Missouri's June sports betting numbers have yet to be released, but the May report is worth a look. Operators took in $256.4 million in total handle during May, the lowest figure since Missouri sports betting launched, yet the state still generated a record $21.25 million in revenue. That works out to an 8.29% hold, the highest win rate the state has seen in its first six months live, and it pushed state tax collections to $2.13 million for the month.
Handle Keeps Sliding From Launch-Month Peak
Missouri betting apps have never come close to matching December's opening surge of $543 million: $385 million in January, $277 million in February, $329 million in March, $273 million in April, and now $256.4 million in May. Some of that decline is seasonal, with the betting menu thinning out between the winter postseason and the return of football. Online wagers made up $252.6 million of May's handle, or roughly 98.5% of the total, a share that has held above 98% every month since launch.
A Rising Hold Rate Is Doing the Heavy Lifting
The number driving the record isn't volume, it's margin. Hold started at 3.82% in December, dipped to a low of 1.74% in January while sign-up promotions were still flooding the market, then climbed in four consecutive months to 3.72%, 6.30%, 7.42%, and finally 8.29% in May. As operators pull back on free bets and Missouri sportsbook promo codes, more of every dollar wagered is staying with the sportsbooks instead of flowing back out to bettors.
DraftKings and FanDuel Are Running Closer Than Expected
May's operator breakdown showed a tighter race at the top than most new markets produce. DraftKings Missouri led with $94.7 million in handle, good for a 37.5% share of online wagers, while FanDuel Missouri wasn't far off at $82.6 million and 32.7%. Together the two combined for just over 70% of the market. Fanatics came in third at 8.8%, followed by bet365 at 7.3%, BetMGM at 6.5%, Caesars Sportsbook at 4.9%, theScore Bet at 1.7%, and Circa Sports rounding things out at 0.7%.
What Comes Next This Summer
The sports betting handle in Missouri may keep drifting lower through the quieter summer months, but if hold continues climbing, revenue and tax collections should hold steady regardless. The World Cup has already given soccer wagering a boost this summer, and that momentum could help prop up handle through July before football returns.
Football's return carries extra weight this year: it's the first full NFL season Missourians can bet on from kickoff through the Super Bowl, and the Chiefs' Super Bowl odds have them among the favorites after missing the playoffs last season. The fall will be the real test of whether Missouri can pair a rebounding handle with the healthier margins it has built since launch.
