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Michigan Online Betting Sites
Written by: Daniel Collins
Last Updated:
Read Time: 7 minutes
Michigan online sports betting sites have seen great growth in the last year. Online sports gambling was locally regulated in January 2021, which followed on from retail sportsbooks in 2020. Since then, sports betting has gone from strength to strength in the Great Lakes State.
Not only has in-state revenue from sports betting grown at a rapid rate, but Michigan is now rivalling other big US gambling states. Despite lagging behind the likes of New Jersey and Colorado on state regulated sports betting, Michigan is emerging as one of the biggest sports gambling states in the country.
Sports betting is big business in Michigan. In November and December 2021, the state recorded consecutive monthly handles of more than $500 million.
With sports betting on the up in the Great Lakes State, we look at what’s on offer for residents.
Many reputable offshore betting sites have been taking bets from Michigan for decades. These sites usually have interestedly and unique bets that are not available locally.
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Sports Betting in Michigan
Michigan online sports betting sites and retail services are available to state-based bettors. The legalization of sportsbooks has proven popular among sports enthusiasts in Michigan.
Perhaps this is unsurprising, given the state’s affiliation with Detroit-based sports teams. In fact, Detroit is only one of 12 US cities to have teams in all four major sports leagues. The Detroit Lions, Pistons, Tigers, and Red Wings are well supported in the state.
Since 2020, in-person casinos offered retail sportsbook services. Before the introduction of online sportsbooks, players would have to register and wager in person at a venue.
The MGM Grand Detroit and Greektown Casino were the leaders in in-person sportsbook services. Both of the venues launched their retail sports betting services on March 11, 2020. Next up was MotorCity, who started their operations the next day. Shortly after, in June 2020, the first tribal casino, FireKeepers, launched its own sportsbook.
Under new sports gambling laws, all three commercial casinos and 23 tribal casinos can offer sportsbook services on site.
Online Sports Betting
After the rise of retail sportsbooks in early 2020, online sports betting platforms started to launch in Michigan. Big players in the online betting scene were eager to get their foot in the door in the state.
As a result, ten sportsbooks launched as soon as they could in January 2021. No other state has seen more sportsbook launch on its first day of state run online sports betting than Michigan.
As of January 2022, 15 Michigan online betting sites are live. These operators must be linked with either the three commercial casinos or one of the 23 tribal-run establishments. Some of the leading operators in online sports betting accept bettors from Michigan.
More Michigan online betting sites are expected to launch in 2022, especially after the state posted huge handles in late 2021. For bettors, this is good news as more competition in the state leads to better services and quality from online bookmakers.
Horse Betting in Michigan
Horse betting in Michigan was one of the first legal forms of gambling in the state. Bettors could place wagers on horse races from 1933 and the activity is still legal today. However, horse betting activity declined in popularity across the entire country in recent decades. The impact of this is no different in Michigan.
Best Michigan Racebooks
One of the only two race tracks in Michigan closed in 2018, leaving just one facility providing live racing action. Northville Downs is the only in-person track still operating in Michigan, where punters can wager on thoroughbred races. The track also broadcasts other races from around the US, which bettors can wager on.
Online Horse Betting
The rise of Michigan online sports betting sites has created more betting opportunities for horse racing via sportsbooks. Some operators provide odds for US and international horse races, giving bettors more choice to wager on races remotely.
Not every bookmaker runs odds for horse races, however. One of the leaders in this arena is the TwinSpires sportsbook, which is linked with the Churchill Downs racetrack. The sportsbook has a dedicated horse racing section that provides tips and the latest odds on a selection of horse races.
Casino Gambling in Michigan
Casino gambling in Michigan has a long history. Like many states, casinos opened on tribal land after the state entered a compact with the twelve tribes. Since the early 1990s, more official, tribal casinos opened. Today, there are 23 casinos run by the 12 tribes.
To increase revenue, Michigan then made plans to allow private companies to open casinos. In 1996, the state passed allowing a handful of non-tribal casinos to open. The first was MGM in 1999, and this was followed by two more commercial venues.
While the product offering varies by title in these casinos, there are all the standard table games and slots available.
Online Casinos in Michigan
Allowing legalized Michigan online sports betting sites in 2021 didn’t stop with sportsbooks. The new legislation also opened the door to online casino games. Bettors can sign up and wager on popular casinos games like blackjack, video poker, and online slots.
There are now 14 online casinos operating in the Great Lakes State, which are all linked to a state-based, brick-and-mortar casino. Most casino sites launched in 2021. As a result, many are still finding their way in Michigan. But this is good news as the quality and services are likely to improve over time.
Each site provides a different selection of games, as most are developed and maintained by various software companies. Online casinos also offer welcome bonuses and promotions to bring in new players to their platform.
Lottery in Michigan
The Michigan Lottery has been a fixture in the state for several decades. It was first legalized in 1972 and it then became available online in the 1990s.
Today, the lottery is responsible for funding several important social programs in the state. This money comes from the proceeds from the draw games and scratch tickets that have become popular across the country.
The largest lottery game that Michigan residents can play is the Powerball game which has awarded prizes well into the hundreds of millions in the past.
Michigan Online Sports Betting FAQs
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