State of Play in Michigan
Sports Betting in Michigan
Michigan offers legal online sports betting, casinos, and poker, as well as daily fantasy sports (DFS). The state’s online gambling sites went live in January 2021.
As one of the few states to authorize all forms of online gambling, Michigan plays host to a flourishing online sports betting and casino market.
Sportsbooks in Michigan
Q&A
- Can I bet on college sports in Michigan? Yes, bettors in the state of Michigan can place bets on college sporting events, including those that involve the Michigan Wolverines or the Michigan State Spartans. There are no restrictions to betting on collegiate events, and that gives sportsbooks and sports bettors more options to choose from.
- Can I bet on esports at Michigan sportsbook apps? Betting on esports is not available through Michigan sportsbook apps, although there has been some discussion with the Michigan Gaming Control Board. Native American tribes are offering esports betting at some select locations throughout the state.
- Can I use DraftKings Sportsbook in Michigan? Yes, the DraftKings Sportsbook app is live in the state of Michigan, and it was ready to launch on the first day that this became a legal option. DraftKings partnered with the Bay Mills Resort & Casino in an effort to apply for a sports betting license. DraftKings is one of the most popular Michigan sports betting apps.
- Is the Barstool sportsbook app available in Michigan? Yes, the Barstool Sportsbook app is available in the state of Michigan as it has formed a partnership with the Greektown Casino Hotel in Detroit. Barstool is backed by Penn National Gaming, a major player in the online sports betting industry.
- Who regulates legal online sportsbooks in Michigan? The Michigan Gaming Control Board regulates the entire sports betting industry in the state, and that includes both retail and online sportsbooks. This group was founded back in 1997 to oversee casinos, but sports betting has been added to their responsibilities as well. Before an online sportsbook can launch in Michigan, it must first be approved for a license by the MGCB.
Methodology
Michigan Sports Betting
Michigan sports betting law allows both commercial and tribal casinos to offer online sports betting. The Wolverine State introduced mobile sports betting apps in January 2021.
Michigan Sports Betting: Popular Teams
Detroit Lions
Since football is the most popular sport to wager on in the United States, the Lions are a team that drives sports betting. This franchise has not been good since the start of the 21st century, and they routinely are picking at the top of the NFL Draft. The Lions compete in the NFC North Division with the Bears, Packers, and Vikings.
Detroit Red Wings
Hockey might not be a popular sport elsewhere, but that isn’t the case in Michigan. The Red Wings are members of the Eastern Conference, and Detroit is known as “Hockeytown USA.” Detroit has had a rough go of it recently, but they have won 11 Stanley Cup titles in franchise history.
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are in the Central Division of the NBA, and they have also struggled to be relevant of late. Detroit won back-to-back titles in 1989 and 1990 and also won the championship in 2004. The back-to-back championship team was known as the “Bad Boys” and were one of the best teams in league history.
Detroit Tigers
The Tigers were founded all the way back in 1894, making them one of the most storied franchises in Major League Baseball. Detroit has not had a ton of success over the past ten years as times have been tough in the AL Central Division.
Michigan Wolverines
Michigan is right in the middle of Big Ten Country, and the Michigan Wolverines are the most popular college team in the state. The Wolverines have had tremendous success both on the football field and on the basketball floor.
Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State has a legendary basketball coach in Tom Izzo, and they are always in the mix to win the national championship or Big Ten title. The Spartans have been great at college football as well, and the rivalry with Michigan is one of the biggest of the year.
Legal Michigan Sports Betting Apps
Michigan lawmakers were looking to make sweeping changes back in 2019, and expanded gaming was at the top of the list. House Bill 4916 was the portion of the package that focused on legal sports betting in Michigan, and it was signed into law by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in December.
The Michigan Gaming Control Board is in charge of the Michigan sports betting industry, and it wasted little time in getting the industry up and running. The first retail sportsbook launched on March 11, 2020, and online sportsbooks launched in January 2021.
There are just three commercial casinos in the state of Michigan, and all of those properties are located in Detroit. This is a state with a large number of tribal casinos, and those properties are able to offer retail betting as well.
Even though Michigan is already in the top-10 in terms of sports betting, there is still some more growth that will occur over the next few years.
Michigan Sports Betting Sites
DraftKings Sportsbook
DraftKings Sportsbook is one of the leaders of online sports betting throughout the United States. In Michigan, DraftKings has partnered with the Bay Mills Resort & Casino and Kings Club Casino. DraftKings was in the group that opened up online sports betting on January 22, 2021.
FanDuel Sportsbook
FanDuel was able to partner with one of the three commercial casinos in Detroit as it reached an agreement with MotorCity Casino Hotel. This online sportsbook is the top in the United States, and it posts huge numbers in Michigan as well.
BetRivers
BetRivers is owned and operated by Rush Street Gaming, a company that owns casino properties all throughout the country. In order to apply for a Michigan sports betting license, Rush Street partnered with the Little River Casino & Resort. BetRivers is another sportsbook that officially launched on January 22, 2021.
Caesars Sportsbook
Caesars actually has a pair of land-based casino partners in Michigan, and they are the Leelanau Sands Casino and the Turtle Creek Casino and Hotel. Caesars took over William Hill Sportsbook in 2021 and then rebranded the online sportsbook. This is another online sportsbook that launched on January 22, 2021.
Barstool Sportsbook
The Barstool Sportsbook officially launched on January 22, 2021, but it has been in the state since 2020. Barstool and Penn National Gaming partnered with the Greektown Casino in Detroit in an effort to launch in the state.
BetMGM
BetMGM is a big name in the online sports betting scene, and the parent company MGM Resorts International is massive as well. The MGM Grand Detroit was able to apply for a sports betting license to make this a legal online sportsbook. BetMGM went live on January 22, 2021, as that was the day that online sports betting in Michigan became legal.
PointsBet
PointsBet Sportsbook is an Australian-based company, but it has found tremendous success in the United States. In Michigan, PointsBet is partnered with the Northern Waters Casino Resort. PointsBet was also in the first wave of online sportsbooks as it launched on January 22, 2021.
FireKeepers Sportsbook
FireKeepers Casino Hotel was able to launch the FireKeepers Sportsbook app on July 12, 2021, more than a year after retail sports betting was offered. This tribal casino property did not partner with an online sportsbook to offer mobile betting.
Four Winds Sportsbook
There are three Four Winds Casinos located in Michigan, and the Four Winds Sportsbook is now live online as well. This online sportsbook went live on February 15, 2021.
FOX Bet
FOX Bet was able to join the online sports betting market in Michigan just one week after the industry launched. FOX Bet partnered with a pair of Odawa Casino properties in order to apply for an online sports betting license. This sportsbook has seen massive growth since 2021.
Golden Nugget Sportsbook
Golden Nugget launched its online sportsbook in Michigan on January 22, 2021, after striking a deal with the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community. There are two Ojibwa Casinos in Michigan, and they are the retail partner of Golden Nugget.
Play Gun Lake
The Gun Lake Casino is another that decided to forgo a partnership and launched online sports betting on its own. It is the Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan that owns and operates the Gun Lake Casino. This online sportsbook went live on August 2, 2021.
WynnBET
In Michigan, WynnBET Sportsbook has partnered with the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians, and there are five casinos in this partnership. WynnBET is a product of Wynn Resorts International, and it offered online sports betting on January 22, 2021.
Best Michigan Online Sportsbooks
Michigan Sports Betting: Retail Sportsbooks
- MGM Grand Detroit: The MGM Grand Detroit was the first to offer sports betting in the state as it opened its doors on March 11, 2020. This casino is owned and operated by MGM Resorts International, and BetMGM is the brand of sportsbook that is on-site.
- Greektown Casino Hotel: The Greektown Casino Hotel is also located in Detroit, and it has a Barstool Sportsbook available on-site. Greektown Casino was the second Detroit property to offer retail sports betting as it went live on March 11, 2020.
- MotorCity Casino Hotel: The third and final casino in Detroit is the MotorCity Casino Hotel. This property was able to offer retail sports betting on March 12, 2020, and FanDuel has set up a sportsbook on-site.
- FireKeepers Casino Hotel: The Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi owns the FireKeepers Casino Hotel, which is located in Battle Creek. There is no sports betting partner at FireKeepers, and the tribe first started accepting wagers on June 22, 2020.
- Four Winds Casino (Dowagiac, Hartford, New Buffalo): There are three Four Winds Casino properties in Michigan, and they are located in Dowagiac, Hartford, and New Buffalo. All three properties began offering retail sports betting on July 13, 2020, and Kambi powers the sports betting on-site.
- Little River Casino & Resort: Retail sports betting at the Little River Casino & Resort first began on July 17, 2020, and BetRivers is the sportsbook company on-site. The Little River Casino is located in Manistee and is owned by the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians.
- Turtle Creek Casino and Hotel: The Turtle Creek Casino and Hotel in Williamsburg, MI, first started accepting retail sports wagers on September 18, 2020. Caesars Sportsbook runs the retail sports betting at this site that is owned by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.
- Leelanau Sands Casino: Leelanau Sands is also owned by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians and is partnered with Caesars. Sports betting started here on September 18, 2020, as well, and it is located in Peshawbestown, MI.
- Odawa Casino-Mackinaw City: The Odawa Casino in Mackinaw City officially started accepting retail sports wagers on September 25, 2020. FOX Bet and the Stars Group have partnered with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians to offer betting at this site.
- Gun Lake Casino: The Gun Lake Casino took its first retail sports bet on October 3, 2020, and this property is located in Wayland, MI. Gun Lake has not partnered with an outside sports betting company to offer sports betting.
- Odawa Casino Resort: The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians also run the Odawa Casino Resort in Petoskey, MI. Retail sports betting first launched at this location on October 8, 2020, and FOX Bet is also offering retail betting here.
- Kewadin Casino Properties: There are five Kewadin Casino properties throughout the state of Michigan, and WynnBET offers retail sports betting at all of them. These locations are in Christmas, Hessel, Manistique, Sault Saint Marie, and St. Ignace. Retail sports betting started at each location on December 14, 2020.
- Northern Waters Casino Resort: The Northern Waters Casino Resort was one of the last retail properties to offer sports betting as it went live on December 7, 2021. Northern Waters has partnered with PointsBet Sportsbook, and it is located in Watersmeet, MI.
- Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort: The Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort first offered retail sports betting on April 4, 2022, in Mt. Pleasant. Eagle Casino & Sports is the name of the sportsbook there on-site, and it is also the name of the online sportsbook.
The sports betting rules in Michigan are beneficial for both the sports bettor and the sportsbook, and it has been that way since the first laws were passed. The legal age to wager on sports in Michigan is 21 years of age, and that is consistent with most of the United States.
The tax rate on sports betting revenue in Michigan is set at just 8.4%, and that has allowed the state to attract some of the best sportsbooks. A sports betting license costs $100,000 for the initial license, and there is a $50,000 renewal fee.
One interesting rule that is in place in Michigan is that official league data must be used by sportsbooks. At the time, Michigan was just the third state in the U.S. to require this, but it hasn’t kept sportsbooks out of the state.
The three commercial casinos in Detroit and tribal casinos from across the state are all eligible to offer both retail and online sports betting. These casinos and tribal properties can also partner with a sports betting company to offer online betting.
There are no online-only licenses available in Michigan, and sportsbooks can only enter after partnering with a casino.
Michigan Sports Betting: Getting Started
How to Register For an Account at Michigan Sports Betting Sites
Registering for an account at an online sportsbook in Michigan can be a very simple process and one that is done in only a matter of minutes. The online sportsbooks also have a mobile app available, and registration can be done through the mobile app.
The mobile app can be found on the App Store for Apple devices, and some of the mobile apps for Android devices will be found in the Google Play store. If you cannot find the link in the play store, then there will also be a link to download the app through the online site.
There is no law that limits registration solely to residents of Michigan, but you will have to be in the state to physically place a bet. There is some generic personal information that will be required from each site before you are able to move to the next step.
You will also be asked to choose a username and password, and that is the information that you will be using to log in each time. This entire process can be done in a matter of minutes as long as there are no issues along the way.
Making Your First Deposit at Michigan Sports Betting Sites
The first step you have to take at a sportsbook is to make a deposit to fund your sports betting account. This process is now easier than ever, and there are also plenty of terrific options to choose from.
Each online sportsbook will have a list of available deposit options, and you can simply choose the one that works the best for you. The minimum deposit for most of the deposit methods is just $10, but that is something else that can change from sportsbook to sportsbook.
Here are the most common deposit options that you will find:
- Online bank transfer
- Credit/Debit card
- ACH/eCheck
- PayPal
- Neteller
- Skrill
- Prepaid Card
- PayNearMe
Most Popular Michigan Sports Betting Types
- Moneyline: A moneyline bet is one of the easiest bets to make as this is simply a bet on the winning team or individual in a game or event. What makes this bet tricky is that the odds for each side will be different, meaning you won’t get the same payout for each team.
- Spread: Spread betting is a step up from moneyline betting, but this isn’t popular in all sports. A spread is the difference between each team in a final score, and it’s a popular bet to make when it comes to football or basketball.
- Totals: A totals bet is unique because it doesn’t matter which team wins the game when making this type of bet. This is sometimes referred to as an “over/under” because those are the two options that you have when placing this type of wager. A totals bet looks at the total number of points or runs scored by the teams in a game.
- Parlays: A parlay is a combination bet, and you can combine as many “legs” into your parlay as you so choose. When creating a parlay, you are not limited to just one betting option, and you can also add in bets from different sports as well.
- Futures: A futures bet looks at an entire season or big event and focuses on the final outcome. This type of bet has nothing to do with just one single regular season bet, and it’s also a wager that has odds that change daily. Picking a team to win a title or a player to win MVP are examples of a futures bet.
- Live Betting: Live betting will be offered on most sporting events, and the betting options are usually pretty unlimited. These bets are placed as a game or event is currently underway, and the odds and betting lines are going to be changing quickly.
- Props: Prop betting used to be saved for big sporting events such as the Super Bowl, but you can now wager on props for nearly every game. Both team and player props will be available, and this can provide a fun and unique way to wager on sports.
Michigan Sports Betting: How To Make A Withdrawal
Making a withdrawal at a sportsbook is as easy as making a deposit, but the money won’t always be transferred as quickly. Withdrawal options used to be pretty limited as well, but new options are now available to you.
You will have to be logged in before making a withdrawal request, but you don’t have to be in the state of Michigan to receive your money. Simply choose the withdrawal method that works the best for you, and then let the sportsbook know how much money you want to receive.
- ACH/eCheck: Receiving an eCheck is an option depending on the sportsbook that you are playing at. This could take 2-3 days to complete, but it is a safe and secure option.
- Online bank transfer: Money can be sent directly to your bank account, as long as the bank allows for this to take place. This transaction typically takes 3-4 days as it will take a day or two to process on each end.
- PayPal: PayPal could allow for your funds to be transferred almost instantly, or at least within 24 hours. You will have to link your PayPal account to the sportsbook, but then money can be sent back and forth freely. This is not a preferred option with sportsbooks and sports bettors.
- Check By Mail: Getting a check by mail is no longer as popular as it used to be, and time is the biggest reason why. It can take up to two weeks to receive a check by mail, and that’s why some sportsbooks no longer even offer this option.
- Play+ Prepaid Card: If you used the Play+ Prepaid Card to make a payment at an online sportsbook, you can also use the card to receive your winnings. The money will be transferred instantly, and you can then use that card in whichever manner that you choose. Many online sportsbooks offer Play+ as a payment option.
- Cash at Casino: For all of the online sportsbooks that have a casino partner, visiting the casino to receive your winnings will be an option. This is obviously the fastest method, but you will have to do some traveling in order to get your winnings.