Underdog strikes deal with Kansas City Royals to enter Missouri sports betting market

Underdog, one of the fastest-growing sports companies in the United States, has secured a multi-year partnership with the Kansas City Royals that grants the operator market access for licensed sports betting in Missouri.

Beyond market entry, the agreement includes a slate of marketing initiatives and philanthropic efforts tied to the Royals organization.

Underdog’s sports betting license application is currently under review by the Missouri Gaming Commission. The operator is already licensed in North Carolina and offers fantasy sports platforms across multiple U.S. states.

Underdog seeks to expand fan engagement in Missouri with Royals partnership

“The Royals have forged a deep and authentic connection with baseball fans throughout the Kansas City region, in Missouri and beyond,” Stacie Stern, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Partnerships at Underdog, said.

“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,” Stern added.

Brooks Sherman, Royals President of Business Operations, stressed the value of the long-standing relationship with Underdog, highlighting its role in several popular fan programs.

“We’ve partnered with them on some of our most engaging fan programs, 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,” Sherman said.

Underdog emphasized that it is the only major operator built entirely on its own technology, which allows it to deliver customized sports entertainment experiences for U.S. fans.

Ahead of sports betting going live in Missouri this December, fans can already download the Underdog app to take part in fantasy sports contests.

The Royals deal follows Underdog’s recent partnership with global sports technology firm Sportradar Group AG. Through the collaboration, Underdog became the first U.S.-based operator to adopt Bettor Sense, Sportradar’s AI-powered responsible gaming solution—a move the company says reflects its commitment to player safety and well-being.