Michigan Online Sportsbook Bonuses – Promo Codes, Bonus Bets & Deposit Matches

Thanks to Michigan’s legalization of sports betting at the end of 2019, legal Michigan sportsbooks have arrived in the Wolverine State with goodies in hand. Sports bettors in other states have had the opportunity to grab numerous online sports betting bonuses, and now Michiganders can enjoy the same or similar kinds of sportsbook bonuses and promo code offers. Like in other states where sports betting is legal, those offers include match deposits, large second chance bets, and other freebies.

This page is intended as your complete guide to sign-up bonus offers for legal and regulated Michigan online sportsbooks. Among other topics, we rank bonus offers from best to… not the best and will point you directly to the best bonus codes and offers available for the taking.

Best Michigan Sportsbook Bonus Codes

MICHIGAN SPORTSBOOK APP	SIGN UP OFFERS
BetMGM Sportsbook  4.8 Stars / 226.3K Ratings  4.3 Stars / 32.3K Reviews	Get a 20% Deposit Match up to $1,500 in Sports Bonus!
DraftKings Sportsbook  4.8 Stars / 782.8K Ratings  4.5 Stars / 163K Reviews	Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets Instantly!
Caesars Sportsbook  4.7 Stars / 75.8K Ratings  4.3 Stars / 27.4K Reviews	Get up to $1,000 Back in Bonus Bets if Your First Bet Loses!
BetRivers Sportsbook  4.8 Stars / 4.6K Ratings  4.7 Stars / 3.52K Reviews	Get a 2nd Chance Bet up to $500!

Be aware that just because an online sportsbook doesn’t have a promo code, it doesn’t mean there isn’t a great bonus. You can still expect great promotions.

The best Michigan sportsbook promos, ranked

Bonus terminology is similar but different and can be a bit confusing at times. After some debate and fist-fighting amongst our staff, we have finally reached a definitive ranking to help you assess and understand the various offers that will come your way. Ranked from best to not best:

1. No-Deposit Bonus Bet

Ranking the no-deposit bonus bet number one was a no-brainer as they are the very definition of free money. Once you complete the registration process, sites will have bonus bets waiting for you. They are usually on the small end, anywhere from $10-$30 and there are usually some stipulations on odds and may only pay the profits on the bet (not the stake as well), but hey! Free money!

2. Deposit Match Bonus

A deposit match bonus occurs when an online sportsbook matches your first deposit up to a certain amount, typically offered around 50-100%. In the case of a full-blown 100% deposit match, the sportsbook would reward all eligible users with a bankroll twice the size of their first deposit to start off. For example, if a player deposits $500 into a sportsbook account offering a 100% match up to $500, the player would start off with $1,000 to play with.

The matched portion of your deposit will usually arrive in the form of site credit that must be wagered before it can be withdrawn or turned into cold, hard cash. Every sportsbook is different, however, so your matched bonus can also show up in the form of a bonus bet credit – always read the terms and conditions.

Unfortunately, some sites will match your first deposit or first bet up to a certain amount but with less than desirable wagering requirements. While some sportsbooks are extremely player friendly when it comes to their bonus terms, once you get into a 5x, 10x or even 25x turnover, the edge starts to turn back in the sportsbook’s direction. For example, a $500 1x bonus would only require $500 in wagers to turn it into cash, while that same $500 bonus with 25x wagering requires a hefty $12,500.

3. Deposit-based Bonus Bets, or First bet matched “Bonus Bets”

Similar to no deposit bonus bets, bonus bets typically have some odds restrictions, but what we like about the deposit or first bet match is that you can control the amount and they are usually much larger than their no-deposit counterpart. For example, you deposit $200 into the sportsbook:

• On a deposit-based bonus bet, the sportsbook would give you a bonus bet in the amount of $200;
• On a first bet matched bonus bet, the sportsbook would give you a bonus bet (up to a certain amount) equivalent to the value of the very first bet you make at the sportsbook.

The downsides are that you are only paid out the profit of winning bets (cash bets pay the original bet + profit), and they are typically one and done.

4. “Second Chance Bets”

Second Chance Bets are becoming increasingly popular among online sportsbooks in the U.S. That can be attributed to the fact that they sound great, but, well, they’re ranked fourth here for a reason.

A second chance bet is when you place your first bet, and if it loses, you will be refunded up to a certain amount in either site credit or a one-time bonus bet. A second chance bet is still a generous offer, as it gives you a second chance to win your money back if your first bet comes up short. However, if you win your first bet, that’s it.

It’s important to note that not all second chance bets are created equal. The method in which a sportsbook will issue the refund is very important in these rankings.  Let’s take a quick look at the rankings within the rankings (in order from best to least wonderful):

• Cash refund: This would be the only true “second chance” bet, where if your first bet loses, you will be refunded 100% in cash, which you can then withdraw as if nothing ever happened. This is a rare sight to see but has been offered by a few online sportsbooks in the U.S. market.
• Site credit refund: Site credit refunds are very player-friendly (if the first bet loses). The site credit can be wagered in any denomination, and plays the same as cash, meaning that the bet + profit is paid out on winning bets.
• Bonus bets (that can be broken down): Typically, when taking advantage of a second chance bet, you may make a larger bet than you typically would, knowing that you have some insurance that if you lose you get a shot at winning your money back. When you can break a $500 bonus bet into 5 equal $100 bets, it gives you a better chance to bank a few winners in there.
• One-time bonus bet: Once again, if you take advantage of the second chance bet promotion, you may be betting bigger than you are usually comfortable with. The one-time bonus bet refund is a chance to win your money back, not turn any profit as the bonus bets may only pay out the profit on winning bets, not including the bonus bet stake.

Why are generous sportsbook bonus offers available?

Same reason grocery stores issue coupons, retailers offer 10-50% off, or Ben & Jerry’s runs its Free Cone Day: they want your business. As noted earlier, there’s a load of quality sportsbooks now available in Michigan, and the competition will be fierce to get people to the (online) sportsbook window to give a test drive.

Some brands already have a lot of name recognition or even brand loyalty. Those include DFS-operators-turned-sportsbooks FanDuel Sportsbook Michigan and DraftKings Sportsbook. There’s also BetMGM Sportsbook, which is associated with the MGM Grand Detroit and MGM Resorts International, a nationally-recognized brand. Some other sportsbook players are not very well known in the U.S. but have pretty damn cool sportsbook apps and offerings. They’d all like you to use the promo and stick around for a while. Giddyup!

Michigan sportsbook bonuses give great value

Not all sportsbook bonus offers are created equal — but that’s not always apparent on the face of the offer. Some include semi-confusing language or contain certain requirements that make it difficult to unlock the full bonus advertised. Some offers just don’t have as much upside as it may appear. Fortunately, some are quite lucrative and very easy to secure, or quite literally are free cash requiring only the effort of typing your name and email.

What kinds of sign-up offers are available in Michigan? Although the road was bumpy and included one veto in 2018, the bills for legal sports betting, Michigan online casinos, and online poker that ultimately passed are quite good for both sportsbooks (the operators) and consumers alike. The tax rate on sportsbook revenue is 8.4%, which is on the reasonable end. This means that sportsbooks don’t have to pass some costs to the bettors in the form of slashing bonus offers. (Compare with Pennsylvania, where the tax rate for books is 36%!)

The law is also good for bettors because it allows a sizable number of online sportsbooks to operate in the state. Each federally recognized tribe in the state, and commercial casino in Detroit, may partner with a provider to launch an online sportsbook.

That’s a lot of legal sportsbooks, almost double the number as in PA, and overall means more choice, diversity, and competition for your loyalty.

Who is eligible for Michigan sportsbook bonuses?

As long as you meet the criteria of the actual law and regulations, you should be eligible to receive any of the available sportsbook promotional offers.

Key criteria:

• You must be 21 years of age and up to sign up for a legal sportsbook account;
• You must be located within the state of Michigan when placing a wager(s) at the sportsbook offering the promotion (but you do not have to live or be located in Michigan to open an account);
• You may need valid identification to sign up with some sportsbooks (such as any state-issued driver’s license);
• You probably will be disqualified from receiving a bonus if you are an employee of the sportsbook or the casino with which the book is partnered;
• There are restrictions and limitations for athletes and staff with professional and NCAA collegiate sports teams;
• While there are some “no deposit” sign-up bonuses, to access the vast majority of MI sportsbook bonuses, you will also need to make a deposit and fund your account to make a real-money wager, to qualify for the bonus.

You should always look over the Terms and Conditions for each offer. Assuming you are not disqualified, you should be able to obtain as many of the available bonus offers as you like. We suggest keeping track of your accounts on a spreadsheet or, if you’re old school, a notebook. However you manage, there’s a lot of promotional dollars you can bag up!

MI sportsbook bonus terms and conditions

We discussed eligibility requirements earlier, but here offer a few words about the “fine print” and some things you should keep in mind as you weigh the various offers and bonus codes that come your way.

For the vast majority of bonuses, you’ll need to deposit funds and place a real-money wager to activate the bonus. Below, find some of the most common wagering requirements.

Play-through requirement

The most straightforward example is a 1x play-through requirement to unlock a “match bonus.” Suppose the offer is a 100% match up to $500. So you deposit $500 into your account, and the house will match you dollar for dollar up to $500, with one very reasonable stipulation: that you put the $500 deposited into play at least once (1x). This could be in the form of five $100 bets or any increment, but you have to stake a total of $500 to unlock the full $500 match into your cash balance.

The play-through requirement may differ from offer to offer, and some of them might be in the 20x range. That means you’d have to stake $10,000 in bets before you could unlock a $500 bonus (20x). The play-through requirement makes all the difference.

Limitations on betting favorites

Sometimes the T&C may stipulate that you cannot bet a large favorite to satisfy the terms of the offer. For example, let’s say you’re offered a $500 second chance bet (explained above). The limitation might be that you cannot bet a team/side favored at -250 or greater on the moneyline. The idea being in this case that they’re not going to fork away free cash on mid-to-huge favorites.

Other Michigan bonus odds and ends

Withdrawing funds

You won’t be able to withdraw funds considered bonus money until you’ve satisfied the requirements of the offer.  See above wagering requirements. Once met, you’ll be able to withdraw via whatever banking means you have used to deposit. Some sportsbooks will show your balance, and then available withdrawal balance when you go to the banking page.

Finding your bonuses

Some sportsbooks have a separate tab for your cash account (money you’ve deposited) and bonus funds, which should show the bonus bets you have available. At some sportsbooks, your bonus bets will appear on your bet slip once you make a selection. If this is the sportsbook’s style, you should see a box to check and the corresponding dollar amount. You don’t have to use your bonus bet if it shows in the slip — but it’s there should you wish to put it in play. Which takes us to…

Bonus expiration

Most sportsbooks won’t leave bonus offers hanging out there in perpetuity. This means that:

• You may have somewhere between 7 and 90 days to use “bonus bets” that are given off the bat.
• You may have somewhere between 7 and 90 days to make the bets that would qualify you for the bonus (for example, making $500 in bets to get the match deposit)

Obviously, those are big ranges of time. Point is, check the terms and conditions so you know which date range will apply to yours.

Accordingly, you may want to wait to sign up for an account so it coincides with a sporting event you know you want to bet on. For example, The Masters, the NFL season, or March Madness.

Claiming bonuses in multiple states

This doesn’t always work. Your account will be associated with your email or phone number or driver’s license. Some sportsbooks will not allow you, for example, to claim a $500 second chance bet in PA and then do it again in MI. This isn’t always true, however. Many sportsbooks require you to open a new account in each different state and don’t track whether you’ve claimed a bonus in a different state. It all depends on the individual sportsbook and its internal policies.

Michigan online sportsbooks offering bonuses

Online sportsbook bonus offers aren’t static. Some are offered during different sports seasons, some you might see running over multiple years. The “ratings table” at the top of this page will show the top offers for Michigan sportsbooks.  Check back here often as we will share their bonus offers.

Customer service for bonuses

If you have any questions or concerns about accessing your bonus, we encourage you to reach out to the sportsbook’s customer service department. Many offer live chat while some will only field questions via email or an online form.

Sometimes the bonuses might take 24-72 hours to process. Other times, perhaps they just missed it. All Michigan sportsbooks must be licensed and regulated, which means the Michigan Gaming Control Board will hold them accountable to honor offers. If you think a sportsbook has made a mistake, begin with a question to customer service and if necessary, escalate from there.

Check out our separate sportsbook reviews on each individual sportsbook for a bit about their contact information and the customer service department’s reputation.

Parting shot: Other bonuses and promotions

Even after you sign up for a new Michigan sportsbook account, you’re going to see a whole lot of different promotions, bonus bets, odds boosts, or “profit boosts” available to you throughout the different seasons.

Some of them will be for specific types of markets — such as in-play bets — while others will be available for specific events, such as a golf tournament.

Keep your eyes peeled and come back here to check for the latest and greatest Michigan sportsbook bonus codes and offers.