Michigan Sports Betting | Top 3 Online Bookmakers in MI 2024

Sports betting is now considered a legal activity in the state of Michigan, and there are so many reasons to get yourself involved in it, too. In fact, the official launch of sports betting is expected any day now, and that’s quite the thrill for residents of Michigan. But what is involved with this? And can players still access the variety of offshore platforms that have been providing online sports betting to them before this time?

We’re going to be looking at the answers to these questions and recommending you some of the best platforms that you can sign up to for a great sports betting experience. The Michigan Gaming Control Board may be in charge of operations within the state, but with a variety of foreign-based platforms also on hand, there’s plenty that we have reviewed and checked through for you. So, let’s check out more to do with Michigan online sports betting.

Top Sports Betting Sites For Players From Michigan in 2024

Michigan hasn’t only just involved itself with sports betting. Or at least, its residents haven’t. As it happens, people have been able to access online sportsbooks for a number of years now – just ones that are based outside of the USA. Yet, with Gretchen Whitmer signing sports betting into legislation now, many more will be popping up within Michigan’s borders. Some of the sites that we recommend here may also be accessible to other US states though, keep in mind. So, what are the best sportsbook providers in Michigan at the moment?

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Is Michigan Sports Betting Legal? Yes!✅

The short answer to this question is a simple yes, it is legal. However, there’s much more behind it than this basic answer. Instead, Michigan has gone through some of its own periods in history where gambling wasn’t something that it provided. So, let’s take a look at what online gaming and betting options are available in the state, and what else residents can partake in there.

As it happens, while online sports betting isn’t actually expected to properly get off the ground until the end of November 2020, the first Michigan sportsbooks actually began taking retail sports bets in March of 2020. That being said, the in-person sports betting scene did get off to quite the difficult start, thanks to the fact that the COVID-19 coronavirus impacted sporting events so heavily back in March. And with COVID still being present in the world, it’s likely to continue having an effect on such occurrences. However, it’s always been hopeful that Michigan’s sports betting sector will thrive once things return to 100% activity. While things have restarted in the past few months, the sports world remains running at a distinctly lower level than it was prior to the pandemic hitting.

As it happens, the three commercial casinos that operate in Detroit opened their sportsbooks in the exact same week that sports leagues began shutting their events down. And of course, it didn’t take long for land-based establishments offering betting options to close down afterwards, either. Yet, these locations will re-open fully and the likelihood is that they’ll be operating at top speed in due course. As noted, the online sports betting sector is likely to be available prior to the end of 2020.

Once this sector does become operational, it is thought that Michigan residents will have a lot to look forward to with regard to online gambling. The laws within the state dictate that online sportsbooks need to be tethered to the three commercial casinos mentioned or one of the 23 tribal casinos that are already federally recognized. The companies looking to become sports betting operators that have already lined up include:

Barstool Sportsbook – tethered to the Greektown Casino
BetMGM Sportsbook – tethered to the MGM Grand Detroit
DraftKings Sportsbook – tethered to the Bay Mills Casino Resort Indian Community
FanDuel Sportsbook – tethered to the MotorCity Casino
FOX Bet – tethered to the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
PointsBet – tethered to the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians

Michigan Sports Betting is Growing

Others rumored to be bringing their own sports betting opportunities to the state include the Parx Casino, partnering with the Gun Lake Tribe, BetAmerica Sportsbook in unison with Hannahville Indian Community, BetRivers Sportsbook joining with the Little River Band of the Ottawa Indians and Golden Nugget Sports merging with Keweenaw Bay Indian Community.

The gambling laws that are in effect in the state are specific to the Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act of 1996. This particular Act allowed gambling to take place in the three commercial Michigan casinos of the state operating on non-tribal land. That was almost not the case though, as the law was only introduced with 51.51% of the vote enacting it. No mention of sports betting was found in that Act, though. It was only in December of 2019 when Governor Gretchen Whitmer officially signed the activity into law.

Sports betting in Michigan is taxed at 8.4%, with the commercial casinos in Detroit paying an extra 1.25% city tax at the same time. This allowed sports betting to join legal options like the state lottery, the tribal casinos, the Detroit casinos and its two racetracks for pari-mutuel horse racing betting. So, now players can bet on their favorite Michigan sports teams from leagues like the NFL, NBA, NHL and so on. And they don’t have to visit offshore sites specifically to do this.

One other thing to make mention of is daily fantasy sports (DFS). Operators of such are required to apply for a license in Michigan, but these can be businesses operating outside of the casino sector, such as DraftKings and FanDuel. Licenses come with a $10,000 initial fee and then a $5,000 renewal cost each year. DFS revenue will also be taxed at 8.4%.

As far as Michigan is concerned in general though, gambling activities are quite liberally available. Charitable gambling is legal alongside all the other options noted, with the only real block to gambling as a general rule being online poker and casino gameplay. However, online sports betting is possible, and so are online lotteries. So, all in all, Michigan is quite a free state with regard to this.

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The Top 3 Out-Of-State Sports Betting Sites Overview

While Michigan’s online sports wagering scene is set to rapidly increase in the number of platforms offering such opportunities, there are three sites that operate as the best for the moment. They are some of the best due to their inclusive features and how they cater to residents of The Wolverine State. Our team of experts has gone through each site catering to Michigan and rated them for various perks. This is how we have brought together this list of the top 3 sports betting sites for residents of the state.

1. Bovada Sportsbook – The Best for Its Speedy Withdrawal Process (50% first deposit bonus up to $250)

The Bovada brand has been in operation for quite some time now, and it still maintains its operations for Michigan’s bettors, too. Featured on its site are odds for markets within the NFL, college football, baseball, UEFA Nations League and many other options. The website itself is very easily navigable, and this extends across to its mobile sports betting platform as well. After signing up for an account at Bovada, you can expect to benefit from the welcome offer of up to $750 in Bitcoin bonus rewards. And the platform is also known for having some of the best withdrawal times in existence.

What we like:

Excellent withdrawal speeds
Great welcome bonus to claim
Soft odds when compared with other sites
Strong range of supported payment methods

What we don´t like:

Often limits bettors when they start winning

Visit Bovada Sports Betting Now

2. BetMGM Michigan – The Best for Newness and Its Welcoming Environment (100% up to $500 Welcome Bonus)

BetMGM hasn’t officially launched itself in Michigan yet, but it already has operations running through New Jersey, Tennessee, Nevada, Indiana, West Virginia and Colorado. Each of these sportsbooks has been successful, so there’s little to suggest the Michigan launch won’t be. And it’s likely to offer much of the same in terms of the sports on hand for players to wager on. It’s also expected that there will be a welcome bonus offer of 100% up to $500 for newcomers to the platform to claim upon depositing. And with various sporting events available to bet on, you won’t be short of something to do at BetMGM Michigan.

What we like:

Great welcome offer available
Wonderful selection of sports to bet on
New and unique online website
Downloadable mobile app for Android and iOS

What we don’t like:

Limited live betting opportunities

Visit BetMGM Now

3. Everygame Sportsbook – The Best for Longevity and Experience ($20 free bet)

Everygame has been around since 1983, making it one of the longest-running companies providing betting. The United States, and indeed Michigan, have been able to benefit from its online services for a number of years now, too. Since 1996, as it happens. This platform offers a variety of sports betting opportunities, including lines on the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB and MBA. It has a stellar reputation and there are various supported payment methods on hand, too. These include both Neteller and Skrill, as well as Bitcoin transactions. Overall, Everygame brings the longevity and experience to the table that some other sites may not include.

What we like:

Excellent, long-running reputation
Wide choice of sports to bet on
Exciting website and mobile design
Quick and painless withdrawal process

What we don´t like:

Live betting needs some work
Could have more competitive odds

Visit Everygame Sports Betting Now

How We Rate the Best Michigan Sports Betting Sites

When you’re deciding upon a betting site to join, there are certain things that you should consider beforehand. These will help you to decide whether the sportsbook is the right one for you. So, be sure to look out for the following features and perks prior to signing up for an account:

Great choice of sports for betting on
Mobile compatibility and/or downloadable app
Strong selection of promotions for newcomers and regular players
VIP scheme or loyalty rewards program
Best and highest level of security
Official gambling license or high level of repute
Possibility of depositing and withdrawing through numerous methods
Excellent customer support features
Wide range of online promotions to claim

What to consider when choosing a Sports Betting Sites

There are various features that our team looks for in online bookmakers when reviewing them. It is the presence of these features that helps us to craft a “best of…” list, and this has been used when creating the best Michigan online bookmakers collection. So, what exactly does our team seek out from these sites?

Licensed and Regulated

Gambling licenses keep online betting sites in check, which is why we always want to see an official certificate held by our recommended sites. If they don’t possess such, and are instead self-regulating, we want to know that customers are satisfied with the experience they’re having. This is why we will always look for a high level of customer satisfaction and repute.

Banking methods

You’ll need to go through the process of depositing and withdrawing from online sportsbooks, and it’s our opinion that these processes should be easy and effective. Therefore, we want to see a good number of supported payment methods on hand, as well as swift withdrawal transactions. Without such, we won’t recommend an online sportsbook to you.

Safety and Security

We all want to feel that we’re safe and secure at the betting sites we’re playing at, right? Well, our team has sought out the platforms with the best security measures in place. That’s why you will get to see that your transactions are all secure, being sent in encrypted format. Plus, the sites operate secure servers where all data is stored away from third parties.

Bonus and rewards

It’s also the case that we want to feel welcome at the sportsbook we join. That’s why we have found the betting sites with the best welcome bonus rewards for you to claim. Once you register and deposit at these sportsbooks, you can start claiming such. And these rewards should also continue as you continue betting at the site. There’s little point in not rewarding regular sports bettors as well as newcomers.

Customer support

If you ever come to a point of requiring some assistance while sports betting, then you need to know not only how to get this, but when it is available. Ideally, customer support should be available on a 24/7 basis, and this should be offered through various means. This includes live chat, telephone support and email.

Range of Betting Markets

What do we all sign up to an online sportsbook for in the end? Sports betting, of course. And this means that a platform needs to have a good range of such for us to bet on. This way, you have a choice and there’s plenty of diversity on hand. The sites we recommend all come with a great selection of sports events to bet on, as well as various markets for such.

Bet Types That Are Allowed in Michigan

The law in Michigan states that sports betting relates to, but isn’t limited to “single-game bets, teaser bets, parlays, over-under, moneyline, pools, exchange betting, in-game betting, in-play bets, proposition bets, and straight bets”. Therefore, if you engage in sports betting within Michigan, you can wager on the following possibilities:

Moneyline: Essentially, this allows you to bet on which team or player you believe will win.
Single-Game: This is a wager that is placed on a single game or event. It can take place on the points spread or the winner.
Teaser Bets: This allows you to combine your wagers on two different games into one.
Parlays: A parlay will unite several bets into one single bet, so you can only win it if all selections are successful.
Over-Under: These can also be called totals bets, and you need to predict the total score of both teams added together to utilize such.
Straight Bets: This is a wager where you bet on a single game which has a point spread, a total or a moneyline.
Proposition Bets: These offer you the possibility of wagering on various events that may occur within a game.

What Sports Can You Bet on in Michigan?

While the bill that was passed to legalize sports betting in Michigan doesn’t specify which sports can be wagered on, the final decision on such comes down to the Michigan Gambling Control Board (MGCB). That’s different to some jurisdictions, where the specific sports that can be wagered on are stated. Michigan residents don’t appear to be tied down with this, though. If the MGCB does impose restrictions, it will likely be on college sports with local teams.

However, this means you’ll still be able to bet on the Detroit Lions, the Red Wings, the Grand Rapids Griffins and so on in their respective leagues. Tribal casinos currently offer more sports and associated markets for you to bet on than the commercial casinos in Detroit. That being said, the latter provides the following opportunities:

Boxing – IBF, WBA, WBC, WBO
Division 1 NCAA Men’s and Women’s College Basketball
Division 1 NCAA Football – FBS Only
Major League Baseball
Asian Baseball – Nippon Professional League in Japan and KBO League in South Korea
Major League Soccer
Mixed Martial Arts – UFC, Bellator
NASCAR
National Basketball Association
National Football League
NHL
Golf – PGA, LPGA, European Tour
European Soccer – English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, Italy Serie A etc.
Winter and Summer Olympic Games
Association of Tennis Players Men’s Tennis Events and Women’s Tennis Association Women’s Events

Brick-and-Mortar & Tribal Sports Betting in Michigan

As noted earlier on, there are land-based establishments which currently provide legal sports betting opportunities to their patrons already. Of course, these require you to visit them in person and place your wagers. It is also these establishments that will link up with other brands to provide online sportsbooks to the people o Michigan in due course. So, which brick-and-mortar casinos currently allow sports betting to take place in them? Well, the first three can be found at the commercial casinos in:

Greektown Casino Hotel, Detroit
MGM Grand Detroit
Motorcity Casino Hotel, Detroit

The remaining sports betting opportunities are available at the following tribal casinos:

FireKeepers Casino, Battle Creek (Dacey’s Retail Sportsbook)
Four Winds Casino (Dowagiac, New Buffalo and Hartford)
Little River Casino, Manistee (BetRiver Sportsbook)
Island Resort & Casino, Harris (BetAmerica Sportsbook)

The Future of Michigan Sports Betting & Online Gambling

The future of online gambling looks quite sweet for Michigan at the moment. After the Lawful Internet Gaming Act was signed in 2019 by Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan has been working towards launching such opportunities for residents. Obviously, sports betting has been a big focus for much of 2020, and it is this that will be getting precedence prior to the end of the year. Online casino and poker gambling may come at a later time as well, as there is nothing in place that stops this within the state from happening.

Where Else is Online Gambling Legal in the US?

The Bottom Line

Michigan seems to be taking quite the stride forward with its recent signing of the Lawful Internet Gaming Act. That’s great for the state, and bettors will soon be able to engage in online sports betting opportunities once such launch within. Furthermore, there’s the potential for online casinos to become a possibility alongside. All in all, Michigan is operating as quite the example for other states to take notice of, and that’s something else that The Wolverine State can be proud of itself for.

Michigan Sports Betting FAQs

Can I Access Michigan Sportsbooks from Outside the State’s Borders?

Michigan sports betting apps will utilize geolocation technology, which means you’ll need to be within state lines to access the sports betting sites.

Which Body Regulates Sports Betting in Michigan?

Gambling in general is regulated by the Michigan Gaming Control Board, which is located in Detroit.

Are My Sports Betting Wins Considered Taxable Income?

Yes, you will need to report such winnings as they are considered taxable under Michigan law.

Does Michigan’s Sports Betting Market Look Set to Become Successful?

Absolutely! Michigan has huge potential where its sports betting market is concerned, and some have suggested that it may rival some of the largest in the USA. Other than Pennsylvania, Michigan exists as the largest state to have legalized sports betting within, and it is thought that the market is capable of generating $7 billion to $8 billion every year from the activity.

When Will Online Casinos Become Active in Michigan?

Generally speaking, 2020 has been the year that Michigan has focused on sports betting becoming operational online. This doesn’t mean that casinos won’t be accessible alongside, because with the sites being tethered to a land-based establishment, the opportunities to incorporate such are there. Time will tell when this becomes available.

Which Michigan State Teams Can Be Wagered On?

There aren’t any rules in place to specifically dictate which Michigan sports teams can or can’t be wagered on just yet. So, for now, take it that the Wolverines, Detroit Lions, Detroit Tigers, Detroit Pistons and so on are all legal routes.

Jack Schiffko

Top Sports Betting Sites For Players From Michigan in 2024