By:Jacob Tukker
On Dec. 1, Missourians will officially be able to start placing sports bets.
As the rollout has progressed, a number of sportsbooks have already been jockeying for positioning in the market and will continue to do so up to and past the launch date.
That means prospective gamblers will be able to choose between a variety of sportsbooks that offer different experiences and promotions. Currently, there are nine that have received temporary licenses to offer mobile betting:
• Circa Sports.
• DraftKings.
• FanDuel.
• ESPN BET.
• BetMGM.
• Bet365.
• Caesars Sportsbook.
• Fanatics.
• Underdog.
Customers will be able to start signing up with different sportsbooks beginning Nov. 17, which is also the date the books can start hooking them up with preregistration promotions.
Despite comments from Missouri Gaming Commission chair Jan Zimmerman, Missourians living anywhere in the state can sign up for and bet with any of the nine books.
Here are some common questions you might have when choosing a sportsbook and starting the sports gambling process. To begin, we’ll discuss how we got to this point and then some common numbers and terms you’ll see when placing your first bets.
How did we get here?
Since a law banning sports gambling in states other than Nevada was struck down in 2018, states slowly began creating policies to legalize it. Missouri was late to the party, becoming the 41st state to legalize it when Amendment 2 was passed in November 2024.
When Kansas passed a bill allowing sports gambling in 2022, it became visibly clear on what market Missouri was missing out. Since then, drivers from Missouri can be seen stopping on off ramps after crossing over the border to place bets.
Pro sports franchises were also growing impatient because they were missing out on an extra revenue stream and a valuable way to target younger demographics. So, a few sports teams, including the Cardinals, with the help of national gambling companies, were able to rally to get the measure onto the November ballot.
After a close vote, it passed. What resulted was a turbulent process of figuring out when the betting would actually begin.
At first, the Missouri Gaming Commission hoped to set up emergency rules to make sports gambling fully functional by March 4, in time for Missourians to bet on March Madness. However, the attempt was nixed by Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who argued there wasn’t an emergency requiring hastened legalization.
That’s where we stand today. A deliberate application process has led to nine sportsbooks and various casinos gearing up for the launch … and bettors patiently waiting to bet on their favorite players and teams.
What do all of these different types of bets mean?
The most common bets to place are moneyline bets, spread bets and over/under bets.
Moneyline bets are straightforward: You are betting on which team or player will win a game or event.
When you place a moneyline bet, you will see odds that either start with a plus or minus. For example, if the Chiefs are playing the Broncos and the Chiefs are -150, that means they are favorites. In this case, a $150 bet will win you $100 (you get the original $150 back). On the other side of the bet, the Broncos would be underdogs, let’s say at +125, which means that a bet of $100 would win you $125 (plus the original bet).
For bigger or smaller wagers, payouts scale according to the odds. Going back to the Chiefs’ -150 odds, a $15 bet would win $10 and a $450 bet would win $300.
Spread bets operate a little differently. They use a point margin, where the favorite must win by more than the listed number while the underdog can lose by that many points and still cover. For example, if the Chiefs are -3.5 (- implies the favorite) versus the Broncos, KC must win by 4 or more to cash and Denver covers if it loses by 3 points or fewer or if it wins.
Usually, both sides of spread bets feature similar odds, which are normally close to -110 (again, meaning a $110 wager would win $100).
Finally, over/under bets are gambles on whether or not the combined score of a game will be higher or lower than a predetermined amount. In the Chiefs-Broncos contest, let’s say the over/under line is 50.5, and the final score is 30-27. The total would then be 57 (30+27), and the over would win. If the total ends up lower than 50.5, under bettors would rejoice.
Similar to spread bets, the odds on both over and under bets are generally similar and centered around -110.
You may also come across the term “parlay.” This is just a group of bets combined into one that must all win in order for the wager to pay out.
What are the differences between all of these sportsbooks?
Not all of the nine mobile sportsbooks are created equal. Some focus on catering to customers who are likely to place larger wagers, others feature high-value promotions designed to attract a huge user base, and a handful more are known for a fantasy-sports-driven interface.
• Circa Sports primarily markets itself as a sportsbook for the big guns and high riders. It’s known for its tight moneyline spreads and allowing experienced bettors, or “sharps,” to place large wagers.
• DraftKings and FanDuel, for most intents and purposes, are identical. These two books are by far the biggest players in the nationwide sports betting market, and both offer large promotions in hopes of getting new users to sign up. In total, these two behemoths make up almost 80% of the market, according to Reuters.
• Both books also offer tons of bet types, frequent promotions such as odds boosts and market themselves toward everyday bettors.
• Caesars and Fanatics operate on more of a loyalty platform than others. Sports Illustrated publishes sportsbook reviews and says Caesars has the best rewards program, which includes credits that can be redeemed for stays at some of its hotels. Fanatics, similarly, offers users digital FanCash with every bet, which can be turned into tickets, bonus bets and more.
• Underdog started solely as a daily fantasy sports site but has moved into the traditional sports gambling world as well. It is known for its fantasy draft games like best ball and parlay-style pick ’em.
The rest of the bunch are similar. BetMGM and Bet365 are especially known for the amount of sports that are available to bet on, so if you’re looking for a book to place a wager on Russian pingpong, those might be your best bets.
What if I want to sports-bet in person?
Good news! Along with the nine mobile licenses that have been approved, the Missouri Gaming Commission also granted eight brick-and-mortar casinos retail licenses to operate onsite sportsbooks.
Those are:
• Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City — Partnered with Fanatics Sportsbook.
• Ameristar Casino Resort and Spa St. Charles — Fanatics Sportsbook.
• Harrah’s Kansas City — Caesars Sportsbook.
• Horseshoe St. Louis — Caesars Sportsbook.
• Hollywood Casino & Hotel in St. Louis — ESPN BET.
• River City Casino & Hotel in St. Louis — ESPN BET.
• Argosy Casino & Hotel in Kansas City — ESPN BET.
• Century Casino & Hotel in Cape Girardeau — BetMGM.
These casinos will open sportsbooks Dec. 1, the same time mobile books will be allowed to begin collecting bets.
What promotions are available, and are there any restrictions?While companies aren’t allowed to directly offer promotions to draw in Missouri customers until Nov. 17, there are sites that offer projections into what those may be when Nov. 17 comes around. Legal Sports Report is one of them, and here are the offers it thinks customers will be able to grab:
• DraftKings and FanDuel: Bet $5, get $300 in bonus bets on launch.
• Caesars: Bet $1, Double Your Money 20x.
• BetMGM: Up To $1,500 First-Bet Bonus.
• Fanatics: Up To $2,000 in No-Sweat Bets OR Choose Your Offer.
• Bet365: Bet $5 To Get $200 OR Up to $1,000 First Bet Safety Net.
• BetRivers (not yet licensed in Missouri): Second-Chance Bet Up To $500.
Since Circa Sports is geared toward those “sharp” bettors, it will likely not offer significant promotions.
What’s important to realize about all these deals is how the refunds or bonus bets are credited. They come as site credit that must be wagered again before you can withdraw. For example, with DraftKings’ offer, you’d need to place (and win) another bet with the $300 credit to cash out.
The only notable restriction is that bettors can’t place player-specific prop bets on college games involving Missouri schools. Betting on Missouri-specific team outcomes is still legal. Also, you cannot bet on high school games.
Where can I get problem gambling help?
There are resources available if you are struggling with problems related to gambling. Missouri’s problem gambling helpline is 888-BETS-OFF, or 888-238-7633, and is open 24/7.
The Missouri Department of Mental Health also provides a list of certified gambling treatment counselors for those struggling or worried about someone who is. However, experts worry these counselors might not be aptly trained to deal with the fast-acting consequences that come from having access to a mobile casino at all times.
Amendment 2 also specified that per year, the greater of $5 million or up to 10% of sports betting tax revenues will go toward Missouri’s compulsive gambling fund, which intends to provide resources for troubled gamblers.
This story originally appeared in the Columbia Missourian. It can be republished in print or online.