Today was the day for the launch of Kansas sports bets, and the Governor got things going by placing the very first wager! She put a whopping $15 on the hometown Kansas City Chiefs to win the next Super Bowl. And getting 10 to 1 odds on that bet, it could pay for a nice dinner with a couple of friends in February.
The bet was placed at the Hollywood Casino in Kansas City, one of four locations that are open for action. The others are the Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane, Boot Hill Casino in Dodge City, and Kansas Crossing Casino in Pittsburgh. Hopes are that the regulated action will bring in over $1.7 billion for the state.
However, Kansas sports bets can also be placed online. The state Lottery regulates the activity, and approved six mobile operators to serve the state. Those operators are FanDuel, DraftKings, Bet MGM, Caesars, Barstool, and PointsBet. FOX Bet is also seeking a license but has yet to be approved.
Technically, this is just a “soft launch” for Kansas sports bets. The “officially launch” is not until Thursday, September 8th, which is also the day of the first NFL game of the year between the Buffalo Bills and the Los Angeles Rams.
So, if you’re ready for some football betting, Kansas is now open for business! And just in case you’re wondering, the reason the Governor bet $15 is because that is the number of Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes.