Bettors, the wait for Kansas sports betting is almost over! The four state-run casinos can begin taking in-person and mobile wagers on Sept. 1 during a "soft launch," with an official launch date of Sept. 8.

Kansas Lottery Executive Director Stephen Durrell said there will be a "soft opening" at 12 pm CT on Sept. 1, which will allow the state to work out bugs and make sure things are running smoothly ahead of the full launch. There are no restrictions on how many people can bet during the soft launch.

BetMGM Kansas, FanDuel Kansas, DraftKings Kansas, Caesars Kansas and Barstool Kansas and PointsBet Kansas will be ready to take bets on Day One. There could be others available in time the "official launch" on Sept. 8, which is when the Super Bowl champion Rams kick off the 2022 NFL season by hosting the Buffalo Bills.

Retail betting will be available at FanDuel Kansas (Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane) and at Barstool Sportsbook at Hollywood Casino (in Kansas City). The others (Boot Hill Casino and Resort in Dodge City - DraftKings), Kansas Crossing Casino in Pittsburg (Caesars, BetMGM) will offer mobile betting immediately and retail betting at a later date.

The sports betting world's collective eyes have been turned to Kansas ever since Gov. Kelly signed Senate Bill 84 into law on May 12. 

The law went into effect on July 1 and since then, the Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission and Kansas Lottery have been working at warp speed to get operations up and running in time for the 2022 NFL season, and now Kansas sports betting will launch a week prior to that. 

Kansas Sports Betting Launch Moving Quickly

The Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission and the Kansas Lottery will oversee sports betting in the Sunflower State. Both entities have already approved temporary sports betting rules, and now we know that Sept. 1 is the date that some of the top Kansas betting apps will be available to Kansans.

It has been an unusually fast process compared to other states - we are less than four months removed from the bill being signed.

Ohio, for instance, had its sports betting bill signed in December 2021 and won't launch until Jan. 1, 2023. Maryland, which launched retail betting in December of 2021, is still awaiting a launch date announcement for mobile betting. 

The speed has been surprising. What isn't a surprise is that DraftKings Kansas and FanDuel Kansas will be among the first operators to go live in the state. DraftKings has a partnership with Boot Hill Casino & Resort in Dodge City, while FanDuel has market access through Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane. 

Both operators are offering early sign-up offers right now. DraftKings is giving away $100 in Free Bets and entry into a $100K Free Bet Sweepstakes, while FanDuel Kansas is offering $100 in free bets for signing up today. Hit 'Bet Now' below to sign-up.

Where Can I Bet In Kansas? 

Kansas has four state-run casinos. Each is permitted to partner with three online sports betting operators. You can expect DraftKings KS, FanDuel KS, Caesars KS, BetMGM KS and many more to provide all the best Kansas promo codes when Kansas sports betting goes live. 

Here's a look at each Kansas casino and the sports betting operator it has partnered with to provide retail and online sports betting: 

• Boot Hill Casino & Resort in Dodge City (DraftKings Kansas)
• Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane (FanDuel Kansas)
• Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway (Barstool Kansas)
• Kansas Crossing in Pittsburg (Caesars Kansas, BetMGM Kansas, PointsBet Kansas)

As far as in-person wagering, Barstool Kansas has announced plans to have a retail sports betting area available at Kansas Speedway on Sept. 11, for the newly-named Hollywood Casino 400, presented by Barstool Sportsbook. 

The speedway will host four races from Sept. 9-11 and Barstool hopes to have a temporary betting area set up at Turn 2 Sports Bar and Restaurant. The NFL season kicks off Thursday, Sept. 8, so there is even more incentive for this to happen.

Now, based on the latest news, Kansans will be placing wagers on their mobile phones around the same time. As we mentioned, the first operators are likely to be BetMGM Kansas, FanDuel Kansas, DraftKings Kansas, Caesars Kansas and Barstool Kansas, though it's too early to say they all will be live and accepting wagers on Day 1.

You get a head start by signing up for DraftKings Kansas today and getting $100 in free bets, plus entry into their $100K free bet contest. Click the "Bet Now" button below to get started!