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For a while now, people have been hoping for legal Missouri sports betting to arrive. Believe it or not, plenty of positive steps have been taken. Most noticeably, two sports betting bills have passed through the House of Representatives in back-to-back years. This caused plenty of excitement among sports fans all over the place. However, things have failed to move forward at the Senate level. Because of that, the worry is that Missouri sports betting could get delayed until 2025.
This is beyond frustrating for local citizens, as every state that borders Missouri other than Oklahoma has legalized sports betting. So, what’s the hold up for Missouri? The fact of the matter is that Senators aren’t in any rush to try and help out things pushing forward. The fact that two different sports betting bills have gained momentum, only to be stopped at one of the final levels is disappointing.
There’s little doubt that people in Missouri are begging for sports betting to arrive. With so many great sports teams in the state (more on that below) folks want the chance to place legal wagers on all of the different great squads. Because there are no legal options, people are being forced to get in their cars and drive for 2-3 hours to cross state lines and place bets elsewhere. This shouldn’t have to keep being the case.
There’s still some hope that good news can be on the way in 2024, which would be a major blessing for so many people. However, the fact that sports betting bills are essentially getting blocked doesn’t have folks too excited about what might happen next. These bills have presented great plans for both in-person and online sports betting to get done. However, no one knows if/when things will change here.
During the past two legislative sessions, the Missouri House of Representatives has passed bills legalizing sports betting in the state.
However, its continued failure to advance in the Senate could lead to the issue being decided by voters instead. https://t.co/wU5t78lgsS
— St. Louis Public Radio (@stlpublicradio) August 29, 2023
Missouri’s NFL betting market would take off in a flash
Thanks to the success of the Kansas City Chiefs, there’s no question that Missouri’s NFL betting market would take off in a flash. The Chiefs have won the Super Bowl twice in the past four years and Patrick Mahomes is currently the face of the league. Mahomes not only took home NFL MVP honors last season, but he was also the Super Bowl MVP after helping Kansas City beat the Eagles with the Lombardi Trophy on the line. Mahomes vs. Jalen Hurts was an epic battle in Glendale.
Looking ahead to this season, the Chiefs hold the top NFL betting odds to repeat as the champions. There’s plenty of concern for the defense with Chris Jones holding out. We won’t lie, that’s a major blow for head coach Andy Reid, as Jones is without question one of the best defensive tackles out there. However, Mahomes, Travis Kelce and other standouts are ready to do whatever is needed to win it all once again. Reid has one of the best coaching staffs in the NFL too, which is key.
With the success and popularity of the Chiefs, Kansas City’s market continues to grow. The city and state are receiving loads of attention and Arrowhead Stadium is becoming a popular destination for tourists across the world. Now, imagine how much better things would be if people could check the NFL betting odds while in town for a Kansas City game and be able to bet on the Chiefs without having to worry about anything.
That’s what people in the area want, but instead if they do want to bet on the Chiefs, they have to travel to other states. The Senators in Missouri need to realize that they’re missing a giant opportunity to cash in on sports betting with the success of the Chiefs. Mahomes is in the prime of his career. The revenue potential in Missouri would have no limits thanks to Mahomes’ brilliant play. However, Missouri continues to miss out on things and waiting until 2025 would do more harm than good.
This throw by Patrick Mahomes was an absolute dime! 😲 pic.twitter.com/aYxCtroa0S
— Brad Henson Productions (@BradHensonPro) August 25, 2023
The St. Louis Cardinals are waiting for sports betting to be legalized
When it comes to baseball, the St. Louis Cardinals are waiting for sports betting to be legalized too. More specifically, St. Louis Cardinals President Bill DeWitt has voiced his support for legal betting for a while now and he’s among the people upset that nothing has been able to get across the finish line. With 2024 being a major election year, DeWitt is hopeful that the right people in charge will step up to the plate and do their part in the legalization process.
The Cardinals are without a doubt one of the most historic clubs in Major League Baseball. They’re always going to be a moneymaker for the state, with people loving watching games in St. Louis on a cool summer night. DeWitt understands the doors that will open if legal sports betting arrives in Missouri. The betting revenue for the NFL would be high, but you could expect the exact same thing for MLB. DeWitt won’t stop pushing for legal betting. Only time will tell if his efforts will pay off in the end.
