Missouri’s Dec. 1 launch of legal sports betting has been welcomed by fans, with sportsbook companies reporting a surge in sign-ups and activity throughout its first week.
Key Takeaways
- Kansas City Chiefs futures dominate early wagering in Missouri.
- Operators report rapid sign-ups and high activity in the first week.
- Geolocation data showed strong activity in the state's first 24 hours of legal betting.
Fans interviewed by local media KMBC News appeared to be enjoying the opportunity to bet on sports, particularly with the NFL season reaching a crucial stage, and the consensus among Missouri bettors was that legalization was long overdue.
Early betting trends have been focused on the Kansas City Chiefs, with Super Bowl and AFC title runs topping BetMGM’s Missouri market in the opening days. BetMGM, which entered its 30th U.S. state with Missouri’s launch, reported a spike in interest, particularly when the Kansas City Chiefs are playing.
“Bettors love all the options,” BetMGM spokesperson John Ewing told KMBC. “Geo-locate where you're at in the state - when the Chiefs were playing, Missouri had the most pings of players trying to get to a legal state.”
According to geolocation data, Missouri generated the largest volume of attempts to access legal betting during Chiefs games, reflecting bettors' pent-up demand following years of crossing state borders to bet.
Enjoying Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account
GeoComply tracks Missouri's ‘remarkable’ 1st 24 hours of betting
Earlier geolocation data found that Missouri customers recorded more than 2.6 million location checks in the first 24 hours of legal sports betting in the state.
Geotracking and compliance company GeoComply said more than 250,000 accounts were active on launch day and nearly 188,000 were preregistered. CEO Kip Levin was impressed with the turnout.
“Missouri has shown for years that it’s one of the most eager states in the country for legal sports betting,” Levin said. “What we’ve seen in the first 24 hours is remarkable. Tens of thousands of Missourians immediately joined safe, regulated platforms the moment they became legal. It’s a powerful reminder of how quickly consumers embrace a well-regulated market when the option finally exists.”
