KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas Lottery said Friday that nearly 2.5 million bets have been placed in the state in the first two weeks of legal sports wagering in the state.
A lottery spokesperson said the most popular teams in bets include the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, Kansas State Wildcats and the Kansas Jayhawks.
Since Sept. 1, when sports betting became legal in the state, bettors have won $47 million in bets.
In the Kansas City area, bettors can chose to place wagers online or in-person at the sports book at Hollywood Casino.
On Thursday night, as the Chiefs took on the Los Angeles Chargers in primetime, Marcus Taylor was at Hollywood Casino watching the game, as well as his bets.
“I had a good experience. Won some, mostly, lost a couple but I won more than I lost … it’s better coming straight over to Hollywood,” Taylor, a Kansas City, Missouri, resident, said.
While Kansas legislators acted quickly in 2022 to ramp up legal sports betting in the state, border state Missouri has acted with less urgency.
“We know it’s a billion dollar industry, so I would say they need to get it in Missouri ASAP,” Demetrius, a KCMO resident, said Thursday night at Hollywood casino. “I see Bally Sports Media over at the Isle of Capri, so hopefully this helps move the needle having the Speedway. Having it here at Hollywood Casino incentivizes them. Lawmakers need to get on it.”
Lawmakers might be feeling a little bit of urgency. As part of an ongoing special session in Missouri, legislators may take up discussion of sports betting on Monday, Sept. 19, though no timeline has been established on when sports betting could become legal in Missouri.
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