Online Sports Betting MI: The Best Michigan Sportsbooks for 2024

Sports Betting in Michigan
MLB Legal since: 22/01/2021
NFL Legal since: 22/01/2021
NHL Legal since: 22/01/2021
NBA Legal since: 22/01/2021

The Michigan online sports betting operators have waited patiently for more than a year starting from December 2019 before launching in the state. Now that the official permit is in effect, the best Michigan betting sites are actively looking for new customers. Let’s see what they bring to the table.

The green light on online betting in Michigan is now a fact, and the first ten operators are in fierce competition. Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Legislature had the final say on the matter, so everyone in the state above the age of 21 can bet online. Here are the best MI sportsbooks:

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Last updated: March 12, 2024

The Top Online Sportsbooks For Michigan March 2024

MI Bookmaker Welcome Bonus Bonus Code Legal In Site Rating Pros & Cons Secure Link Terms
BetMGM 100% Up To: $1,000 Risk-Free Bet
Not Required
AZ, CO, FL, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, MI, MS, NV, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY
97% Excellent
+ Numerous Sports Offers + Live Sports Betting Short Bonus Validity Bet Here! 21+. T&Cs apply.
BetRivers Up to $500 2nd chance free bet
SPORTS
AZ, CO, IN, LA, MI, NJ, NY, TN, VA
93% Excellent
+ Live Streaming + Very Low Wagering Modest Welcome Offer Bet Here! 21+. T&Cs apply.
Caesars Sport Up to $1,000 First Bet back as Bonus Bets
IGAMING1000
AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MI, NJ, NY, TN, VA, WV, WY
87% Excellent
+ Casino & Sportsbook + Caesars Rewards Long Withdrawal Times Bet Here! 21+. T&Cs apply.
WynnBET Sport Bet $100 & Get a $50 Free Bet + $50 Casino Bonus
Not Required
AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, LA, MI, NJ, NY, TN, VA, WV, WY
85% Very Good
+ Casino & Sportsbook + Regular Promos Dull Design Bet Here! 21+. T&Cs apply.
Matt Speakman, Betting Expert at online-gambling.com
Matt Speakman

Matt Speakman is a Connecticut-born and raised betting expert with a soft spot for the Patriots. He is also a proud member of the online-gambling.com team. You can read his articles on a broad range of topics, including sports betting and DFS.

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Top Michigan Betting Sites by Category

What better way to start than by listing the industry’s leaders and what their brands have to offer? In this preliminary list of the top Michigan sportsbooks we reveal their strengths without adding much detail. It’s still a useful perspective to have going forward if you want to make sense of the rest of this review.

  1. BetMGM ★ Up to $1,000 ★ Best Michigan sports betting site for NBA
  2. BetRivers ★ Up to $250 ★ Recommended MI sports betting operator for Live streams
  3. Caesars ★ Up to $1,000 First Bet back ★ Great promotions and bonuses
  4. WynnBET ★ Up to $50 ★ Nice Casino & sports betting platform

Being the versatile operators they are, it might be possible that our three Michigan sportsbooks suit more than one category. Actually, we bet you this is exactly the case. However, we leave this to you to explore. We formed the listing above based on our initial impression, feel, and analysis.

Michigan Sports Betting Rules: Available Sports and Top Leagues

Similarly to the best online gambling sites in Michigan, the best sportsbooks in the country are able to tool you up with wagering markets of all sort. The hottest ones are the NBA, the NH, NCAAF, NFL, NCAAB. Yes, you heard right – college athlete sports are also on the menu.

There are other sports on the radar of the best Michigan sportsbooks such as soccer, boxing, motorsports, alongside the pertaining to major leagues. Doing research in this regard will not go amiss, as you can only gain from exploring the full scope of sports that are priced up.

1. Baseball Betting – Major League Baseball & More

The Major League Baseball seems to be the most extensively covered baseball championship by the sites for legal sports betting in Michigan. By no stretch of the imagination is baseball the only one. There is a good number of outright bets in relation to the National League, the AL Central AL East and others.

Being a fan of the Detroit Tigers comes naturally to baseball junkies across Michigan. They are one of the big teams which often finds itself in the spotlights due to the many supporters and good results. A fixed-odds bet on the Detroit Tigers could take you a long way.

2. American Football Betting – NFL, NCAAF & and Others

It doesn’t get more American than American football. If this is the reason you’re joining, rest assured that no one will say ‘no’ to your American football bets. On the contrary – you are invited to bet on winners, player drafts, and a bunch of league-specific lines. The supported leagues are too many to enumerate, so here are just a few: NFC South, NFC West, AFC East.

The four NFL titles are something noteworthy to remember the Detroit Lions by. Whether they are a force to be reckoned with is still subject to speculation, but the unpredictability makes for tastier odds. Either way, you might want to keep your eyes peeled for the Lions’ next move when you wager.

3. Hockey Betting – NHL, KHL, Liiga, Finland

It seems the Michigan sports betting operators have a soft spot for sports like hockey. You don’t have to look for too long to find odds for the best European and American hockey leagues and events. From the popular ones that are available, we want to mention NHL, Liiga, Finland, KHL, SHL

Based out of Detroit, the Detroit Red Wings are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL) and are one of the Original Six teams of the league. They always constitute a good wager by our standards, but only if in good form.

4. Basketball Betting – NBA, NCAAB, CBA, WNBA and More

Basketball betting is another major talking point in the service of the online sports betting Michigan sites. This is a legal sports market, but more importantly, it incorporates many leagues from around the world, mainly the NBA, NCAAB, EUROLEAGUE, WNBA, CBA, BBL and the NBL.

The Detroit Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at Little Caesars Arena. The team was founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and is among the favorites of Michigan’s bettors.

5. Tennis Betting – Grand Slams, ATP 1000, WTA 1000 and More

Eliminating the possibility for a draw makes the tennis rules especially suitable for sports wagers. The best Michigan sportsbooks have specialized in bringing the excitement of the top tennis tournaments to their loyal clients. Some of the tournaments you can bet on are US Open, Wimbledon, Doha, Indian Wells Masters, Miami Open.

Some of the top players whose performance you should look forward to are big John Isner and Serena Williams. The lineup of the ATP 1000 and WTA 1000 tournaments is always very competitive. You can expect quite a lot of twists and turns from the matches where big points and prize money are on the line.

Top App for Online Sports Betting Michigan

To put it simply, our recommended platforms are both web sites and Michigan sports betting apps. The best sportsbooks in the US have not skipped a beat trying to better their mobile service. The supported devices include all post-2015 iPhone and iPad models. These are the best apps for sports betting in Michigan:

  1. BetMGM – (Best Michigan Betting App for iPhone)
  2. BetRivers – (Downloadable Betting App for Android)

No special requirements need to be addressed. You just need relatively new hardware and an operating system able to launch a simple web browser. In other words, all the latest iOS and Android devices can enable you to place wagers from within the state of Michigan. Here is our top choice for an app.

BetRivers Up to $500 2nd chance free bet
SPORTS
Live Streaming 21+. T&Cs apply.

Michigan Sportsbooks Gambling Bonus Offers and Promotions

The best part about easing into legal sports betting in Michigan is that you get entitled to a welcome bonus whichever of the top operators you may choose. Prior to becoming eligible for a bonus, you have to top up your account for the first time as a sign of genuine intentions. Here are the best Michigan betting bonuses:

MI Betting Site Bonus Offer Bonus Code Wagering Requirements Min Deposit Validity
BetMGM Up to $1000 + $25 Free Play Not Required 1x $10 7 days
BetRivers Up to $500 SPORTS 1x $10 30 days
Caesars Up to $1,000 First Bet back as Bonus Bets IGAMING1000 N/A N/A 14 days
WynnBET $50 Free Bet Not Required -120 or greater $100 72 hours

If we are to lend an ear to our expert opinion, we’d choose the deposit match bonus. It is a great deal because you get the money no matter if your first bet wins or loses. On the other hand, a risk-free bet bonus will recompense you only if your first wager loses. Here is the best Michigan sports betting bonus:

BetMGM 100% up to $1000+ $25 Free Play
Click Here
Numerous Sports Offers 21+. T&Cs apply.

Free Sports Betting with No Deposit – Are There Free Play Offers?

Unlike free bets, free play or no deposit bonuses are not designed to pay the user back but rather to give them a startup capital just for registering. This kind of generosity transcends the differences in understanding and standards, so there isn’t much to explain. You create an account, opt in and get the credit.

At the moment of writing this, we are unable to find such an offer, but stay positive there will be some in the future. All that is currently available are deposit match bonuses, free bets, and refunds, all of which pay back after you bet.

Deposits & Withdrawals at Michigan Online Betting Sites

Much like the rest of the gambling service, the payment methods of the online sports betting sites in Michigan are best characterized as ‘varied and secure’. You are sure to find familiar brand logos. Those of PayPal, Visa, MasterCard, and online banking are the most frequent ones to appear in our estimation. This is the top payment method in the MI sportsbooks.

BetMGM Up to $1000 Risk-Free First Bet
Click Here
Live Sports Betting 21+. T&Cs apply.

Transfer limits are oftentimes coordinated with the minimum amounts set by the welcome bonus conditions. In most cases, this would be $10. Deposits are instant, while withdrawals take some time due to verification and additional processing. The PayPal sports betting sites in Michigan are your best option when it comes to preserving the anonymity of your personal information.

The Best Michigan Sportsbooks with Live Sports Betting

All high-profile sportsbooks operating in the state have a live betting section. What was once an experimental feature is now in full swing, and the bettors could not be happier about it. With the live betting sites in Michigan, you can place wagers in real-time right from the get-go until the match is officially over.

Event View Mode of the Live Betting Site of BetMGM Michigan

With this very specific wagering method, it’s extremely important what you are going to bet on. There is no place for concerns there. There are tabs upon tabs of conventional and some more untraditional betting lines you could take. You can stake a wager on various spreads, the result after the first/second halves, or quarters and more.

BetRivers Up to $500 2nd chance free bet
SPORTS
Very Low Wagering 21+. T&Cs apply.

Michigan Land-Based Sportsbooks & Locations

After the ban on sports betting in Michigan was lifted, a lot of already established casinos saw an opportunity to retrofit a sportsbook. Most of the venues where sports wagers are accepted are located in Detroit. These are the most popular bookmakers and casinos in the state.

Michigan Sportsbook Casino Partner/Racetrack Launch Date
Barstool Sportsbook Greektown Casino-Hotel December 23, 2020
BetMGM MGM Grand Detroit March 11, 2020
FanDuel Sportsbook MotorCity Casino Hotel March, 2020
DraftKings May Mills Resort & Casino January 22, 2021
Dacey’s Sportsbook FireKeepers Casino Hotel June 22, 2020
Four Winds Sportsbook Four Winds Dowagiac Casino February 2021

If you need a steer as to which one of these gambling establishments to visit, we’d recommend the BetMGM sportsbook. This is a provenly solid sportsbook with the necessary experience in the field. You can’t get it wrong by paying a visit to the MGM Grand Detroit if you feel passionate about the best MI sportsbooks. However, if you would like to play a PvP game, the site with the best online poker in Michigan can always be a better alternative.

Sports Betting Law in Michigan

At present, sports betting is legal in Michigan. Governor Gretchen Whitmer made the new gambling bill HB 4916 part of the law in December 2019. After the long wait of one year, finally, the first online sportsbooks opened doors for visitors in January 2021.

The official regulator and license issuer is the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB). For one year prior to the big launch date, the MGCB had been executing a strict protocol of mandatory checks. This also falls to the lot of The Board, as well as to regulate the rest of the gambling industry.

Legal Online Sports Betting Age in Michigan

The Michigan online sports betting sites are there to inform you when you have a reason to worry about a potential gambling problem. They would have a direct link to the hotline of the MDHHS (the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services). Here are other activities that are legal only to people of the age of majority.

  • Sports Betting Age
    18 years of age grant you the right to bet on sports in Michigan
  • Drinking Age
    The legal drinking age is 21 in Michigan
  • Marijuana Age
    The legal age for the indulgence of Marijuana is 21 years

Taxes on Your Winnings: Do You Have to Pay Anything?

Since the laws of sports betting in Michigan are still being polished and renewed, it is difficult to say what potential legalization and resulting tax on winnings from sports betting could be. Currently, the Michigan Department of Treasury have set down an income tax rate of 24% on all types of gambling profits.

Benefits of Legal Sports Betting in Michigan

It doesn’t take much thinking to assume that Michigan’s legal sports betting reform set a lot in motion. How much did this notable event change, and was it for good? Holding the viewpoint of bettors, we think there are more positives to be found than negatives about MI legal betting.

Benefit Explanation
Betting Tourism As long as you are physically located in Michigan, you have the opportunity to engage in legal sports betting activities. This prospect proves quite irresistible to visitors from other states.
Tax Alleviation The income from betting taxes is allotted to education and infrastructure projects. If it weren’t for legal sports betting, those projects would have to be sponsored with tax-payer money.
Job Openings Online betting sites and sportsbook venues both need personnel to operate. The extra job opportunities are very appreciated, especially in times of financial uncertainty.
Regulated and Safe Sports Betting Now that the sports betting industry in Michigan is regulated at a state level, it will be safe to assume the best interest of MI punters is served. The Michigan Gaming Control Board goes to great lengths to assure that.
Michigan on the iGaming Map Lifting the ban on sports betting and taking all the necessary steps to build a healthy industry makes Michigan a much-desired destination for the top sportsbooks in the United States.

Those are the positive points about legal gambling as a whole, not just betting. The list of pluses isn’t exclusive to just what we could think of. It’s a popular opinion that legalizing this activity was long overdue, so on a personal level, we think there’s a whole lot of people simply enjoying the freedom to bet online.

Local History of Sports Betting

The state of Michigan has had a long history of trying to establish its own gambling industry; slowly but steadily, the course of events has moved to a state where the legalization of online sports betting was made possible. Let’s look at the major events that led up to this moment.

Michigan Sports Betting History
1933 Authorized and regulated pari-mutuel horse racing was established as one of the first legal opportunities for gambling in Michigan.
1972 State lottery and licensed bingo, raffles, charity games and millionaire parties for nonprofit/charitable purposes were permitted.
1996 Three licensed commercial casinos were authorized to be built in Detroit.
1997 The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) was formed. It was authorized after state-wide voting in 1996.
2019 The then three, licensed Detroit casinos and the 20 tribal casinos were empowered by law to offer sports betting services.
January 2021 Starting January 15, 2021, Michigan became the 15th state with fully legal online sports betting markets.

Is Online Sports Betting Legal Outside of the State?

For quite some time, players from Michigan are hoping for some new regulations and development when it comes to online sports betting. And the more we wait, the harder it becomes. The good thing is that after the fall of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, or the so-called PASPA, every state has the right to regulate the industry in a way it considers fit.

Thus, many states legalized this type of gambling and allowed their residents to bet at online sportsbooks. For example, New Jersey sports betting sites were legalized in 2018. The Garden State is significantly benefiting from gambling tax revenue.

Upcoming Regulation Changes to Be Aware Of

Michigan sports gambling is going strong, even for what seems to be a relatively short period of time. We are highly optimistic that the data gathered from January till now will set the tone for a thriving online betting industry in the state. From the looks of it, Michigan is going to compete for a spot in the top-five best-developed gaming industries in the States.

Just for the first ten days, a sports betting handle of $115.2 million was reported. We can only guess how high the numbers will go in the coming months, but we are hopeful that the upward trend will continue. There are no future changes in the agenda of the Legislature that we are aware of.

Sports Betting Guides for Nearby States

Frequently Asked Questions About Michigan Online Sports Betting

Although sports betting Michigan is completely legal now, it will be thoughtful of you to see if you are on the same page with the latest developments. We have designed our FAQ section to answer the most frequently asked questions concerning the matter of the best MI sportsbooks.

1. What is the best Michigan betting site?

There are at least three top Michigan bookies that can be considered some of the best in the state. They distinguish through a live betting feature, live streams, welcome bonus for sports fans, and the many accepted payment methods. All three are licensees of the MGCB.

2. Is sports betting legal in Michigan?

The sports betting law in Michigan fostered a rapidly developing and regulated industry. Wagers on sports are accepted both online and in physical locations that have the proper licensing job done. A short answer would be that it is 100% legal for adults to engage in gambling in all of its forms if they are located in Michigan.

3. What is the best sports betting app in Michigan?

It is normal for the legal operators in the state to have a mobile app as an extension of their online service. The best Michigan betting app has all the landmark features you will see in a world-class online bookmaker. Those include in-play wagering, special betting markets, and odds on hundreds of sporting events.

4. What sports can you bet on in Michigan?

The top MI sports to bet on include a good selection of American and European sports and leagues. Centerstage take basketball, American football, baseball, soccer, tennis, and esports. In terms of leagues, to the fore are brought the NBA, the MLB, PGA, MLS and others.

5. Is Michigan applying a sports betting tax on winnings?

Right now, gambling profits are considered taxable income within the purview of the law. While there is no specific sports betting tax in Michigan, there is an income tax rate of 24% which applies. Look forward to being provided assistance by the bookie you wagered at with paying any due taxes.

6. What is the Michigan sports betting appeal?

New Jersey was one of the first states to lead the charge towards legal gambling. Following the noteworthy sports betting appeal in 2018, states like Michigan started taking steps toward legalizing sports wagers. The benefits of a regulated online betting industry motivated that pursuit. Finally, in late 2019, Bill HB 4916 was passed and the licensing of sportsbooks started.

7. What are the sports betting locations in Michigan?

Pursuant to the law all land-based bookmakers in Michigan are located in functional licensed casinos. Some of the most popular casinos with a sportsbook you can find in Michigan are Greektown Casino-Hotel, MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino Hotel, May Mills Resort & Casino, to name a few.

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