Gaming company DraftKings recently landed a partnership with Bay Mills Casino. The partnership will help the firm enter the vibrant sports betting market of Michigan.

An important deal

DraftKings Sportsbooks struck a deal with the Bay Mills Indian Community. It is a gaming tribe located in the Upper Peninsula, operating two casinos in the state. This is the eighth state that DraftKings will gain access to. It is already operational in Colorado, Iowa, New Hampshire, Indiana, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. It also has branded retail sportsbooks operational in Colorado, Iowa, New Hampshire, Mississippi, New York, and New Jersey.

The firm had recently started offering its daily fantasy sports offering in Michigan. Its chief business officer Ezra Kucharz said that the firm has very high expectations from the sports betting market in the state. He added, “The Great Lakes State presents a number of gaming opportunities and we look forward to collaborating with Bay Mills to provide residents with the best-in-class experience DraftKings is known for.”

How will the partnership work?

Bay Mills Resort & Casino is the longest-running casino in Michigan. DraftKings will be operating a branded brick-and-mortar sportsbook at the property. The casino was one of the 15 options available to the sportsbook operators and it became one of the last properties to get a sports betting market. Its competitors have already tied up with giants like Fox Bet, FanDuel, PointsBet, William Hill, and BetMGM.

The late entry of DraftKings in the market will undoubtedly be a powerful one. Michigan is expected to become an important gaming market and Bay Mills is also excited to pump up its opportunities in this field. Bay Mills Indian Community chairman Bryan Newland said that they are excited about the partnership and said that it would give citizens yet another reason to come to the Upper Peninsula for vacations.

DraftKings recently went public via a special purpose acquisition company. Since its listing on the stock market in April, the firm’s stock has risen from $17 to $41.