmussen-trained colt got 6-5 morning-line odds after officials drew post positions for the second jewel in the Triple Crown, which will...
Indy 500 Signs Caesars Sportsbook as Its Official Sports Betting Partner
The Indianapolis 500 is two weeks away, and on Saturday, owners of the famed Brickyard announced a partnership with Caesars Entertainment for this year’s race. Caesars Sportsbook will serve as the Official Sports Betting Partner for the race and the Indianapolis Motor...
NFL Betting Kicks Off After League Unveils 2022 Regular Season Schedule
The NFL regular season does not start for another four months, and most players won’t report for training camp until late July. However, the league still found a way to capture the attention of sports fans on Thursday with the release of...
Hard Rock Northern Indiana Opens State’s Newest Sportsbook
The Hard Rock Northern Indiana, the state's newest sportsbook, opened earlier this week. The venue elebrated the grand opening of its retail sportsbook on Wednesday. Located at the northern end of the state’s newest casino, the venue offers a ticket counter that’s...
Missouri Sports Betting Bill Dies After Senate Ends ’22 Session One Day Early
The Show-Me State will have to wait at least another year to legalize sports betting. Late Thursday evening, the Missouri Senate voted to adjourn its 2022 session a day early. With that, it ended any hopes of making the state the 36th...
Rich Strike Will Bypass Preakness Stakes, Will Train Instead for Belmont
Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike will not pursue a Triple Crown. Owner Rick Dawson said in a statement published by the Maryland Jockey Club Thursday that his 3-year-old colt will bypass the Preakness Stakes at Baltimore's Pimlico Race Course on May 21....
Chicago Officials Eager for Bally’s Casino to Proceed, But Council Members Push Back
When Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced last week the city had selected Bally’s Corp. as the company it wanted to build a casino in the city, she recalled the effort then-Mayor Richard M. Daley initiated 30 years earlier. She was just starting...
Potawatomi Hotel and Casino Plans $100M Renovation of Milwaukee Venue
The Potawatomi Hotel and Casino revealed Monday it will invest $100 million to renovate the Milwaukee destination’s third floor. The casino, operated by the Forest County Potawatomi, will make upgrades to more than 120,000 square feet of the 30-year-old facility. One of...