Sports betting is now legal and live in Michigan, both online and in-person at retail sportsbooks. After years of efforts, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a new bill into law in December 2019 — The Lawful Sports Betting Act — paving the way for legalized sports betting in the Wolverine State. In this guide, we’ll offer a complete breakdown of the state’s in-person and online sports betting options.
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 BetMGM Sportsbook 4.8 Stars / 182.6k Ratings 4.2 Stars / 24.7k Reviews | Get a 20% Deposit Match up to $1,600 in Sports Bonus! |
 FanDuel Sportsbook 4.8 Stars / 1.3M Ratings 4.7 Stars / 262k Reviews | Bet $5, Get $300 in Bonus Bets If Your First Bet Wins! |
 Caesars Sportsbook 4.6 Stars / 54k Ratings 4.2 Stars / 23.5k Reviews | Get up to $1,000 Back in Bonus Bets if Your First Bet Loses! |
 BetRivers Sportsbook 4.4 Stars / 2.8k Ratings 3.3 Stars / 1.29k Reviews | Get a 2nd Chance Bet up to $500! |
Michigan sports betting: Everywhere you can play
Legalized online and mobile sports betting was given the green light in December 2019, and officially went live on January 22, 2021. The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) worked hard to put into place the rules and regulations that each operator must follow.
The Michigan sports betting market is a crowded one. Below you will find a list of confirmed partnerships in the state.
| ONLINE BRAND | ONLINE/MOBILE LAUNCH | CASINO PARTNER | COMMERCIAL OR TRIBAL PARTNER | RETAIL LAUNCH | LOCATION |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barstool Sportsbook | January 22, 2021 | Greektown Casino Hotel | Penn National Gaming/Vici Properties | March 11, 2020 | Detroit |
| Twinspires | January 22, 2021 | Island Resort & Casino | Hannahville Indian Community | September 10, 2020 | Bark River |
| BetMGM | January 22, 2021 | MGM Grand Detroit | MGM Resorts International | March 11, 2020 | Detroit |
| BetRivers | January 22, 2021 | Little River Casino and Resort | Little River Band of Ottawa Indians | July 17, 2020 | Manistee |
| DraftKings Sportsbook | January 22, 2021 | Bay Mills Resort & Casino | Bay Mills Indian Community | TBD | Brimley |
| DraftKings Sportsbook | January 22, 2021 | Kings Club Casino | Bay Mills Indian Community | TBD | Brimley |
| FanDuel Sportsbook | January 22, 2021 | MotorCity Casino Hotel | IH Gaming (Ilitch Holdings, Inc.) | March 12, 2020 | Detroit |
| FOX Bet Sportsbook | January 29, 2021 | Odawa Casino Resort | Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians | September 24, 2020 | Petoskey |
| FOX Bet Sportsbook | January 29, 2021 | Odawa Casino – Mackinaw City | Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians | October 1, 2020 | Mackinaw City |
| Golden Nugget | January 22, 2021 | Ojibwa Casino Resort – Baraga | Keweenaw Bay Indian Community | TBD | Baraga |
| Golden Nugget | January 22, 2021 | Ojibwa Casino – Marquette | Keweenaw Bay Indian Community | TBD | Marquette |
| Fanatics | January 22, 2021 | Northern Waters Casino Resort | Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians | TBD | Watersmeet |
| Caesars Sportsbook | January 22, 2021 | Leelanau Sands Casino | Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians | September 18, 2020 | Suttons Bay |
| Caesars Sportsbook | January 22, 2021 | Turtle Creek Casino and Hotel | Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians | September 18, 2020 | Williamsburg |
| Four Winds-branded Sportsbook | February 15, 2021 | Four Winds Dowagiac | Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians | July 13, 2020 | Dowagiac |
| Four Winds-branded Sportsbook | February 15, 2021 | Four Winds Hartford | Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians | July 13, 2020 | Hartford |
| Four Winds-branded Sportsbook | February 15, 2021 | Four Winds New Buffalo | Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians | July 13, 2020 | New Buffalo |
| FireKeepers-branded sportsbook | July 12, 2021 | FireKeepers Casino Hotel | Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Indians | June 22, 2020 | Battle Creek |
| Parx | August 2, 2021 | Gun Lake Casino | Gun Lake Tribe (aka Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians) | October 3, 2020 | Wayland |
| TBD | TBD | Saganing Eagles Landing Casino | Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe | TBD | Standish |
| TBD | TBD | Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort | Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe | TBD | Mt. Pleasant |
BetMGM
- License Partner: MGM Grand Detroit
- Online Launch: January 22, 2021
MGM owns and operates the MGM Grand Detroit, which serves as the site’s MI base camp. BetMGM Sportsbook has been all over the online sports betting scene in the United States and is was among the first wave to get online in Michigan. The company’s elite mobile app, powered by ROAR Digital tech (a hybrid of MGM Resorts International and GVC Holdings), is a stellar product that offers a user-friendly layout, valuable promotions, and competitive pricing.
FanDuel Sportsbook
- License Partner: MotorCity Casino
- Online Launch: January 22, 2021
FanDuel Online Sportsbook secured its access to the Great Lakes State through an agreement with the MotorCity Casino. The company’s ability to launch a high-quality sportsbook has been proven time and time again in each state that it enters. FanDuel also runs a two-story retail sportsbook on-site at the MotorCity Casino, making it one of the state’s premier in-person destinations. FanDuel Sportsbook is known for offering exceptional pricing, largely due to a constant onslaught of bonuses and boosts.
DraftKings Sportsbook
- License Partner: Bay Mills Indian Community
- Affiliated Casinos: Bay Mills Resort & Casino
- Online Launch: January 22, 2021
DraftKings Sportsbook is the “King” of sports betting in the United States. The company’s footprint is vast, accepting bets across the country from New Jersey, to Iowa, to Colorado (and plenty of places in-between!). After reaching a deal to work with the Bay Mills Indian Community, DraftKings was able to go live in the Wolverine State.
DraftKings offers a great mobile betting experience that gels well with the company’s well-known Daily Fantasy Sports products. DK has already agreed to a partnership with the Detroit Pistons to serve as an official betting partner of the NBA franchise, which makes one of the state’s most visible brands even more prominent.
BetRivers
- License Partner: Little River Band of Ottawa Indians
- Affiliated Casino: Little River Casino and Resort
- Online Launch: January 22, 2021
Little River, meet BetRivers Sportsbook. Rush Street Interactive, one of the biggest names in U.S. online sports betting, is flowing to Michigan with BetRivers after joining forces with the aptly named Little River Band of Ottawa Indians and their Little River Casino Resort. BetRivers is no stranger to midwestern success, already having piloted successful online sports betting launches in both Illinois and Indiana.
FOX Bet
- License Partner: Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
- Affiliated Casinos: Odawa Casino Resort, Odawa Casino Mackinaw City
- Online Launch: January 29, 2021
FOX Bet sportsbook Michigan is operated by The Stars Group (now a part of Flutter Entertainment), and has joined forces with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians Gaming Authority to bring iGaming to MI. In addition to sports betting, online casino and online poker have also been legalized in Michigan. The Stars Group has all three verticals covered within its portfolio through FOX Bet, StarsCasino, and PokerStars.
Parx Casino
- License Partner: Gun Lake Tribe / Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians
- Affiliated Casino: Gun Lake Casino
- Online Launch: August 2, 2021
Parx Casino inked a deal with the Gun Lake Tribe to bring sports betting, retail and online, to the Gun Lake Casino in Wayland. The venue’s Stage 131 Sportsbook & Lounge offers brick-and-mortar sports betting and Parx administers a mobile sports and casino app available throughout the state. Known in gambling circles throughout the east coast for its popular Pennsylvania property, expansion to Michigan represents a big growth opportunity for Parx Sportsbook.
Barstool Sportsbook
- License Partner: Greektown Casino
- Online Launch: January 22, 2021
In early 2020 Penn National Gaming purchased a substantial stake in Barstool Sports to use it as one of the company’s primary iGaming brands. Penn National Gaming operates the Greektown Casino Hotel in Detroit, granting iGaming licensing access to MI. Barstool Sportsbook is live and accepting bets in several states, including Colorado, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, and with founder Dave Portnoy’s ties to the University of Michigan – the brand has so far done quite well in Michigan.
Fanatics
- License Partner: Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians
- Affiliated Casino: Northern Waters Casino Resort
- Online Launch: January 22, 2021
Fanatics Michigan has a partnership in place with the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians which covers the next 20 years. The tribe owns and operates Northern Waters Casino Resort in Watersmeet, which provides Fanatics Sportsbook with access to the state’s sports betting market and is also the location for the retail sportsbook.
Caesars Sportsbook
- License Partner: Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians
- Affiliated Casino: Turtle Creek Casino and Hotel, Leelanau Sands Casino
- Online Launch: January 22, 2021
Caesars Sportsbook is working with the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians for Michigan online sports betting. The tribe owns and operates multiple casino venues in the state — the Leelanau Sands Casino in Peshawbestown, the Turtle Creek Casino and Hotel in Williamsburg, and the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa in Acme Township.
Golden Nugget Sportsbook
- License Partner: Keweenaw Bay Indian Community
- Affiliated Casinos: Ojibwa Casino Baraga, Ojibwa Casino Marquette
- Online Launch: January 22, 2021
Golden Nugget, the famous casino company with a big presence from Las Vegas to A.C., has successfully ported their enormously successful online sports betting and casino app to the state of Michigan. The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community is providing licensing access through its Ojibwa Casinos.
Twinspires
- License Partner: Hannahville Indian Community
- Affiliated Casino: Island Resort & Casino
- Online Launch: January 22, 2021
The Hannahville Indian Community partnered with Twinspires to enter the Michigan iGaming market. The popular online sportsbook, owned and operated by Churchill Downs Inc. (CDI), offers quality action to bettors across the state. The Island Resort & Casino is also home to a BetAmerica themed retail sportsbook at its Harris, MI location. Located just a few hours from Green Bay, the home of the Packers, it has already become a destination for NFL fans throughout the region.
Who is next in line?
On top of the aforementioned sportsbooks, there’s room for more. Contestants to take the final few spots in the busy Michigan sports betting pool include:
- 888sport
- Bet365
- theScore Bet
- Unibet Michigan
Which retail sportsbooks are available in Michigan?
Retail sportsbooks are now available throughout Michigan. The state’s three Detroit-based commercial casinos were the first to market, accepting legal bets in March 2020. A long list of tribal casinos have since followed. In-person bets are now accepted every day, all across the state of Michigan – from the Upper Peninsula to Detroit. Top options include:
MGM Grand Detroit
MGM Grand Detroit opened in July 1999. It is a luxury casino resort located in Detroit and opened its doors to sports bettors on March 11, 2020. The venue has 100,000 square feet of gaming space and more than 400 hotel rooms. The owner of MGM Grand Detroit is MGM Resorts.
Greektown Casino Hotel
Greektown Casino Hotel opened in November 2000. Similar to MGM Grand Detroit, the venue boasts 100,000 square feet of gaming space and 400 hotel rooms. Greektown Casino Hotel has a retail sportsbook that opened on March 11, 2020. Greektown Casino Hotel is owned by Vici Properties and operated by Penn National Gaming.
MotorCity Casino Hotel
Opened in December 1999 by Mandalay Resort Group, MotorCity Casino Hotel is a casino venue located in Detroit that claims 100,000 square feet of gaming space, 400 hotel rooms, and roughly 2,800 slot machines. The venue was later purchased by IH Gaming and the casino is currently partnered with FanDuel Sportsbook for sports betting. MotorCity Casino Hotel opened its sportsbook on March 12, 2020.
Other potential land-based sportsbook locations
Each of Michigan’s 26 casinos are eligible to offer brick-and-mortar sports betting. Refer to the table above on this page for a full breakdown of each retail casino, the status of its in-person sportsbook, and its online partner.
Minimum age to bet on sports in Michigan
The minimum age to bet on sports in Michigan is 21 years old. This legal age limit applies to all sports betting including both retail and online.
When signing up for an online or mobile sports betting account, age verification takes place immediately. Retail sportsbooks can also require in-person age verification for anyone placing bets. A valid form of identification is required for age verification.
Location requirements
As is the case in other states with legal online and mobile sports betting, Michigan requires sports bettors to be physically located within state boundaries to place a wager. Location is determined and verified using geolocation software and the bettor’s mobile device.
Retail sports betting is available at locations throughout the state. It goes without saying that you must physically be present at one of the state’s land-based sportsbook venues to place a bet.
How geolocation works
Geolocation may sound complicated, but it’s not. If you are going to be betting on a computer, like a laptop or desktop PC, each sportsbook requires you to quickly download a software program through an automatic prompt. Once it’s on, the plugin sends your location over to the sportsbook to confirm you are in the state of Michigan.
If you’re using a mobile app, you’re in luck. The app quickly and easily asks for permission to use the device’s internal GPS chip. Once you’ve given the OK, it can automatically pick out your location and approve you for betting in just a single seamless step. If you don’t give the book access to your location services, you can’t bet.
Benefits of legal online sports betting
Regulation & safety
Safety and security are paramount benefits of legal online sports betting. Gambling with a legal sports betting site in Michigan puts your mind at ease, knowing that you are protected by state regulations. The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) is the governing regulatory body in charge of overseeing the state’s legal online sports betting sites. The MGCB has put together comprehensive regulations that aim to protect you, the consumer, and provide you with the betting environment you deserve.
Easy & efficient banking
Offshore, illegal sportsbooks cannot accept money from U.S. banks, but legal, regulated sports betting sites can. Regulated banking options are safer, faster, and more efficient. Most regulated online sportsbooks offer a variety of deposit and withdrawal choices. ACH eCheck, PayPal, bank transfer, Skrill, PayNearMe, Play+ branded prepaid cards, and cash at a retail casino location are all banking options utilized by the regulated sports betting industry.
Accessible mobile offerings
Mobile is the way of the world these days, and sports bettors are no longer be required to walk to a betting window in a retail sportsbook to place a wager. Mobile and online sports betting provides a great amount of accessibility for sports bettors. In Michigan, sports bettors can register online for legal mobile/online sportsbooks. Bettors only need to be of age (21+) and located within state boundaries to place a bet through their online or mobile device.
Michigan sports betting FAQ
Yes, both retail and online sports betting is legal in Michigan, as of December 2019 when bill HB 4916 was passed.
The legal age to bet on sports in Michigan is 21
Yes, you need to be physically located within Michigan state borders to place a bet, whether with a retail sportsbook or through a mobile or online operator. Geolocation technology is used by online and mobile sportsbooks to determine a bettor’s location and prove the person is within Michigan state lines.
Yes! Online sports betting went live on January 22, 2021, and is now offered by 14 different sportsbook operators
You’ll place a variety of wagers in Michigan, most of which are the bet types you’re accustomed to seeing. Moneyline, point spread, over/under totals, teasers, props, futures, and parlay bets are among the types you’ll be able to make in Michigan. The state also offers live betting to some extent. Betting on non-professional sports and players under the age of 18 is prohibited.
Yes, in-play betting are available in Michigan.
- ACH (eCheck)
- PayPal and Skrill
- Casino-branded prepaid cards (Play+)
- PayNearMe available at any eligible 7-Eleven or CVS
- Cash at a brick-and-mortar casino cage
- Credit and debit cards (Visa and MasterCard)
Michigan sports betting law and framework
Signed into law in December 2019, HB 4916 authorized legal sports betting through retail, mobile, and online operations.
Key details of the legislation:
- Minimum age of 21 to sports bet
- 8.4% tax rate on a sportsbook’s adjusted gross revenue
- Three commercial casinos located in Detroit pay an additional 1.25% tax to the city
- State tax revenue goes to School Aid Fund and First Responder Presumed Coverage Fund
- $50,000 application fee
- $100,000 license fee
- $50,000 annual renewal fee
- Licensed commercial casinos and federally recognized tribal casinos can apply for licenses
- Operators are allowed one skin
History of Michigan sports betting
Getting to where it is today has not been an easy road for Michigan. The state had several roadblocks and obstacles along the way, but several years of legislative effort finally came through in December 2019.
The push to get legal sports betting in Michigan started in 2015 with Rep. Robert Kosowski, but with federal law prohibiting sports betting outside Nevada at the time, the idea didn’t gain much traction. Despite not generating much momentum in 2015, Kosowski followed up each of the following two years. With every new push, adjustments to the bill had been made, but the ultimate goal of legalizing sports betting and online wagering remained.
Rep. Brandt Iden got involved in 2017, suggesting that if federal law allowed states to legalize sports betting, then Michigan should be ready to move forward. With others agreeing, HB 4926 was passed through the Committee on Regulatory Reform in late 2017.
In May 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Professional & Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), paving the way for states to offer legalized sports betting on their own. Legislation for sports betting in Michigan hit the governor’s desk in December 2018, but outgoing Gov. Rick Snyder vetoed the bill and left it to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who was assuming office.
Although Whitmer had her concerns, she worked on a new version of the legislation until it was to her liking. Once the bill passed the state’s two chambers, it headed to her desk in December 2019, one year after Snyder’s veto spoiled Michigan’s sports betting efforts. Whitmer signed the bill into law and legal sports betting was set in Michigan for 2020.
