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
World Series of Poker: Top Pros Strike It Big in First-Week Events
The 53rd annual World Series of Poker kicked off this past week, and some big names have cashed in already. Within the first three events, two people both claimed their fourth gold bracelet. On Thursday, David Peters breezed through the final table...
Why Ohio Sports Betting is Poised to be ‘Most Competitive Market’ in the US
Sports betting in Ohio won’t start for nearly another seven months. But already, one industry leader tells Casino.org that he’s looking forward to what shapes up to be a robust market in one of the country’s largest states. The law legislators passed...
Penn National to Pull theScore Sports Betting App from US Markets on July 1
Another sports betting operator has decided to leave the US market. On Wednesday, theScore Bet announced it will stop taking bets in the four states where it’s licensed on June 15. After that date, theScore’s customers will only be able to make...
Ohio to Ring in New Year’s 2023 with Universal Sports Betting Launch
Sports betting in Ohio will launch on Jan. 1, 2023. Ohio Casino Control Commission Executive Director Matt Schuler made the announcement at Wednesday’s commission meeting. The date was not necessarily a surprise. When the state’s legislature passed a law legalizing sports betting...
New York Online Sports Betting Tax Revenues Well Ahead of Expectations
In less than five months, New York has generated more than a quarter of a billion dollars in taxes from online sports betting. That’s according to a statement released Tuesday by Gov. Kathy Hochul. Thanks to the 51% tax rate on online...
Rich Strike Heads to the Belmont Stakes Looking to Earn More Respect
Eric Reed says he feels the pressure. Not for himself, but the trainer feels it for his Kentucky Derby champion, Rich Strike. Three weeks after their monumental upset to win the Run for the Roses, they’re getting ready now for the June...
Suffolk Downs Burns as Boston Firefighters Respond to Six-Alarm Blaze
UPDATE 5/31 8:30 AM ET - This story now includes a comment from Suffolk Downs and additional information about the fire. A six-alarm fire raged Monday night and into Tuesday morning at Suffolk Downs, an old thoroughbred race track in East Boston....
World Series of Poker Bracelet Winner Charged in $25M Sports Betting Scam
A former World Series of Poker event winner faces federal charges, as prosecutors allege he led a group that defrauded people out of millions by claiming it had inside information that could be used to bet on sporting events. Authorities arrested Cory...
Norfolk Temporary Casino at Ballpark Gets Planning Commission’s Support
A casino in Norfolk, Va., is another step closer to opening. That's after that city’s Planning Commission supported a plan to use space at a local minor league baseball stadium for a temporary gaming venue. With a 5-1 vote at its meeting...
Cincinnati Reds’ Tommy Pham Suspended for Slap Over Fantasy Football
Tommy Pham considers himself to be a Las Vegas high roller, and the Cincinnati Reds outfielder takes his fantasy football seriously. So much so that MLB suspended him three games on Saturday after he slapped San Francisco Giants outfielder Joc Pederson over...