Missouri sports betting launched in December 2025 and quickly showed strong early momentum. In the first few months, the market handled hundreds of millions in bets while operators worked through typical launch challenges like heavy promotional spending and fluctuating hold rates.
Strong Start with Early Volatility
According to official numbers from the Missouri Gaming Commission, December set the tone with approximately $538 million in handle, driven by NFL action and the excitement of a newly launched market. January followed with $385.14 million in bets, but operators kept just $6.70 million, as a low 1.74% hold reflected aggressive Missouri sportsbook promos, including free bets and bonus credits used to attract new users.
February dipped to $277.01 million in handle, a typical slowdown after the Super Bowl, but revenue improved to $10.30 million as hold climbed to 3.72%, signaling a more stable market beginning to take shape.
March 2026 Sets a New High Mark
March was the best month yet for Missouri sports betting, as handle recovered to $329.36 million, but more importantly, operators held 6.30% of every dollar wagered, a rate in line with established markets like Ohio and Indiana. That produced $20.76 million in revenue, more than triple what sportsbooks generated in January.
The NCAA Tournament drove much of the March action. Basketball bets led all sports, with bettors wagering roughly $144 million on hoops and operators paying out about $133 million. Parlays were the most profitable bet type for books, with $109 million risked and roughly $90 million returned to bettors.
Tax Revenue Tells the Real Story
Missouri taxes adjusted gross revenue at 10%, but operators can deduct promotional credits from the taxable base. In January, those deductions were large enough that the state collected just $137,872 in taxes. By March, as launch promotions wound down, tax receipts jumped to $2.18 million, an increase of more than 80% over February alone and more than the state collected in the first three months combined.
Mobile Dominates, Fanatics Lags
Missouri sports betting apps accounted for more than 98% of all handle each month, making Missouri one of the most mobile-dominant launch markets in the country. March's online-to-retail split was roughly 61-to-1.
One notable outlier: Fanatics Sportsbook has yet to post a positive adjusted gross revenue month since launch. The sportsbook reported approximately -$900,000 in March, though that figure is improving. Its continued negative numbers are tied to ongoing Fanatics Sportsbook Missouri promos, a strategy that has kept its taxable revenue low while it builds its customer base.
What's Next
With the launch promo cycle largely behind them, Missouri sportsbooks are now pricing closer to long-term norms. March 2026 is the new baseline, $329 million in handle, $20.76 million in revenue, $2.18 million in tax, and the numbers should only become easier to read from here.
