In less than four months, Missourians from all parts of the state will be able to use licensed sportsbooks and wager on their favorite sports teams and players without having to leave the state.
As we draw closer to the Missouri sports betting launch, BetMissouri.com polled adults to gather trends on the habits and preferences of sports betting in the state. Here are some of the key findings from our poll.
Not surprisingly, sports betting is already popular with some in the Show-Me State, as roughly 1-in-5 residents already place wagers. That includes those who travel to nearby states, use an offshore app or find other ways to make their bets.
Further, nearly a quarter of Missourians say they are either likely or very likely to bet in the state once licensed Missouri betting apps launch later this year.
Comparatively, almost three out of every five polled said it was very unlikely they would place a bet after sports betting goes live in Missouri. That’s not a surprising statistic as a poll from Seton Hall University last year found 37% of the general population wagered on games.
Of those who plan to bet, the largest group, 14%, are those who expect to make wagers on a weekly basis or more frequently. Another 6% of Missouri residents anticipate betting at least once a month, while nearly 10% plan to make several bets throughout the year.
Those findings are similar to a study our sister site BetCarolina.com conducted last year in North Carolina ahead of the Tar Heel State’s launch. There, 16% said they planned to bet at least once a week.
Sports bettors always want to back a winner, so it’s comes as no surprise that the team most Missourians look forward to wagering on just happens to be the most successful NFL franchise in recent years.
More than a quarter of those polled told BetMissouri.com they would bet on the Kansas City Chiefs. Led by Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, the Chiefs have appeared in five of the last six Super Bowls, winning three of them.
With the Chiefs getting ready for preseason exhibitions, FanDuel lists coach Andy Reid’s team as its fourth choice on the Super Bowl futures board with odds of +800.
The only other team that has more than 10% support is the St. Louis Cardinals.
While Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment last November to legalize sports betting, there are still significant numbers who are interested in other types of wagers. That includes nearly 30% who would wager on award shows, like the Academy Awards, or reality television series.
Election betting gained traction last year, and more than 10% of Missouri bettors say they would wager on those races, if allowed. Currently, federally regulated exchanges like Kalshi and PredictIt offer election markets nationwide, but no state has allowed sports betting operators to follow suit.
Related: Circa Sports, DraftKings Granted Untethered Missouri Sportsbook Licenses.
SurveyMonkey conducted the online poll for BetMissouri.com, contacting 995 adults in the state. Of those who participated:
BetMissouri.com will offer up-to-date reviews of approved apps and provide information on Missouri sportsbook bonuses when they become available.
Author
Steve is an accomplished, award-winning reporter with more than 20 years of experience covering gaming, sports, politics and business. He has written for the Associated Press, Reuters, The Louisville Courier Journal, The Center Square and numerous other publications. Based in Louisville, Ky., Steve has covered the expansion of sports betting in the U.S. and other gaming matters.
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