Michigan sports betting
The history of gambling dates back to 1933 when state legislators approved wagering on horse races. Currently, there are over 26 licensed casinos, which in total operate more than 30, 000 slot machines.
This means that the residents of the Great Lake State have enough gambling activities to engage in within the borders of Michigan. But can Michigan residents wager on sporting events? Here is a look at the current state of Michigan sports betting, the top sports betting in MI, and sports betting taxes.
Is online sports betting legal in Michigan?
Internet sports betting is legal in Michigan after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed HB 4311 (the Lawful Online Gambling Act) into law in December 2019. The signing of the bill into law has positioned Great Lake State as a major contender for being a leading gambling market in the United States.
HB 4311 made all forms of online betting legal in the state, including online sportsbooks, which debuted on January 22, 2021. The MGCB (Michigan Gaming Control Board) is responsible for licensing and regulating all the online sports betting sites in Michigan.
In accordance with the gaming law in the Great Lake State, an online sports betting operator must affiliate with a brick-and-mortar casino in the state and pay an application fee of $50,000 to $100,000 before the operator will receive an operating license.
Top sports betting sites in MI
Currently, there are over 12 legal sportsbooks in Michigan. However, all the sports betting brands in Great Lake State do not provide the same gambling experience. So we have thoroughly examined each of them and come up with our list of the top sports betting sites in Michigan.
Before rating these sites, we considered a lot of factors, including sports and market coverage, available banking options, customer support, bonuses, security, and payout time. Only online betting sites that scored high in all the criteria made it to this list.
DraftKings Michigan
A titan of sports wagering, DraftKings sportsbook offers its online sports betting in Michigan. The reputation of the sportsbook operator is backed up by one of the most elaborate wagering menus of any United States-facing sportsbook.
Punters of all experience levels will surely want to add DraftKings to their top online sportsbook choice. The wide coverage of sports and markets put the operator in the top tier of legal sports betting sites in Michigan, and the United States at large.
When it comes to bonuses and promotions, Draftkings Sportsbook has several offers for both new and existing customers. The bonuses that Michigan players will find at Draftkings include a sign-up bonus, a loyalty program, and several other ongoing promotions.
Also, making deposits and withdrawals at DraftKings Michigan is simple. Players have multiple banking options to select and security is never an issue.
BetMGM Michigan
BetMGM sportsbook launched in Michigan on January 22, 2021, under the wing of MGM Resort International, the owner of the MGM Grand Detroit casino in the Great Lake State.
The operator’s online sports wagering platform gives MI bettors the opportunity to wager on a variety of sporting events. The Great Lake State residents can support wager on all their favorite teams on BetMGM sportsbook, including the Tigers, Pistons, Red Wings, and several others.
Currently, BetMGM has become the official sports wagering associate of the Detroit Lions. This implies that bettors are likely to find special Lions perks, such as NFL specials and premium promotions when they register an account with BetMGM sportsbook.
Caesars Michigan
Caesars Sportsbook Michigan, formerly William Hill, offers a unique market depth, very competitive odds, and an excellent wagering platform. The sports betting operator is among the leading names in the United States gaming market.
The sportsbook entered the Great Lake State iGaming market on January 22, 2021, through multi-year sports betting partnership with the Michigan state that includes a new premium seating space at Spartan Stadium. Caesars sportsbook is a perfect option for anyone who lives within the borders of Michigan state that is looking to place sports bets with a reputable sportsbook.
Both new and experienced punters will find plenty of actions that match their level of experience. Caesars sportsbook is set up to be both approachable and comprehensive and it is perfect for bettors of all experience levels. The operator recently introduced the Caesars Rewards program. The reward program offers bettors benefits like gameplay, shopping, and exclusive access at 50 Caesars locations.
PointsBet Michigan
PointBet launched in Michigan in 2021 through a partnership with Northern Waters Casino Resort. For Michigan bettors who don’t know, PointBet is an Australian betting brand that has made its way through the Pacific to the United States in recent years. PointBet’s unique selling points are its bettors-centric approach to business and signature products.
The operator’s key offering is Point Betting, which is a twist on the normal totals and points spread bets found on other sports betting sites. In point betting, you pick the team that you think will win the game as you would normally do. But in point betting, the number of points between the line and the margin of victory will have a significant effect on your result.
Each point of difference acts as a multiplier for your wager amount. Hence, if your bet wins and the margin of victory is 10 points higher than what Point Bet estimated, you will win 10 times your wagered amount.
A loss, on the other hand, will leave you on the hook for 10 times as much to pay. The operator has also proven to be very fast in issuing bonuses and refunds to bettors, especially in the case where games had unexpected endings. PointBet management has been open about their plan to promote and practice fairness.
BetRivers Michigan
This operator is one of the trusted sportsbooks in Michigan and the United States at large. BetRivers entered the Michigan sports betting market on January 22, 2021. Since BetRivers sportsbook’s arrival in the Great Lake State, it has become one of the best options around.
When it comes to odds on Moneyline, point spreads, and over/under, BetRivers excels in this area. These bet types are the most common types of bets, and they represent a large chunk of the wagers placed on any sports betting site. Owing to this, we can say that BetRivers Michigan is one of the best options for the Great Lake State bettors.
Another good thing about the BetRivers sportsbook is that the operator does not stop at dishing out competitive odds. They are regularly rewarding punters with old boosts on some of the elite sporting events.
In years past, BetRivers sportsbook has run a 20 percent profit boost on the French Open. If anyone had wagered on Rafael Nadal that period, the person would have cool cash on BetRivers.
Besides putting out competitive odds, BetRivers covers a wide range of sports and markets. At BetRivers sportsbook you can wager on almost all the sports that you can think of. From NBA, NHL, MLB, NFL, collegiate sports, and a variety of other professional leagues.
When it comes to making deposits and withdrawals at BetRivers, there is an option for everyone. The sportsbook accepts a wide range of payment methods, from bank transfers to prepaid cards, credit/debit cards, and of course e-wallets.
FanDuel Michigan
There is no doubt that FanDuel sportsbook is among the top sports betting brands in all the regulated States in the US, and Michigan is no exception. FanDuel has been powering the retail sportsbooks located at Casino in Detroit since March 2020. The operator started offering online betting in MI in January 2021.
As long as you are within the borders of Michigan, you can wager on FanDuel sportsbooks. When it comes to bonuses and promotions, FanDuel doesn’t disappoint. The operator has different bonuses and promotions for new and old customers. On top of that, there is a wide range of sports and markets to wager on.
A timeline of online sports betting in Michigan
The Great Lake State has always been seen as a gaming friendly-state. After the Michigan Gambling Control and Revenue Act was passed into law in 1997, three commercial casinos were established in Detroit, alongside Michigan’s 23 tribal casinos.
But internet betting has had a rockier route. It was explicitly banned in 1999, only for the law to be repealed in 2000. From then till now, there has been no ban on online gaming, but no legalization of it either, leaving MI in a gray area.
Now online sports betting is live and legal in the Great Lake State. Below is how online sports betting went from being unclear to fully legalized in a couple of years.
Online sports betting in Michigan — taxes explained
In the United States sports wagering winnings are taxed just like your normal income. For example, a resident making between $10,000 and $40,000 annually has a 12% federal tax rate. On the other hand, someone who makes over $520,000 annually has a 37% tax rate. In addition, Michigan has a 4.25% tax rate for all residents.
Only bettors’ winnings are taxed, meaning if you wager $20 to win $40 in total, your taxable winnings are $20. The bet you win back doesn’t count toward your overall winnings, state officials said.
Brick-and-mortar sports betting locations in MI
Michigan sports punters currently have access to over a dozen online betting sites. That implies that anywhere you are in the Great Lake State, you can place bets on the go or even from the comfort of your home. However, some punters may still prefer the on-site sports betting experience. Below is the list of available brick-and-mortar sports betting locations in Michigan.