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This is the kind of Missouri sports betting news that should have people excited about things potentially moving forward by later this year. As most of you know by now, the state has been pushing for sports betting for quite some time. Things currently are not legal, but the hope is that can be changed by this point next year. In a solid turn of events, a Missouri sports betting initiative is receiving huge support.
According to a report, as of this writing, more than 180,000 signatures have been recorded in support of the project. By the deadline in early May, the expectation is that more than 300,000 will be posted. The submission deadline for this sports betting bill, which also has been promoted by the alliance featuring pro sports teams, is May 5. With so many people already on board, the hope is that things can then make their way to the Senate.
If this sports betting bill is approved, then we could see it on the ballot in November. The expectation is that if a sports betting bill is present on the ballot, people in Missouri will vote it in. This is all a gradual process, but the optimism that things will finally get done is currently at an all-time high. There are still some loops that need to be climbed through, but the state is in a solid position to try and get things done this time around.
The great thing here is that teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Blues and more are all working together to try and get things done. Team owners know the importance of sports betting and how it could be a major benefit for their organizations as well. It will be interesting to see how many signatures are recorded by early May, but it would be a shock if things don’t reach around 350,000. This will be good news all around for the state and betting proponents.
Missouri sports betting update: A poll published by Saint Louis University and YouGov shows 60% of Missourians supports legalizing sports betting to fund public education, compared with 25% in opposition.
Survey commissioned by the Winning for Missouri Education campaign.
— RLinnehanXL (@RLinnehanXl) March 19, 2024
Illegal NFL betting continues to be a worry in Missouri
It goes without saying, but illegal NFL betting continues to be a worry in Missouri. The reason for that has surely been the success of the Kansas City Chiefs in recent years. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes already had three Super Bowl rings to his name, as this team has been able to go back-to-back over the past two campaigns. Now, the Chiefs are looking for a three-peat and they hold the best NFL betting odds to win it all next season.
There were rumors about Travis Kelce potentially retiring after the Super Bowl win over the 49ers in February, but he has already confirmed that he will be back next season. Kelce has dreams of posting a three-peat with the Chiefs, something that has never been done before in NFL History. Obviously, people will be checking the Super Bowl betting odds consistently leading up to next season, especially with Kelce back in the mix of things.
BACK-TO-BACK SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS!!!
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) February 12, 2024
“I couldn’t be more proud of you guys, and how about it? We get a chance to do it three times in a row,” an elated Kelce said after the Chiefs were able to win their most recent Super Bowl. “How do you get excited for that, baby? You party in Las Vegas and then you get back to it.”
While the Chiefs’ success is amazing, it has led to a lot of illegal activity in the state. This is only going to continue this fall, but with the NFL Draft coming later this month too, we have a feeling illegal bets will be quite consistent as well. With the Chiefs holding a late first-round pick, people will be eyeing who they’re going to take while betting on the action too. We can only hope legal bets are on the table once the NFL Draft arrives in 2025.
MLB bets are something to keep an eye on as well
Obviously, MLB bets are something to keep an eye on as well. The Cardinals are one of the most historic teams in the bigs, and they’ve got plenty of World Series glory to their name. Because of that, people have been placing illegal bets on them for quite some time and things are only going to get worse until things are made legal. That’s why there’s extra pressure for this new sports betting bill to get done – it’s what people have wanted for several years now.
With MLB betting and NFL betting being done in an unregulated fashion, it only adds to the need for legal activity to be brought in. Pro teams have their alliance, proving they’re ready to see history made for the state. More signatures are surely on the way as well, which will add to the excitement if things end up on the ballot. From our chair, we think this will be the year when Missouri is able to launch sports betting. Should that happen, exciting times will be on the way for fans all over the state.
