Michigan Legal Sports Betting

Michigan has one of the most flourishing sports betting markets in the entire country. This is due to the early adoption of legalized betting, massive amounts of sports fandom, and tons of great betting options.

This page is your guide to all Michigan has to offer betting-wise. We’re mostly “sticking to sports”, but also other ways to gamble legally in Michigan. There’s a lot to cover so let’s get right into it:

Is Sports Betting Legal In Michigan?

It sure is legal in Michigan. The state was early to legalize it, passing legislation for it in late 2019. Retail sports betting launched in March 2020 — not ideal timing due to the pandemic. Online wagering launched in January 2021 as the pandemic waged on. With bettors at home, the online scene flourished and continues to today.

As of right now, there are 12 sportsbook apps available across the state. That’s a good number based on the state’s above-average population. If you’re in Michigan and new to betting, you might stuck on which option to choose from. Our next section will help in that regard though.

International Online Sportsbooks Available In Michigan

Sports betting is legal in Michigan, giving bettors access to a wide range of wagering options. However, if you’re looking to place bets on political events, entertainment props, or some in-state college sports, you won’t find these options at state-regulated sportsbooks. Michigan’s legal operators are restricted from offering these types of bets, meaning your options might feel limited if you're interested in more niche markets.

That’s where international sportsbooks come in. These offshore platforms allow you to place wagers on political outcomes, a full range of college sports without restrictions, and a variety of specialty markets that are hard to find locally. Whether you're into betting on the next big election or obscure sports from around the globe, international sportsbooks offer a more comprehensive betting experience.

Concerned about safety? Don’t worry. The international sportsbooks we recommend have been tested thoroughly. Our team has been using them for years, and we’ve carefully vetted them for reliability, fast payouts, and secure transactions. We only promote platforms that have a proven track record of treating customers fairly and safeguarding their information. So, while these sites operate outside of Michigan’s regulated market, you can still bet with confidence, knowing you're using a trustworthy platform.

Legal Online Sportsbooks Available In Michigan

Here are the most popular betting spots in the state of Michigan. It's not a comprehensive list, but features all the top players:

Michigan Online Sportsbook Comparison

It’s hard for us to say there’s one Michigan sportsbook that’s the best. The word best is too subjective. Some bettors might find the platform with the biggest bonus “the best”, whereas others prefer an app with endless betting options. For this reason, we’re going to suggest sportsbooks based on these types of categories. Here are our top reccomendations for Michigan bettors;

Best sportsbook for bonuses: We really like what  Caesars offers here. They give first-time bettors a risk-free bet to start off with. This bet will be refunded if it loses dollar for dollar. Caesars will refund as much as $1000 off this free bet. So conceivably a bettor can make a wager of that size and either keep the winnings or get it all back. No downside, and huge upside with an offer like this.

Best sportsbook for betting options: Of all the categories, this one might be the biggest toss-up. This is because most apps offer near-identical options and odds for that matter. But FanDuel won out here because they offer boosted odds on a more regular basis as opposed to competitors. These better-priced lines really add up in the long run.

Best sportsbook for live betting: DraftKings tops this category for two reasons. One is they just flat-out offer a ton of live-betting games. All the major sports and leagues have it available. But two, and more importantly, the experience is incredible. DraftKings’ live odds stay close to the real-time action at all times. No lag. No bugs. Nothing besides a killer live betting experience.

Best sportsbook for rewards: Rewards at BetMGM are elite. This is because MGM Rewards is tied with the regular BetMGM Casino properties — MGM Grand (in Detroit and Vegas), Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, and so on. While we love free-play rewards, bettors can also visit Vegas or the Detroti property and use their rewards at these casinos for free rooms, food, and entertainment. It’s the perfect program for both in-app and real-life goodies.

Best sportsbook for user experience: FanDuel takes the top spot for us — and for countless Michigan bettors as well. FanDuel dominates the market in Michigan and across the United States, which speaks volumes about the quality of its user experience. The app works exactly like it's supposed to, and even better for that matter.

Michigan Quick Facts

What You Can’t Bet On In Michigan?

Michigan is pretty lax with its betting regulations. Most of it is allowed, except for a few things we’re about to cover:

Politics: Sorry, no gambling on who wins the U.S. presidential election — or any other for that matter. Politics counts as “non sports” and only real sports are allowed to be wagered on. This means the next categories are also off-limits:

Award shows: That’s right, no betting on the Oscars and Grammys either.

WWE: To the surprise of some wrestling fans, WWE is, in fact, not real even though the wrestlers are indeed athletes. The scripted nature of WWE disqualifies them here.

Want to know the only place to bet on these non-sporting things? Offshore sportsbooks, that’s where. Only offshore sites take-in bets on these markets. The good thing is most offshore sites work well inside the state of Michigan.

Who Can Legally Bet In Michigan?

As we said, Michigan is mostly relaxed with its betting. Here are all the things that are allowed betting-wise:

Legal age: no surprise here, 21 years old is the minimum sports betting age in Michigan. This goes for the entire nation.

Mobile betting: You better believe mobile betting is allowed in Michigan. In fact, this is where the vast majority of betting activity takes place inside the state.

Retail sportsbooks: Yes, there are physical sportsbooks in Michigan (MGM Grand is a top choice). If anything, these make for great hangout spots to watch the game you’ve bet on.

Remote registration: Online betting apps allow registration to take place fully online. No need to sign up at a physical sportsbook like some states require.

Taxable winnings: There’s no getting around the IRS as they want you to report gambling winnings too. Uncle Sam counts this as income and will tax you accordingly at the end of the year.

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Michigan Sportsbooks & Casinos

Any of Michigan’s 23 commercial and tribal casinos are able to register for a sports betting license under the December 2019 approved bill. It’s likely that not all casinos will offer sports betting, but two casinos didn’t waste any time to get their sportsbook offering primed this March.

Greektown Casino is owned by Penn National Gaming and is home to four live betting windows and 40 self-service betting kiosks. You can place a variety of bets on any professional or collegiate sport.

The MGM Grand in Detroit offers their BetMGM product, which was the first to go live in March 2020. The BetMGM rewards program is clutch cause bettors can redeem awards at the physical casino.

Michigan Sports Betting Timeline

It has been a long run in Michigan towards the legalization of sports betting. They started early, even before the 2018 Supreme Court decision that struck down Nevada's monopoly on sports betting. Let's take a look at how it all happened.

2017-2018 Sports Betting Legislation Struggle to Gain Traction

All the way back in 2017, the House Bill MI H 4060 was introduced. this bill to legalize sports betting in the state did not go very far at all. Later that year, another attempt was made. this was originally a bill to open up casinos in the state. Only later was a sports betting provision added. Nonetheless, the bill did not pass and was pushed into 2018's legislative agenda.

In 2018, the bill was able to pass through both the House and the Senate in the state. It was controversial and took a long time. In June 2018, the House passed it. In December the Senate gave it its approval, only to be vetoed by the governor a few days later, ending any hopes of legal sports betting the state for the moment.

From Legalization to Launch

Representative Brandt Iden has emerged as the main sports betting advocate in the House. He introduced MI HB 4916 in September of 2019. This, along with other gambling expansion bills, passed through the legislative branch in the final month of 2019. This time, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed them into law!

This opened the door for the state's first retail sportsbook to open. In March 2020 in Detroit, the first one opened. However, due to COVID-19, they were all forced to close after just a week of operating.

Luckily as health restrictions are lifted as the virus comes under control, the sportsbooks are in much better shape. Plus, the first Michigan sports betting apps were in January of 2021. Ten launched on a single day, which was the NFC and AFC Championship games in the NFL

How To Bet On Sports In Michigan?

Any and all sports are available to bet on in Michigan. However, most of the betting action centers on the majors. That includes the following:

How To Bet On Football In Michigan?

No different than the rest of the country, football soaks up the most attention in Michigan. This is directly reflected in betting options. You’ll find a huge cast of football wagers for college and the NFL. The Super Bowl remains the biggest attention-driver.

How To Bet On Basketball In Michigan?

In the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, Michigan was at the center of basketball with the Bad Boys Pistons and Fab Five. Even though those days are long gone, basketball still holds a central place in Michigan’s sports scene. Basketball games aren’t hard to find at Michigan sportsbooks.

How To Bet On Baseball In Michigan?

Michigan bettors who want to make a killing should not overlook baseball. A 162-game playing season creates endless — and we mean endless — betting opportunities from April to October. No other sport comes anywhere close to offering this many bets.

How To Bet On Fighting In Michigan?

UFC, Bellator, PFL, Bare Knuckle Boxing, regular boxing — all of these combat sports are weekend regulars at Michigan-based betting sites. Saturdays are when most of these sports events happen. For bettors wagering in-person at retail sportsbooks, these fights can draw big crowds to watch live.

Betting On Michigan Sports Teams

Detroit is still the state’s biggest driver of the economy, population, and yes, sports. All the pro teams reside in Detroit. Here’s how you can put money into their games:

Betting On Michigan NFL Teams

At last, Detroit might have a winning NFL team. Under Dan Campbell, the Lions are relevant for the first time in arguably history. The better they do, the more betting interest they’ll attract from in-state bettors and those elsewhere.

Betting On Michigan NBA Teams

The Pistons have fallen on hard times, however, they are still a pride of the city. They’ve been the second-most successful franchise in the state, and still have a hardcore fanbase itching to return to that success. For now, those fans will just have to settle for betting on a rebuilding team.

Betting On Michigan MLB Teams

The Tigers represent the state in the MLB. As we mentioned before, Tigers' betting opportunities are vast during the playing season when they play nearly every single day. There’s a lot of money to be made off Tigers baseball for those who know what they’re doing.

Betting On NHL Teams

No Michigan team has won more than the Detroit Red Wings. This is one of the best NHL franchises of all, which has translated into massive amounts of attention for fans and bettors alike. Red Wings, and hockey in general, remain a fabric of Michigan sports culture.

Betting On Michigan NCAA Teams

The Michigan Wolverines might be the most popular team in the whole state. They have both the history and recent pedigree to back that as the reigning champions of college football. Its basketball program ain’t too bad either, but football still reigns supreme in the state. Every Michigan football game is must-bet material, especially ones played at the “Big House.”

Other Michigan teams are out there — Michigan State, Western Michigan, Central Michigan — but they all play second fiddle to the Wolverines.

Michigan Betting Revenue Statistics

To level-set Michigan’s betting success, let’s take a look at how it’s performed halfway through 2024. From January to June, the state took in $1.39 billion in revenue across sports and casino. Many states don’t offer iGaming like Michigan does, which helps boosts their revenues significantly.

These revenues have made Michigan a top-10 betting market in the entire United States. Heck, in the right month, it can even rise into top-5.

We can only see these revenues growing. With each passing year, betting becomes more ingrained into the Michigan sports culture. Expect Michigan to remain a top market for years to come.

Other Types Of Betting In Michigan

Casino is another big component of Michigan’s betting scene. There are three commercial casinos — located in Detroit too, not in some rural part of the state. There's also a few tribal casinos. Those provide in-person casino action but online is also allowed in-state. Many states still ban iGaming but not Michigan.

Horse racing is also allowed within state borders. Most of it comes via online betting. The number of tracks is dwindling in the state so physical racebooks are becoming less common.

Last but not least, Michigan is also a lottery state. Gamblers can try their luck at national draw games like the Mega Millions or Powerball or opt for scratch-off ticket games.

Sports Betting Rules In Each State

Michigan isn’t the only state we have in-depth guides for. Here are links to all other 49 states too:

Responsible Gaming In Michigan

In Michigan, gambling responsibly isn’t just a suggestion — it’s a necessity. The risks associated with gambling can quickly spiral out of control. Here are some of the biggest risks associated with gambling:

Financial Hardship: Betting more than you can afford or chasing losses can quickly lead to serious financial problems.

Strained Relationships: Excessive gambling often results in conflicts with family and friends, damaging important relationships.

Emotional Distress: The stress and anxiety from gambling can negatively impact your mental health.

Addiction: Persistent gambling can develop into an addiction, a serious condition that affects not only the gambler but also their loved ones.

If you notice any of these warning signs, it’s crucial to seek help immediately. We’ve listed some resources below in case you or someone you know needs them.

The Michigan Problem Gambling Helpline

Available 24/7 at 1-800-270-7117, providing confidential support and resources.

Detroit Casinos Self-Exclusion Helpline

Call 1-888-223-3044 to add yourself to the self-exclusion list to get you through moments of compulsion.

Michigan Association on Problem Gambling (https://www.michapg.com/)

This nonprofit provides free resources to residents of Michigan suffering from problem gambling.

National resources:

Gamble Aware (https://www.gambleaware.org/)

A non-profit organization providing resources and support for individuals struggling with gambling addiction.

International Center for Responsible Gaming (https://www.icrg.org/)

The International Center for Responsible Gaming (CRG) is a research institution dedicated to promoting safe gambling practices and addressing gambling-related issues.

24/7 Gambling Support Line (https://www.ncpgambling.org/help-treatment/about-the-national-problem-gambling-helpline/)

A round-the-clock helpline offering immediate assistance and guidance for those experiencing gambling-related problems.