Missouri officially joined the online sports betting world on December 1, and the response looked exactly like you’d expect. People grabbed their phones, downloaded a bunch of apps, and started sifting through welcome bonuses from the big names: DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, bet365, and several others.
It’s a classic launch-day scene. The promos hit hard, the Chiefs’ futures markets filled up fast, and sports talk radio suddenly had a whole new set of segments. But for people in Missouri, legal sportsbook apps are only one piece of what the state now offers. There’s an entire ecosystem of other betting-style products that were already available long before sports betting went live—and many of them are still growing fast.
So if you’re in Missouri and you’re just now diving into the online betting world, there’s more here than you might think.
Prediction Markets: A Different Way to Play the Odds
Prediction markets are probably the easiest bridge between “just downloaded FanDuel” and “what else is out there?”
Missouri allows federally regulated event-contract trading, which means residents can legally use platforms like:
- Kalshi
- Polymarket
- Truth Predict
- Railbird (DraftKings’ new prediction exchange rolling out in 2025)
These sites don’t look or feel like traditional sportsbooks. You’re not scrolling through point spreads or player props. Instead, you’re trading yes/no contracts: Will the Chiefs win X games? Will a certain team hit a specific number of three-pointers tonight? Will the temp in St. Louis top 60 degrees on Saturday?
It’s basically betting meets financial markets, and people who like data, probabilities, or sharper pricing tend to love this style. The markets update constantly, and in many cases, they move faster than traditional sportsbook odds.
Prediction markets might also get a boost now that sports betting is live. When bettors are already shopping odds, they naturally start looking for smarter or more flexible ways to play certain outcomes. The timing is especially good with Google Finance now surfacing Kalshi and Polymarket data directly inside its tools—Missouri users may see prediction markets whether they go looking for them or not.
Social Casinos: Still Popular Even With Sportsbooks Live
The other big option in Missouri is sweepstakes-based social casinos. These look like online casinos, offer slots and table-style games, and operate legally in almost every U.S. state—including Missouri—because they use a sweepstakes model rather than real-money wagering.
Some of the major platforms available include:
Here’s the draw: you play with a free currency for fun, or you use “Sweeps Coins,” which can be redeemed for cash prizes once you meet the playthrough rules. Slot players especially flock to these because they offer the same kind of variety you’d get from a casino floor, all without having to drive to a riverboat property.
Interestingly, launches like Missouri’s tend to give social casinos a lift. When a new sports betting market opens, search traffic for “Missouri online casino” goes through the roof. Since real-money online casinos aren’t legal in the state, people often turn to sweepstakes platforms instead.
For players who prefer fast games, jackpots, or casual play rather than handicapping a matchup, social casinos offer something that sportsbooks just don’t.
Riverboat Casinos Aren’t Going Anywhere
Even with online betting finally live, Missouri’s riverboat casinos are still a major part of the ecosystem. Several of them opened retail sportsbooks alongside the statewide mobile launch, giving players a place to bet in person if they want the full casino atmosphere. This creates two things worth watching:
- Mobile apps will likely drive more foot traffic to retail casinos as operators roll out in-person bonuses or special boosts.
- Casinos will lean harder on loyalty programs, hoping to convert online sports bettors into on-property visitors who also play table games or slots.
Since Missouri doesn’t have legal online casino apps, anyone who wants traditional casino gaming still has to visit a physical location.
Missouri Suddenly Has a Lot of Ways to Play
Sports betting was the missing link, and now that it’s here, Missouri has one of the Midwest’s more interesting gambling ecosystems. Residents can now pick from:
- Online sportsbooks
- Retail casino sportsbooks
- Prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket
- Sweepstakes-based social casinos
- Free-to-play fantasy and pick ’em apps
Each one scratches a different itch. Sportsbooks grab the headlines, but prediction markets appeal to a different kind of bettor, and social casinos fill the space for people who want slots or casino-style games.
The bottom line: Missouri players went from having almost no online options to having a long list of legal ways to play—whether they want to bet on the Chiefs, trade event contracts, spin a few reels, or mix it all together.
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