Kansas has been a beehive of betting activity during this football season. However, November proved to be the busiest month yet, setting a new handle record between its mobile and retail operators.
Kansas Betting Biz Booms in November
Kansas’ $275.9 million handle record didn’t last very long as November boasted $291 million in accepted wagers, a whopping $15 million more than the previous record set in October. The Kansas Lottery reported that $279 million, or nearly 96% of November’s handle, was generated by mobile sportsbooks, while the remaining $12 million came via its retail establishments.
The plethora of sports betting options in November, coupled with the success of the neighboring Kansas City Chiefs and its own Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball program, spurred a frenzy of betting activity. A full slate of NFL, NBA, and NHL, as well as college football and basketball, is a primary reason why October and November are routinely some of the busiest sports betting months.
Since the inception of sports betting in Kansas, launching in September 2022, handles of more than $200 million have now been reached a dozen times after November’s record-setting $291 million. It should also be noted that the state’s mobile and retail sportsbooks combined handle was 11.5% higher than in November 2023.
The historic handle and a friendlier hold for the sportsbooks generated nearly double the revenue from October ($12.97 million), as evidenced by November’s reported $24.7 million in revenue.
DraftKings Rules Supreme Yet Again
In many jurisdictions, DraftKings is Robin to FanDuel’s Batman, but not in the Sunflower State. DraftKings ruled supreme in October and held on to its throne in November with a $128 million handle producing revenues of $11.7 million.
Meanwhile, FanDuel copped the No. 2 spot yet again in Kansas, delivering $86.5 million in accepted wagers, which generated $8.5 million in revenues.
It was a precipitous drop to third place, which belongs to BetMGM, which reported a $26.2 million handle, rendering revenues of $1.7 million. The iconic Las Vegas brand, Caesars, came in fourth place in November, reporting a $13.2 million handle, which produced a profit of nearly $745,000.
Fanatics and ESPN BET trailed closely behind with handles of $12.5 million and $12.3 million, respectively, while revenues were $672,000 and $786,000, respectively.
The retail operators are aligned as follows in Kansas: ESPN BET at Hollywood Casino, FanDuel Sportsbook at the Kansas Star Casino, DraftKings at Boot Hill Casino & Resort, and Caesars Sportsbook located at Kansas Crossing.
November’s retail sports betting numbers are as follows:
1. ESPN BET $9.1 million $568,087
2. FanDuel $1.5 million $261,313
3. Caesars $710,136 $0
4. DraftKings $526,947 $43,772
The total retail handle was $11.9 million, which generated $873,172 in monthly profit.
Although Kansas’ sports betting industry has been on an upward trajectory, neighboring Missouri recently passed mobile and retail sports betting legislation that will likely launch in time for the NFL and college football seasons next year.
That is a sobering thought for Kansas’ sportsbooks and the state’s tax coffers, as there will not be nearly as many Missourians crossing the state line to bet in Kansas. How much of a dent that will make in Kansas remains to be seen.
