The official opening weekend of Kansas sports betting was one to remember for bettors and operators alike.
That’s the takeaway from the state, which held its grand opening for wagering on Thursday, a week after the market for the best Kansas sportsbooks went live via what the Kansas Lottery termed a “soft launch.”
Over the course of the past weekend, thanks in large part to outsized interest in NFL betting, Kansas’ market punched well above its weight class nationally, according to geolocation firm, GeoComply.
“Overall, Kansas' debut ranked high in GeoComply's traffic numbers right out of the gate showing the strong appetite for regulated consumer options for sports betting,” Aubrey Smethurst, GeoComply’s director of marketing & communications, said in an email to BetKansas.com.
Where Kansas Sports Betting Stood Nationally
According to GeoComply, Kansas ranked 10th overall in NFL betting volume during the weekend, at 3.5%, trailing New York (15.3%), Pennsylvania (14.8%), New Jersey (13.1%), Michigan (9.4%), Illinois (7.8%), Arizona (7%), Virginia (5.9%), Indiana (4.6%), and Tennessee (4.5%).
Markets like Kansas NFL betting were a big reason why national volume rose 71.5%, year-over-year, from 60.1 million to 103.1 million, according to GeoComply’s data.
The amount of interest in betting on teams like the Chiefs has been a pleasant sight for Kansas Lottery officials, such as Cory Thone, the agency’s public information officer.
In an email to BetKansas.com, Thone remarked that the first two weekends with Kansas sports betting apps have gone quite smoothly, with Kansas sports bettors showing definite interest in wagering out of the gate.
“The hard launch for sports betting in Kansas went incredibly smoothly, with no major issues or outages reported,” Thone said. “We are working with our casino partners and their betting platforms to begin the process of compiling and reporting data.
“Sports betting interest has been very high, and the high volume of new signups and members means that initial reporting could take some additional time."
Kansas Sportsbooks Impressed by State’s Launch
Representatives from two sportsbooks shared Thone’s sentiments, giving complimentary remarks about the launch process in Kansas.
Stephen Miraglia, the senior director of communications for DraftKings Sportsbook Kansas, said the launch in Kansas has been very smooth so far, thanks in large part to what they’ve learned from launching in other markets previously.
“It’s been a great start in Kansas,” Miraglia said in an email. “Our top-rated sportsbook product coupled with the fact that we have years’ worth of experience entering new markets has meant a successful launch.”
The folks at Caesars, who are partnered with Kansas Crossing Casino, have similar sentiments on the state’s rollout of sports betting.
Eric Hession, the president of Caesars Digital, called the Kansas sports betting market one that Caesars Sportsbook Kansas has long looked forward to entering.
He added that the state’s launch lived up to the billing, with Kansans coming out in force to wager on their chosen sides from Day 1.
“Kansas has an impressive history in sports and the enthusiasm from sports fans in the state during launch weekend was easy to see,” Hession said in an email. “We look forward to providing a best-in-class sports wagering experience that eligible sports fans can enjoy responsibly as the sports calendar continues to heat up.”
Keep checking BetKansas.com for updated Kansas sportsbook promo codes.
