Michigan Sports Betting

Written by: Rhianna Padman  | ☑️ Fact-checked by: James           Whitelock Updated September 5, 2024 | 🕒 24 min read

Michigan sports betting went live in January 2021. The state’s massive gambling expansion included multiple online sportsbooks and casinos launching at the same time.

Since the launch, the Wolverine State has evolved into one of the nation’s largest sports betting markets. Read on in this review for everything you need to know about the Michigan sports betting industry.

Key Facts About Sports Betting in Michigan

  • Legal Online Gambling Verticals – Online casinos, daily fantasy sports, online lottery, online poker, and online sports betting
  • Online Gambling Revenue Tax Rates – Online casinos: 20%–28% of gross revenue; Detroit casinos pay an extra 1.25% local tax. Online poker: 20%–28% of gross revenue. Detroit casinos pay an extra 1.25%, online sports betting: 8.4% of gross income; Detroit casinos pay an extra 1.25%
  • Available Online Sports Betting/Online Casino Licenses – 15—Three for commercial casinos and 12 for each tribe.
  • College Sports Wagering Policy – Michigan allows betting on professional and college teams. Bettors can wager on both in-state and college teams abroad.
  • iGaming Legalization and Launch Dates – Online casinos were legalized in December 2019 and launched in January 2021, online lottery was legalized in August 2014 and launched in September 2014, online sports betting was legalized in December 2019 and launched in January 2021. The state legalized online poker in December 2019 and launched it in January 2021. The state legalized daily fantasy sports in December 2019, launched in December 2019 (licensed)
  • Gaming Regulation Agency – Michigan Gaming Control Board

The Michigan iLottery went online in September 2014. In doing so, the iLottery became the first form of legal online gambling in Michigan.

In December 2019, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer helped expand MI internet gambling after signing multiple bills into effect. These pieces of legislation are as follows:

Each of the three Detroit commercial casinos and 12 state tribes can hold a Michigan online gambling license. In addition, the Detroit casinos and tribes can obtain licensing for online casinos, poker sites, and sportsbooks.

Michigan Legal Sportsbooks

The May 2018 repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) paved the way for legal online betting in Michigan. State Rep. Brandt Iden drafted legislation to legalize sports gambling shortly afterward. However, Iden ran into trouble when the state’s tribes believed that he favored commercial casinos in some aspects.

Iden reworked his bill to gain favor from the tribes and commercial casinos. As a result, the Lawful Sports Betting Act (HB 4916) passed the state house and senate in Oct. and Dec. 2019, respectively.

However, Gov. Whitmer had yet to express her support for LSBA. Instead, she wanted the bill to include a 15% tax on sports betting. Whitner signed the bill anyway, though, after Iden partially raised the tax rate to 8.4% (12% for commercial casinos).

Getting Started with Michigan Online Sports Betting

You shouldn’t experience much difficulty starting with sports gambling in the Wolverine State. Michigan online betting sites do an excellent job of ensuring an easy signup process. The typical registration process at an MI online sportsbook is as follows:

  1. You visit a licensed online sportsbook and select register/sign up.
  2. Fill in the blanks on the registration form (e.g., name, address, phone number, age, etc.).
  3. You submit the form and wait for approval.

Assuming you’re at least 21 years old, you should receive instant approval. 21 is the legal age for gambling at Mi online sportsbooks, casinos, and poker rooms. 

Remember that you don’t need to be within Michigan’s boundaries when registering. However, you must be within state lines when depositing and placing bets.

Based on our reviews and experiences, the best Michigan online sportsbooks include:

These operators stand out due to their bonuses, markets, promotions, and reputability. But, of course, other Michigan online betting sites are available. If legal online betting in Michigan fully matures, 15 licensing sports gambling sites will be operating.

No matter where you bet, you won’t need to worry about any restrictions compared to some states. For example, Michigan legal online betting includes college sports and esports (tribal casinos).

Retail Sportsbooks in Michigan

This state’s retail betting market is spread out thanks to the many tribes and multiple commercial casinos. Of course, the largest concentration of land-based sportsbooks is in Detroit. However, plenty of reservations also provides retail sports gambling.

Here’s what is available at the time of this writing:

  • Barstool – Greektown Casino Hotel (Detroit)
  • BetMGM – MGM Grand Detroit
  • BetRivers – Little River Casino and Resort (Manistee)
  • Caesars – Turtle Creek Casino and Hotel (Williamsburg) & Leelanau Sands Casino (Peshawbestown)
  • DraftKings – Bay Mills Resort and Casino (Brimley) & Kings Club Casino (Brimley)
  • FanDuel – MotorCity Casino Hotel (Detroit)
  • Four Winds – Four Winds Hartford, Four Winds New Buffalo & Four Winds Dowagiac
  • FOX Bet – Odawa Casino Resort (Petoskey) & Odawa Mackinaw City
  • Golden Nugget – Ojibwa Casino Marquette
  • PointsBet – Northern Waters Casino Resort (Watersmeet)
  • SG Digital – FireKeepers Casino Hotel (Battle Creek)
  • TwinSpires – Island Resort & Casino (Bark River)
  • WynnBET – Kewadin Casino Hessel, Kewadin Casino Christmas & Kewadin Shores St. Ignace

ESPN Bet (Greektown), BetMGM (MGM Grand), and FanDuel (MotorCity) are the largest MI retail sportsbooks. Not surprisingly, these three operators all serve Detroit (pop. 675k). 

However, the nice thing about Michigan’s retail market is that you’re never far from a land-based sportsbook here. Plenty of smaller reservation communities offer retail betting locations.

Legal Online Fantasy Sports Sites in Michigan

Daily fantasy sports have been available in Michigan since the late 2000s. However, they didn’t receive official approval until Whitmer signed the Fantasy Contests Consumer Protection Act in 2019. Now Michiganders can enjoy a broad range of fantasy sports contests.

How Do I Know That Online Sports Betting Sites In MICHIGAN Are Fair?

The Michigan Gaming Control Board regulates online casinos, poker rooms, and sportsbooks in the state. The MGCB has been an experienced regulator in the industry since 1997. It came into existence shortly after commercial casinos were approved in Detroit in November 1996.

This regulator accepts casinos, tribes, online operators, and software providers’ applications. It then vets the applicants to ensure that they pass the state’s standards for fair gaming. After approving an applicant, the MGCB accepts relevant fees and taxes from operators.  

All licensed Michigan online betting sites, casinos, and poker rooms have received approval from the MGCB. In addition, each operator has proven themselves to the gaming control board and paid the necessary fees.

Of course, these gambling sites also need to uphold the MGCB’s proposed standards. Otherwise, they risk losing their license along with a significant investment.

Additionally, most online gambling sites in Michigan have a strong brand reputation. DraftKings and Caesars, for example, have been serving gamblers for years. So they don’t want to risk these reputations by ripping off players.

You can request a payment using any gambling site’s approved banking options. For example, at BetRivers Casino Michigan, you can cash out with ACH/eCheck, PayPal, Play+ Card, or check by mail. You should receive payment within 1–5 days at most gambling sites outside of a mailed check.

You must be 21 years old to enjoy Michigan legal online betting, casino games, and poker in this state. You only need to be 18 to play daily fantasy sports or online lottery games in Michigan. In some states, you have to be 19–21 years old to play DFS.

Yes, legal online betting in Michigan is pretty lax regarding college sports. You can even wager on local teams, such as the University of Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State Spartans. The only stipulation is that you can’t be involved with these teams in any manner when wagering on them.

Yes, DraftKings offers a vast array of fantasy games in the Grand Lake State. It provides tournaments, 50/50 (double-ups), Steps, heads-up (cash games), and more. DraftKings Michigan even features Best Ball, a unique season-long format that doesn’t require you to make any transactions past the draft.

Yes, FanDuel is actually one of the leading online casinos in Michigan. It currently ranks second behind BetMGM with $167.4 million in online casino revenue so far. The FanDuel app is successful thanks to its numerous games, big bonuses, and user-friendly navigation. It also offers 24/7 customer support through email and live chat.