Missouri's eligible sportsbook partners are set to start taking bets in the state Dec. 1 with no wagers originating from in-person sportsbooks at stadiums.

- Missouri sports betting launches Dec. 1, however no teams submitted for in-stadium sportsbooks regardless of being eligible.

- Cardinals and St. Louis CITY SC are the only Missouri teams with sportsbook partners so far.

- Online betting is expected to control the market, with 95% or more of wagers put via mobile apps.

A 2024 tally measure directly passed by voters made Missouri among a handful of legal sports betting jurisdictions that permit in-stadium sportsbooks. None of the six potential pro sports venues that can legally house retail books within or surrounding to their respective stadiums have revealed strategies to do so.

The measure enabled two "untethered" online sportsbook operators to enter the state without affiliating with a Missouri casino or sports group. All other operators have partnered with one of the other celebrations for in-person or online licensure eligibility.

Only two of the six pro teams - MLB's St. Louis Cardinals and MLS' St. Louis CITY SC - have actually revealed third-party sportsbook partners ahead of the Dec. 1 launch. Though the other four could strike handle the coming months, none are positioned to take bets on the go-live date.

Cardinals executives were among the most prominent voices backing the 2024 measure. The team has sought to make its Ballpark Village home entertainment district next to Busch Stadium a year-round destination, which would provide itself to opening a sportsbook offered to clients even throughout the Cardinals' offseason.

But the group did not file a retail book application ahead of a due date that would permit a Dec. 1 opening. Its sportsbook partner, UK-based bet365, notably does not run any retail books in the U.S.

St. Louis CITY revealed FanDuel as its sportsbook partner quickly after the sportsbook lost out on one of the 2 untethered quotes. In the release announcing the deal, the team did not suggest it would open a FanDuel-branded retail book by its Energizer Park home arena west of downtown St. Louis.

FanDuel requesting the untethered Missouri sports betting license also shows the group did not prioritize a retail book in Missouri.

The NFL's Kansas City Chiefs and MLB's Kansas City Royals share a sports complex that is numerous miles from downtown. Both groups are looking at new arenas, potentially in neighboring Kansas, most likely diminishing interest in retail books as their future playing website stays unsettled.

The NHL's St. Louis Blues and the NWSL's Kansas City Current are the other 2 potential Missouri teams.

Changes to wagering habits

Sportsbooks' decisions not to open retail stores at arenas comes as in-person betting makes up a significantly little percentage of their earnings.

In-person wagering made around 15 to 20% of total deal with in the months after the Supreme Court stuck down the federal wagering ban that forbade single-game sports betting outside Nevada. That number has actually diminished to around 5% as online sportsbooks end up being more robust and easily available.

Since 2018, significant U.S. sportsbooks have actually enhanced their online platforms to provide hundreds and even countless bets on specific games. The business have actually also expanded - and focused on - lucrative single-game parlays that enable wagerers to stack an increasing variety of legs, a wagering option that is far easier to put on a mobile device than in-person.

The leading books are also investing hundreds of countless dollars in expanding live and in-play betting. These offerings keep bettors engaged longer and, like parlays, have higher profit margins than traditional pre-game point spread or totals bets.

BetMGM Sportsbook at Nationals Park to close at season's end (h/t @TalkNats) https://t.co/cnCqWvpzkM

Even for wagerers at arena sportsbooks, most likely some of the most engaged sports bettors, online platforms are easier than betting windows and kiosks.

Now, like in Missouri, the majority of the jurisdictions that allow in-person sportsbook have actually seen a minimum of one of the books close - or not open in the first location.

Washington, D.C., the very first jurisdiction to open an in-person sportsbook, has actually seen 2 of its three books announce their closure, consisting of the BetMGM book at Nationals Park at the end of the 2025 MLB season. Retail books in Phoenix, Cleveland, and Cincinnati have actually likewise closed down.

In surrounding Illinois, the DraftKings book at the Cubs' Wrigley Field is the just open retail book; none of the state's other pro groups have actually opened books regardless of the choice to do so. Even with the features the majority of these books offer consisting of walls of tvs together with food and drink options, the ability to put an in-person bet is no longer a draw to the huge majority of the wagering public.

Casinos offer in-person betting choices

There will still be 8 in-person choices for Missouri sports wagerers spread out throughout state casinos.

Ameristar gambling establishments in the St. Louis and Kansas City regions will have Fanatics-branded books. Caesars will open its eponymous retail books at its Harrah's Kansas City and Horseshoe St. Louis residential or commercial properties.

PENN Entertainment will open ESPN BET books at all 3 of its Missouri gambling establishments: Argosy Kansas City in addition to Hollywood and River City near St. Louis. Century Casino in Cape Girardeau is set to open a BetMGM book through a partnership with MGM.

8 Missouri gambling establishments have actually applied to open retail sportsbooks:

Ameristar St. Louis (Fanatics).
Ameristar Kansas City (Fanatics).
Argosy KC (ESPN BET).
Century Cape Girardeau (BetMGM).
Harrah's KC (Caesars).
Hollywood STL (ESPN BET).
Horseshoe STL (Caesars).
River City STL (ESPN BET)

Missouri might also see nine or more mobile books come Dec. 1.

DraftKings and Circa have actually currently made mobile licenses and are set to go live Dec. 1. They will likely be signed up with by bet365 and FanDuel as well as Caesars, ESPN BET, BetMGM and Fanatics.

Underdog got a sports wagering license but has not revealed its required market access partner. Kambi, a third-party sports wagering tech supplier, has actually likewise gotten a sports betting license, however it hasn't revealed a sportsbook partner or prepare for a consumer-facing platform.