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Reporter: Steve Bittenbender

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 stevebittenbender@casino.org.

Areas of Expertise

1979 stories by Steve Bittenbender

Humane Society of the United States Calls for Santa Anita to Suspend Racing After Another Horse Dies

A national animal welfare group on Monday called for officials at Santa Anita Park to suspend racing after a horse died due to injuries he suffered during a race Sunday, just three days after the California track reopened. The fatal injury to...

Steve Bittenbender April 1, 2019

NCAA Tournament Elite Eight Preview: Duke, Michigan State, Auburn, and Kentucky Seek Final Four Spots Sunday

The NCAA Tournament will fill out the remaining two slots for the Final Four on Sunday. One matchup will feature two blue blood programs, while the other features blue blood facing a conference rival better known for its football excellence. Sunday’s first...

Steve Bittenbender March 31, 2019

NCAA Tournament Classic Between Virginia and Purdue Ends with a Bad Beat

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Virginia and Purdue played an instant classic of an NCAA Tournament basketball game Saturday night, with the Cavaliers pulling out an 80-75 overtime victory in the South Regional Final at the Yum Center to advance to their first Final...

Steve Bittenbender March 30, 2019

NCAA Tournament Elite Eight Games on Saturday Feature Basketball Teams with Contrasting Styles

The first two tickets to the Final Four get punched on Saturday night in the NCAA Basketball Tournament. In Anaheim, Calif., top-seeded Gonzaga seeks its second trip to the national semifinals in three seasons as the Bulldogs face Texas Tech, which has...

Steve Bittenbender March 30, 2019

Kentucky Derby Contender Hidden Scroll Seeking Better Trip in Florida Prep Saturday

The road to the Kentucky Derby will be a road to redemption for Hidden Scroll on Saturday. Four weeks ago, the colt went off as the 6-5 favorite in the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park. It was his stakes debut...

Steve Bittenbender March 30, 2019

Filly Divine Image Listed as Morning-Line Favorite in Dubai Kentucky Derby Prep Race

The Road to the Kentucky Derby takes to the air this weekend as one of the two major prep races takes place in Dubai. The UAE Derby offers 100 qualifying points to the winner of Saturday’s 1-3/16-mile race at Meydan Racecourse. The...

Steve Bittenbender March 29, 2019

Delaware North to Part Ways with Miomni After Snafu Closes Its West Virginia Sportsbooks Indefinitely

Delaware North Companies on Friday announced it will terminate its arrangement with a company that managed the information technology systems for its two sportsbooks in West Virginia, which have been shuttered for nearly a month. The sportsbooks at Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack and...

Steve Bittenbender March 29, 2019

Santa Anita Set to Resume Racing Friday After California Board Passes Landmark Safety Reforms

Horse racing will return to Santa Anita Park on Friday, a day after a California state committee approved an agreement between the track and thoroughbred owners. As part of the approval, California Horse Racing Board also signed off on an overhaul of...

Steve Bittenbender March 29, 2019

Live Horse Racing Lottery Game to Debut in Kentucky This Weekend

On Sunday, the Kentucky Lottery will launch a new daily game that offers an in-person horse racing-twist to the traditional lottery-style game. Shortly after 5 pm ET Sunday, the first Win Place Show game will take place. Like a traditional lottery, bettors...

Steve Bittenbender March 28, 2019

In Letter, Delaware North President Explains Sportsbooks Closures to West Virginia Lottery

The company that owns the two West Virginia casinos that shuttered its sportsbooks earlier this month told state lottery officials it did not learn about the cause of the suspension until after the fact. In a letter dated March 19, Delaware North...

Steve Bittenbender March 27, 2019