Last week, Underdog announced its partnership with the Kansas City Royals as it prepares to enter the Missouri sports betting scene. This collaboration follows a completed application process, which had not previously disclosed the market access deal.
“The Royals have forged a deep and authentic connection with baseball fans throughout the Kansas City region, in Missouri and beyond,” Stacie Stern, Underdog senior vice president of government affairs and partnerships, said in a release. “We’ve built our products with the same approach – real, organic connection with sports fans to get to one goal: make sports more fun.
“We are going to work with the Royals to bring the best sports betting experience possible to fans in Missouri, while we continue to drive innovation in sports gaming and expand our product offerings in new states.”
With the launch of Missouri’s sports betting market set for December 1, this partnership positions Underdog to make a significant impact.
However, the deal is still awaiting approval from the Missouri Gaming Commission. The commission plans to grant temporary approvals later this month, allowing approved operators to start accepting user signups and deposits on November 17.
Underdog and Royals continue to collaborate
The partnership between Underdog and the Kansas City Royals marks a natural progression in their ongoing relationship. For years, Underdog has supported various in-stadium events, including popular promotions like “Bark at the Park” and the “Underdog Hot Dog Derby.”
Brooks Sherman, the Royals’ president of business operations, commented on the latest partnership, stating, “The Royals look forward to continuing and enhancing our partnership with Underdog, which is our longest-standing relationship in sports gaming.”
We’ve partnered with them on some of our most engaging fan programmes, like Bark at the Park and the Underdog Hot Dog Derby, and we look forward to working with Underdog to provide Royals fans throughout Missouri the opportunity to have even more fun while watching sports.”
Underdog gaming expansion
Since launching in 2020 with daily fantasy sports, Underdog has made significant strides in the gaming industry. Residents of Missouri can already access Underdog’s DFS offerings, but the company is now set to expand its reach further.
With a sports betting license in hand, Underdog will soon operate in four states: Missouri, Colorado, North Carolina, and Ohio.
The company has also ventured into online sports betting, establishing an active sportsbook in North Carolina. Recently, Underdog announced its partnership with Crypto.com to introduce sports event contracts, marking another step in its growth.
However, the Ohio license may face scrutiny due to the Ohio Casino Control Commission’s warnings about potential conflicts with prediction markets.
Missouri betting market latest
Missourians are gearing up for the betting market launch in December. In August, the MGC awarded two untethered licenses to DraftKings and Circa Sports. FanDuel sought one of these coveted licenses but was unsuccessful and had to enter the market through a partnership with MLS side St. Louis City FC.
The new law, which was approved in November last year, permits the state’s 13 casinos and six professional sports teams to offer both online and in-person sportsbooks, opening the door to various partnerships.
Notable sportsbook collaborations include Bet365 with the St. Louis Cardinals, BetMGM with Century Casinos, and Caesars through its casinos, such as Harrah’s Kansas City and Horseshoe St. Louis.
Additionally, ESPN Bet has teamed up with Penn Entertainment casinos, including Hollywood Casino and River City Casino, while Fanatics partners with Boyd Gaming.
Source: iGB
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