Best Michigan Sportsbooks & Sports Betting Sites in 2023
People in Michigan are, of course, passionate about sports. That fantastic four in 'The Wizard of Oz' might have worried about lions and tigers, but that's not the case in Michigan, with the Detroit Lions playing in the NFL, and the Detroit Tigers now and again having record-breaking seasons in MLB. In the NBA, the Detroit Pistons compete in the Eastern Conference, and they share Little Caesars Arena with the NHL's Detroit Red Wings.
There are signs that the people of Michigan are just as passionate now about sports betting as they are about football, baseball, basketball or hockey. The Great Lakes State was the 20th state in the US to legalize licensed sports betting, doing so in 2019. The first retail sportsbook arrived on March 11, 2020, and now there are plenty of choices when it comes to choosing the top Michigan bookmakers. It took a while for online sportsbooks in Michigan to be available online, though, with 17 online bookmakers launching on January 22 2021, and another six within another three weeks.
If you want to get the full lowdown on Michigan betting sites, there is no better place for you to be than right here at Bookmakers.com. We will tell you all about the best Michigan betting sites, including information about Michigan betting site promo codes that you can use to your advantage at the betting sites we recommend.
- Among largest selection of sports in the industry
- Lots of team-specific offers due to partnerships with franchises
- Lion's Boost gives you the chance to further increase your bankroll
Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (CO, DC, IL, IN, LA, MD, MS, NJ, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY) Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Must be 21+ to wager. Please Gamble Responsibly. Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS, NV), 1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help (MI). Visit BetMGM.com for T&Cs. US promotional offers not available in NV, NY or ON.
- Full suite of betting options after relaunch in 2021
- Extensive in-play markets on US sports
- Rewards program allows you to earn betting offers or money off at Caesars facilities
Must be 21+ to participate. T&Cs apply.
- BetFeed allows you to take inspiration from other bettors' wagers
- Perfect 10 gives chance to win big every week
- Very generous welcome bonus
Must be 21+ to participate. T&Cs apply.
- Sportsbook Pools offers cash prizes for free
- Stats Hub provides advanced stats to help you with your wagers
- Exclusive price boosts with the teams DraftKings has partnerships with
Must be 21+ to participate. T&Cs apply.
- Unique betting features like Captain Morgan’s Soccer Pick’em
- Exclusive odds boosts for FanDuel customers
- Market leader available in majority of states
Must be 21+ to participate. T&Cs apply.
- App is very well laid out and incredibly easy to use
- Wide range of live-streaming options
- Access to CityCast podcast in certain states
Must be 21+ to participate. T&Cs apply.
- Multiple sign-up bonus options
- Focused on major US sports
- Refer a friend bonus available
Must be 21+ to participate. T&Cs apply.
Commercial content notice: Taking up one of these offers may result in a payment to
bookmakers.com. Over 21s only please gamble responsibly.
Offers updated 20th March.
Best Michigan Sports Betting Promotions
There are now many different sportsbooks available for Michigan bettors. This is good news for sports betting fans in the state as this means there is healthy competition. All these sportsbooks are vying for your custom and your dollars, and one of the ways they hope they'll be able to persuade you to sign up with them is by offering the best in Michigan sports betting promotions.
All Michigan sports betting promotions are designed to get you to sign up with the sportsbook offering them of course, but that doesn't mean they don't actually offer you anything useful - far from it, in fact! You can start your Michigan sports betting career off brilliantly by using the bonus dollars offered by such deals to back your favorite teams and competitors, and if your choices are accurate, then you've won something for nothing.
As part of our services at Bookmakers, we keep ourselves informed about all the hottest bonuses and promotions offered by sportsbooks in Michigan, and then pass this information onto you. We give you the lowdown about each bonus after evaluating it for fairness (as even the best Michigan sports betting bonuses come with terms and conditions that you need to be aware of) and deciding whether it's worth taking up or if you're better off just letting it slide.
Michigan Betting Promo Codes
Some Michigan sports betting promotions come with a promo code attached. You need the promo code in order to claim the bonus - no code, no bonus. When you claim the bonus, you just need to enter the code in the relevant box. Do so and the bonus will be yours.
We consider it our duty to hunt around the internet for the best bonus codes for sports betting bonuses available to the good people of Michigan. You can, of course, do your own bonus reconnaissance missions, but why bother when we have done all the hard work for you? Just keep an eye on this page and you will remain informed about all the latest Michigan betting promo codes.
There might not be much of a reason to worry if you forget to enter your betting promo code when you claim your bonus. Usually, if you talk nicely to the support folks at the sportsbook in question, they will still hand you your bonus if you inform them what you've done.
Michigan Free Bets
It would be great if all your sports betting in Michigan was done for free - you just used a free stake and then walked away with your winnings. Okay, so you cannot do all your sports betting for free, but with Michigan free bets you can at least take part in a little bit of sports betting with no cost to yourself.
Free bets and betting offers available from sportsbooks in Michigan are seldom actually free - they are more usually in the form of risk free bets. Say, for example, you obtained a $10 risk free bet from a sportsbook in Michigan and decided to back the Lions to beat the Bears at +120. If the Lions win, you will receive $12, as well as receiving your original stake for a total of $22.
For a risk free bet, say the Bears triumphed over their rival Lions. In this case, instead of losing your stake you would have it returned to you. Unfortunately, it is not returned to you as money that you'd be able to withdraw and spend as you wish, but as free bet credits at the sportsbook that offered the free-bet deal in the first place.
Sports Betting Apps Available in Michigan
Convenience is key in most things now involved with the internet, and online gambling is no different. It is far more convenient to look at mobile sports betting apps on the move with your phone or some other mobile device than via a laptop or desktop PC.
If you want the convenience of betting via a sportsbook app then below you will find details of all the best sports betting apps available in Michigan ready for you to download and install on to your mobile device. Some of the available operators for Michigan bettors include DraftKings sportsbook, FanDuel sportsbook, BetRivers Michigan, Caesars sportsbook (which used to be William Hill) and Barstool sportsbook. This is not an exhaustive list, and there is sure to be a Michigan online sports betting app or Michigan sportsbook that suits any eligible Michigan resident.
Michigan Online Betting Payment Methods
Prior to January 2021, citizens in Michigan who wanted to bet on sports were forced to do so illegally at offshore sportsbooks (online bookmakers with licenses outside of the US' jurisdiction). As it was almost impossible to prosecute such sport bettors, US lawmakers forbade US banks from making payments to offshore bookmakers. This caused issues for people wishing to bet on sports as they could not getting any money into their accounts to place their bets!
With the legalization of the use of a US sports betting app and wagering using a sportsbook app in Michigan, such problems have abated. There are now countless ways a sport bettor can add money to their account at a legal, licensed online bookmaker, and below we outline the most popular:
- Credit and debit cards - the most common way that people fund their online sports betting account is to use a credit or debit card. Mastercard and Visa are the most common brands of cards accepted by the top Michigan online sports betting sites, with American Express, Discover and Diners Club all less common.
- ACH (eCheck) - an eCheck (ACH - Automated Clearing House) works in much the same way as a paper check. The ACH was set up in the 1970s as a way of transferring money electronically. Paper checks are written as an instruction for the ACH to transfer money between two accounts. An eCheck works in the same way except that it is only exists online.
- E-wallets - the rest of the world uses e-wallets to fund gambling activities, but the US is a little behind the times in this regard. Some online sportsbooks in Michigan accept Skrill, and a small number accept PayPal, but that is about it despite other e-2allets such as Neteller being available.
- PayNearMe - this payment system allows stores, retailers and online sportsbooks to accept payments via a number of different methods, including cash, credit/debit cards, ACH, Google Pay and Apple Pay. Payments are not actually made directly at the retailer, but at a retail store such as a 7-Eleven or CVS Pharmacy.
- Prepaid Cards - all sportsbooks in Michigan are tied to real world casinos. You can obtain prepaid cards via these casinos (Play+ is one such example) and then load them up with cash using any one of a number of methods. You can then pay for your play at a casino, or for your betting at the attached betting app using the balance on your card.
- Cash - if all else fails, then you pay cash at the online sportsbook. This can be done at the attached, real-world casino that the sportsbook represents. You just go to the same cage as you would when buying your chips, but you facilitate your payment to your online sports betting account.
Is Online Betting Legal in Michigan?
Legal sports betting has been open to any eligible Michigan resident since 2019. However, because these things always take time in the United States, the first online retail legal sports betting site did not become available until March 2020 and is overseen by the Michigan Gaming Control Board.
Some forms of gambling have been legal in Michigan for a lot longer than 2020, though. Pari-mutuel horse racing betting became legal as long ago as 1933, for example. The Michigan state lottery was created in 1972, with the first $1 million winner being declared fewer than three months later. Casino gambling has been less welcome, though, as the first casino in the state was not built until 1999.
Michigan hoped to join the other fledgling states with regards to legal sports betting (New Jersey, Montana, Oregon, Delaware), with the first legislation drawn up by Michigan lawmakers being passed in December 2018. The final stumbling-block, though, was Gov. Rick Snyder who had voiced his concerns over online sports betting in the past.
One year later, though, Rep. Snyder had completed his full second term and was replaced by Dem. Gretchen Whitmer. The bill was passed again, and this time passed into law with Whitmer's approval. On March 11, 2020, the first retail sportsbooks at MGM Grand Detroit and Greektown Casino-Hotel opened, with MotorCity casino launching the following day to be run by the Michigan Gaming Control Board.
The initial legislation limited applications for Michigan sports betting licenses to the three commercial casinos in the state, as well as the 23 tribal casinos. Applications cost $50,000, and licenses $100,000 (renewed annually at $50,000). All sports betting operators are required to pass 8.4 percent of their revenue over to the state as tax, with casinos running a sports betting facility required to hand over a further 1.25 percent.
Online sportsbooks came opened in January 2021, with a state-wide launch on the 22nd. Among the sportsbooks that came online were those run by FanDuel (in tandem with the MotorCity Casino Hotel), BetMGM (MGM Grand Detroit) and DraftKings (Bay Mills Resort & Casino). At the time of writing, there are 23 online Michigan betting sites, with plans for another three in the near future.
What Sports Can I Bet on in Michigan?
All major sporting leagues are available for sports betting in Michigan. This includes the Detroit Lions for fans of NFL betting, NBA betting is covered with the Detroit Pistons, NHL betting fans have the Detroit Red Wings and, of course the Detroit Tigers of MLB. You can also bet on tennis, golf, motor sports ... practically any event happening within the USA or anywhere globally. You can bet on both teams and individual competitors.
Esports are available to bet on, so major video games like Dota 2, LoL and CS:GO are all available.
Unlike some states, there seems to be no limitations about betting on the NCAA, so you are free in Michigan to bet on as many Michigan Wolverines or Michigan State Spartans events as you so desire. So whether you want to wager on an unlikely Lions Super Bowl run or see if Wolverine state can take another shot at the College Football Playoff, Michigan online sports betting sites will have everything you could want.
How to Sign up at Michigan Sports Betting Site
It is not possible to place sporting bets in a casual fashion in Michigan. You must be a member of an online sportsbook before you can place any kind of bet - this is necessary to make sure you are placing your sporting bets legally.
Signing up to a sportsbook in Michigan is not at all complicated and we are here to show you how it is done. As always, the best way to start is by checking out all of the many operators on Bookmakers.com that have great betting offers:
- Step One - Find your chosen sportsbook
- Step Two - Enter your details
- Step Three - Get Betting
Online Casino Games in New York
Michigan bettors are some of the lucky few residents able to play online casino games including slots games, online poker, blackjack and roulette from their sportsbook app. People can feel like they're at an actual casino while in the comfort of their own home playing on some of the top Michigan betting sites.
Responsible Gambling
There are several organizations that can help you if you feel that your gambling is starting to get a little out of control. These exist both country-wide and state-wide, and act in complete confidence so your anonymity is assured. One of largest organizations in the state that can help is run by the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services, via the Michigan Problem Gambling Helpline available at 1-800-200-7117.
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