Visitor’s Guide to MotorCity Casino Hotel
MotorCity Casino is one of three major casino resorts in downtown Detroit. It is housed in a distinctive building, and the internal architecture and design touches include multiple references to the city’s history. MotorCity opened in 1999, and it competes with the MGM Grand and Greektown casinos.
With 2,700+ slot machines, 59 table games, poker facilities and a sportsbook, MotorCity is one of the biggest casinos in Michigan. It has partnered with FanDuel for its live sportsbook and online gambling apps. You will find a nonsmoking slots area, Lightning Link Lounge, high-limit room and multiple bars, restaurants and entertainment options at this casino. There is also a 400-room hotel, complete with spa.
This page has all the information you need to get the best from your visit to MotorCity Casino Hotel in Detroit — whether that is in person or online. You will find details of the casino games, sports betting options and rewards program below.
History of the MotorCity Casino Hotel
The distinctive building that houses MotorCity was once a bread factory. The restoration of this venue left many of the original design elements in place. This was enhanced by internal designs based on retro cars and music notes — important aspects of Detroit history. MotorCity combines these retro elements with a futuristic LED ceiling display.
MotorCity Casino opened in 1999. It was originally owned by the Mandalay Group, though is now owned by IH Gaming. This makes it the only Detroit casino that is locally owned. A partnership with the popular online gambling brand FanDuel was announced in 2020. A branded live sportsbook was opened. FanDuel provides online gambling and sports betting apps under license from MotorCity.
Slots at MotorCity Casino
There are more than 2,700 slot games at this casino. These include traditional three-reel games, five-reel slots and the latest multimedia video slots. Denominations range from 1 cent per line to $100 denomination games available in the high-limit slots lounge.
MotorCity hosts the distinctive Lightning Link Lounge. This area is dedicated to the popular Lightning Link slots from Aristocrat. There are 40 games in total, including linked progressive jackpots — which can be won at any denomination.
You will find many of the best-known slots at this casino. Here are the highlights:
- Buffalo Diamond
- 88 Fortunes
- Wheel of Fortune
- Dragon Link
- Shark Week
- Dancing Drums
- Ultimate Fire Link
- Star Watch
Progressive jackpots range from thousands of dollars through to prizes of $1 million+. You will find a list of jackpots that shows just how frequently those bigger prizes are won on the MotorCity Casino website. It is always worth checking the rules of slots with progressive jackpots before you spin. Many have minimum bet sizes for jackpot eligibility — or require you to play the maximum number of lines.
Table games at MotorCity Casino Hotel
Casino table games can be enjoyed with $5 minimums (higher at weekends) or for $1000s per hand for high-rollers. There are multiple versions of popular games like blackjack and poker-based table games.
Many of the table games at MotorCity Casino have side bets. These are optional. You can win jackpots or big multiples of your stake with the right combination of cards. Examples include the TriLux blackjack side bet and “Super 4 Progressive” for blackjack.
Here are the table games available:
- Blackjack: Variations include Spanish 21, TriLux blackjack, House Money blackjack, Super 4 Progressive blackjack and Buster blackjack.
- Roulette: The standard option uses the American wheel with two green zero segments. You can also play single zero roulette and Blaze roulette.
- Casino poker: These casino games use poker hand rankings. Variations include three card poker, Mississippi stud, Ultimate Texas Hold ’em, Criss Cross poker and pai gow.
- Other casino games: Craps has the popular “Fire Bet” option; you will also find mini-baccarat and Casino War.
MotorCity Casino poker room
The poker room at MotorCity in Detroit has 17 tables. This is a smoke-free room. You can play cash games around the clock, with tournaments running at scheduled times. The games available are Texas Hold ’em and Omaha.
Cash game players can win a bad beat jackpot. This is regularly in the six-figure range. It is awarded for qualifying quads over quads. There are also smaller high-hand jackpot prizes available.
There are deep stacked and regular tournaments available. The biggest regular tournament runs on the first Saturday of every month, with a $25,000 guaranteed prize pool and a $240 buy-in. Deep stacked tournaments, bounty events and events with smaller guarantees run throughout the week.
Sports betting at MotorCity Casino in Detroit
MotorCity has partnered with FanDuel for both retail and online sports betting. The retail sportsbook has two stories. These areas are covered with an impressive 67 HD screens. You can place bets at six betting windows — or use self-service betting screens. There is a separate VIP area.
Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday, with extended hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Online gambling options
FanDuel also provides apps and browser-based options for gambling in partnership with MotorCity Casino. You can place bets from anywhere within state lines using its sports betting app. This includes innovative options like live betting — allowing you to bet on matches while they are being played.
The FanDuel online casino includes many of the slots you will find on the floor of MotorCity Casino. There are also new titles that have been developed with online casinos in mind. Table games, video poker, keno and scratch card games are all available online.
Loyalty rewards at MotorCity Casino Hotel
You can sign up for Club Metro when you play at MotorCity Casino. This is a loyalty program that lets you track your play and receive comps. You will start off at the base level. As you collect points, you will move through the Signature, Elite and Premium levels. Rewards get better as you climb.
This program will base comps on your total spending. This includes the hotel, casino, restaurants/bars and shops within the resort. You get bonus play on slots, birthday offers, cashback and complimentary ticket offers for events and travel.
Note that the loyalty rewards via the FanDuel app are handled separately.
The hotel at MotorCity Casino
There are 400 hotel rooms available, 33 of which are suites. These are all nonsmoking. Check-in time starts at 4 p.m., with checkout before 11 a.m. The rooms have a traditional décor, featuring dark woods and cream color schemes. There is a fitness center available 24 hours a day for guests. Note that cash is not accepted at the hotel front desk.
The spa at MotorCity Casino Hotel in Michigan is a 13,000-square-foot facility. This includes private treatment rooms for massage and body treatments. You will also find saunas, a steam room and thermal whirlpool. The spa is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday and Monday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. It is not open at all on Tuesdays.
Dining at MotorCity Casino Hotel
You can choose from fine dining, casual options or a food court at MotorCity Casino. The top restaurant is called Iridescence. This venue has a four-diamond rating — the highest rated restaurant in Detroit. Iridescence is open from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, with an 11 p.m. closing time on Friday and Saturday. You can check out its extensive wine collection online.
Casual dining options are also available. You will also find a food truck. The food court includes Grand River Deli, The Lodge Diner, Little Caesars and Assembly Line (an award winning buffet).
Entertainment options
You will find a theater complex with more than 2,400 seats at MotorCity. Many of the biggest names in music have played at this venue. It was opened by local legend Anita Baker in 2008. Other notable names who have performed there are Diana Ross, Eminem and Aretha Franklin. The complex has also played host to shows and MMA fights.
Live DJs play in the themed Radio Bar. This is open from 12 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday, closing at 12:30 a.m. on the other days. Other bars provide a mix of themes and atmosphere. They include the Pit Stop, Headlights Lounge, Overdrive Lounge and Strut.
MotorCity also provides a shuttle service to big sporting events featuring the Detroit Tigers, Lions, Pistons and Red Wings.
Wrapping up: How does MotorCity Casino compare?
All of the downtown Detroit casinos are impressive resorts. MGM Grand, Greektown Casino and MotorCity are close matches when it comes to the slots, table games and sports betting available. MotorCity is located in an iconic building. The venue has also gone to a lot of effort to incorporate the history of Detroit into its design, with themed bars and restaurants, plus architecture relating to the car factories and music of the past.
There are more than 2,700 slots to choose from. You can try your luck in the Lightning Link Lounge, high roller area — or simply find your favorite titles on the casino floor. Table games include jackpot side bets, plus multiple variations of the most popular games. You can place sports bets in the new FanDuel branded sportsbook, then watch the game in a themed bar. MotorCity now offers online gambling options too — via the FanDuel casino and sports betting apps.