It’s been a decade since Sporting Kansas City last hoisted the Phillip F. Anschutz Trophy, with the club mired in a three-year slog that’s kept them out of the postseason.
The 2023 campaign for the side hasn’t been much better, with a 4-5-8 start that has Sporting K.C. ranked 26th in the 29-team league table and doing little to reward its Kansas betting apps supporters.
Ahead of the club’s road match against Austin FC on Saturday night, BetKansas.com wanted to break down where the Sunflower State’s lone professional sports team stands, both on and off the pitch.
Where Sporting K.C.’s Odds Stand
As of Tuesday morning, the club has +8000 MLS Cup odds on BetMGM Sportsbook Kansas, ranking in a tie for 19th leaguewide alongside Portland, New York and Charlotte FC.
Sporting K.C. has turned the tide a bit, of late, however, with a 4-2-1 record in May — with victories over FC Dallas (2-1), Portland (4-1), Minnesota United (3-0) and Seattle (2-1).
The club’s lone June match was a 1-1 draw against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday, setting the stage for an action-packed June that includes road matches against Austin, LAFC and the Chicago Fire, offset against a home clash against the L.A. Galaxy on June 21.
The club’s 17 points are 11 behind their easterly neighbors, St. Louis City SC, which leads the Western Division with 28 points and a +18 goal differential this season.
The top seven seeds in each conference qualify for the MLS Cup. Sporting K.C. (which is currently tied for 11th with Portland) sits three points behind current No. 7 seed Minnesota United FC.
It’s worth noting Sporting K.C. has a -8 goal differential to Minnesota United FC’s -3 differential.
Club’s Sports Betting Plans Still On Hold
Club executives have made no secrets about their goal to have Kansas sports betting in some capacity at Children’s Mercy Park since wagering launched last September.
The club could theoretically partner with a licensed sports betting provider in Kansas, such as Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway (which is a literal stone’s throw from the stadium).
A spokesperson for Sporting K.C. told BetKansas.com the club is still working with regulators and operators in the state to gain access to sports betting.
For now, it seems that the club’s future ambitions off the pitch are equally as in flux as Sporting K.C.’s playoff chances in 2023.
