Online Sports Betting in Missouri
Published: | Updated:Missouri is a state full of rich history dating back to the Native Americans that lived here well before Europeans conquered North America. As the 24th state in the United States, plenty of fun and unique tidbits help this state stand out.
Missouri actually got its name from a tribe of Sioux Indians. The literal translation of the state name is “people with wooden canoes.” It’s officially one of the twelve states that make up the Midwestern part of the United States. Other states in the Midwest are Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Naturally, Missouri shares its borders with eight great states – Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. Missouri’s population is primarily attributed to two major cities – Kansas City and St. Louis.
We’ve got options for more fun and exciting (see: non-historical) facts!
Missouri is home to four Nobel Prize winners – Jack Kilby (Physics), Roger Kornberg (Chemistry), T.S. Eliot (Literature), and Steven Chu (Physics).
Additionally, one of the US presidents was born (and raised) in Missouri. That would be Harry S. Truman, the 33rd president of the United States. Interestingly enough, before he went into politics, Truman worked at and owned a Kansas City haberdashery.
Known as the “Show-Me State,” MO’s state capital is Jefferson City, named for the third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson. The nickname came from an 1899 speech from Missouri Congressman Willard Duncan Vandiver. Vandiver famously said, “For thy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me.”
Sports Betting in Missouri
Unfortunately, Missouri sports betting is not yet legal. While sports betting legislation actually passed the House during the 2023 legislative session, it failed in the Senate. Thus, legislation efforts must start over again in 2024. Despite these repeated failures in the past few years, there is a substantial push from legislators, citizens, and prominent sports industry players to legalize online sports betting in the state.
However, until then, the nearest states to make a bet are Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, Tennessee, and Arkansas. While the issue is legal sports betting in-state has concluded for 2023, it does feel like it’s more a question of “when” versus “if” for legalization. Missouri is primarily surrounded by states with legalized sports betting (five of the eight bordering them offer online options). Two of the remaining three have passed legislation recently as well. With Kansas betting live and Illinois being an early offerer of online sports betting, Missouri’s two largest cities now have sportsbooks within easy driving distance. That’s premium tax dollars for the state going elsewhere.
One would hope that online sports betting options do launch in Missouri in 2024.
Popular Sports in Missouri
For Missouri, the most popular sport is actually college basketball. That may surprise some, but Missouri is home to several prominent universities. The largest and most renowned of those universities is the University of Missouri. The Tigers have experienced some success across multiple sports and have had several notable alums carve out successful pro careers. While Michael Porter Jr. had a very brief pitstop at the University of Missouri, he did technically play there in college, and he’s now experienced an NBA final as a critical cog for the Denver Nuggets.
Professional Sports Teams in Missouri
Missouri is home to several professional sports franchises. There are representatives of nearly every major American sports league in the Show-Me State. In some cases, there are even two teams. Whenever Missouri opens up to legalized sports betting options, best believe those teams will become hot betting options for state residents.
NFL teams have experienced a mixed bag in Missouri. The St. Louis area was home to not only one but two franchises at various times – both have since left the city. Conversely, the Kansas City Chiefs have been the most dominant NFL team in the past half-decade, winning two Super Bowls. Patrick Mahomes is perhaps the brightest star in all of the NFL right now.
Both of Missouri’s major urban cities (St. Louis and Kansas City) are home to MLB teams. Both teams have experienced success in the past two decades, with each franchise securing at least a single World Series ring.
While there is only one NHL franchise based in Missouri (the St. Louis Blues), they’ve won a Stanley Cup recently, claiming the NHL championship in 2019. The sole exception to the presence of a major league sports franchise has been the NBA.
Professional basketball hasn’t had much-staying power in Missouri for reasons unknown. The last team to exist in Missouri was the Kansas City Kings, and they left in the mid-1980s. Perhaps it’s because the state’s residents prefer to watch collegiate sports (particularly collegiate basketball).
College Sports in Missouri
From a college sports perspective, Missouri is home to several large schools with successful sports programs. The University of Missouri is the most well-known program, but Missouri State, Saint Louis University, Southeast Missouri, and Washington University in St. Louis are all great schools as well. The significant unknown factor for college sports betting (hypothetically) will be how many options Missouri sports bettors allow. As is the rule in many states, bettors cannot place wagers or bets on in-state schools at all. So there’s a chance that while betting on in-state schools would be popular, it would also be banned.
Famous Athletes & Celebrities from Missouri
Combining a list of famous athletes and celebrities from Missouri could take days or weeks so I will rattle off some of the most prominent options instead.
- Yogi Berra: Lawrence Peter “Yogi” Berra is widely regarded as one of the best MLB catchers ever. An 18x All-Star and 13x World Series champion, he was a 3x AL MVP. A member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Berra also collected over 480 wins as a manager.
- Casey Stengel: Nicknamed “The Ol’ Professor,” Stengel had a largely unremarkable career as a player, batting only .264 in the MLB across 13 seasons with five different franchises. However, he did win nine World Series across his career as a player and a manager, and his contributions as a skipper for multiple ball clubs earned him a spot in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
- Tom Watson: Watson netted 39 PGA Tour wins as a professional, finishing his career widely regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time. Watson is also notable for his longevity, playing over forty years on the tour.
- James “Cool Papa” Bell: Considered one of the fastest men ever to play professional baseball, Bell plied his trade in the Negro Leagues for almost two decades. With a career batting average well over .300, he was a 2x Negro World Series champion and an 8x All-Star who is also a well-deserved member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
- Phog Allen: A basketball and college basketball Hall of Fame member, Allen coached college basketball for almost half a century. He won the 1952 NCAA championship at Kansas and is well known for mentoring numerous coaches, including fellow college basketball coaching legends in Dean Smith and Adolph Rupp.
- Eminem: One of the most influential and famous rappers of all time, Eminem completely revolutionized rapping (particularly as a white man in a largely African-American genre of music).
- Mark Twain: Lauded as “the Greatest Humorist” the United States has ever produced, Twain wrote several great American novels, including The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
- John Goodman: Best Known for his role as “Dan Conner” in Roseanne, Goodman is one of the best actors of his generation.
- Maya Angelou: An American poet and Civil Rights activist known for her autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.
- Kate Spade: A fashion designer, founder, and co-owner of her design brand, Spade has built Kate Spade New York into a global brand.
Responsible Gambling in Missouri
You can read more about available RG tools in Missouri here. There is always help to get from the Missouri Department of Mental Health. You can also call the contact for the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-GAMBLER or chat: www.1800gamblerchat.org.
It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to offer support, resources, and referrals to anyone affected by problem gambling. Want to learn more about online casinos and sports gambling? Follow our Online Gamblers Academy and learn how to have fun responsibly!
