Aspiring Missouri sports betting operator Underdog has been racking up partnerships with professional sports teams in recent weeks.
On Tuesday, the Brooklyn-based sports gaming and media company inked a multi-year agreement with the St. Louis Blues.
The deal extends a partnership that started this year, allowing Underdog to register the NHL team’s fans attending games at the Enterprise Center to its daily fantasy app. The new arrangement now permits the company to use Blues logos in marketing, and Underdog will have “broadcast visible assets” for the team’s games, including away games (see our St. Louis Blues Stanley Cup odds at BetMissouri to track the team’s progress in the 2025-26 season).
“Throughout our preparations for the upcoming launch of sports betting in Missouri, Underdog quickly rose to the forefront of our conversations because of the value they placed on being present for Blues fans at Enterprise Center,” Steve Chapman, the team’s chief revenue and marketing officer, said in a statement.
The deal with the Blues follows a similar one Underdog secured with the Kansas City Royals late last month.
Royals Deal Offers Missouri Sports Betting Access Rights
Like the deal with the Blues, the Underdog Missouri Sportsbook agreement with the Royals continues an existing relationship. The operator partnered with the MLB team on such events as the Royals’ Bark in the Park and Hot Dog Derby. In addition, it also gives Underdog market-access rights for a Missouri sports betting license.
The constitutional amendment voters approved in the state nearly a year ago requires most licensed Missouri sports betting apps operators to partner either with an existing in-state casino or one of the state’s six major professional sports franchises. The state awarded untethered licenses to DraftKings and Circa Sports two months ago.
“The Royals have forged a deep and authentic connection with baseball fans throughout the Kansas City region, in Missouri and beyond,” said Stacie Stern, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Partnerships at Underdog. “We’ve built our products with the same approach – real, organic connection with sports fans to get to one goal: Make sports more fun.”
Decision Expected Soon Regarding Dec. 1 Launch
Applicants for a tethered Missouri sports betting license were required to submit their paperwork by Sept. 12 to be considered for approval to launch on Dec. 1, the day operators can start taking bets in the Show-Me State. Underdog was the first company reported to have filed its application.
According to the Missouri Gaming Commission, it expects to begin issuing temporary licenses next Thursday. Those approved can sign up bettors and accept deposits for accounts on Nov. 17. If those operators fulfill the state’s requirements for internal controls and house rules, they will then be permitted to go live at midnight on Dec. 1.
Besides Underdog, other applicants for tethered licenses include bet365, BetMGM, Caesars, ESPN BET, Fanatics and FanDuel.
BetMissouri is your source for Missouri sports betting news and analysis. Visit our site to read reviews of the top licensed apps in the state and get access to the best Missouri sportsbook promo codes available.
USA Today photo by Bob Frid
