The MGM Grand Detroit opened on July 29, 1999, and became the first ever Las Vegas-style destination to open in a major metropolitan area outside Nevada. This casino has more than 3,500 slots and electronic gaming machines, and nearly 150 table games. There is also a hotel with luxury rooms and suites, restaurants endorsed by celebrity chefs and 30,000 feet of meeting and convention space. The MGM Grand Detroit employs 3,000 staff.
This guide to the casino starts by detailing the history of the site, before moving on to look at the slots, table games and sports betting on offer. Next up, the rewards program is explained, before looking at entertainment options, including the nightlife, the restaurants, and the hotel.
Until the middle of the 1990s, casino gambling on non-Native American land was banned in Michigan. However, the Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act was passed via a voter referendum in 1996. With permission now granted, work started immediately on the MGM Grand, with the casino doors opening just two and a half years after that all-important vote. The opening was a lavish ceremony where fireworks lit the night sky, with stars such as Kid Rock and Ashanti present.
The casino was first hosted at a temporary site, until the Michigan Gaming Control Board approved plans for a permanent casino in December 2005. The current site opened on October 3, 2007. It features more than 100,000 square feet of gaming space, 401 hotel rooms and extensive conference facilities. The entertainment center features some of the best and biggest names in comedy, music and sports.
With 3,500 slots and electronic table games, video poker consoles, the choice of games at MGM Grand is the biggest anywhere in Michigan. The newest games on the casino floor include the popular James Bond slots and Rakin’ Bacon. These games join classic 3-reel slots, and popular video slots from game providers including Aristocrat, IGT, WMS and more. Here are some of the highlights:
If you are looking for a specific slot and are not sure whether they have it, you can send a message to the casino on Facebook and they will let you know if it is in the casino. MGM keeps up with the newest releases from all the major providers. You will find an extensive list of new upcoming games on their website.
Jackpot hunters will enjoy the MGM Grand Detroit. Many larger wins, even 5-figure-plus ones, are highlighted on their website. Prizes go much higher, with linked progressives paying life-changing money on a regular basis. Head to the two “Clear” gaming parlors for smoke-free gaming and access to 170 slots.
Alongside the slots, there are around 100 video poker gaming machines, including a collection of Super Star Poker games. These terminals allow you to access a selection of poker, blackjack, keno and video slots from a single screen.
There are nearly 150 table games at the MGM Grand Detroit. All of the favorites are there, whether you enjoy roulette, blackjack, or casino poker-based table games.
Here is a list of the popular table games:
The Super 4 Progressive Jackpot is the biggest side bet in the casino (and in fact, in the whole of Detroit). If the dealer has blackjack, combine their cards with your two cards and if the resulting combination qualifies for a listed prize – you are in the money.
You can enjoy the table games in locations such as the Party Pit, where you can enjoy blackjack tables with an upbeat, party atmosphere. There is also an Axis Pit, where you can also enjoy live entertainment. Enter “Crystal Clear,” the smoke-free gaming area, the first non-smoking table gaming in the state, where you can enjoy baccarat, single zero roulette and blackjack.
You can enjoy sports betting at the Bet MGM Sports Lounge. This sportsbook is open daily between 9 a.m. and 1.30 a.m. It opened in 2020, following the legalization of sports betting in Michigan at the end of 2019.
There are both comfortable armchairs and high-top seating arranged around the lounge with more than 60 HDTVs to ensure the action is constant throughout the day and night. As well as 14 self-service betting kiosks, there are also six betting windows for that personal touch.
14 bar-top video poker machines can also be enjoyed in the lounge. This bar features a selection of craft cocktails and craft local beer.
The Premier Poker Room at the MGM Grand Detroit features 21 tables and is open around the clock. In the poker room you can enjoy No Limit Texas Hold’em (most of the tables feature this format), Limit Texas Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha. While the poker action is ongoing you can also enjoy local and national sporting action at one of the 11 large screen TVs in the room.
The majority of the action in the poker room is at the cash game tables. Bounty Hold’em poker tournaments take place on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday, where you can take a prize every time you eliminate an opponent.
There are a number of promotions available for poker players on site, including the following:
Players can download the Bravo Live poker app, where you can keep up with the current live action and tournaments at the MGM Grand Detroit, as well as promotions and more.
Players at the MGM Grand Detroit can sign up for the Mlife rewards program. As part of this program, you can earn reward points every time you play a slot, enjoy video poker or head to the tables or poker room. You will also earn points every time you book a hotel room, enjoy entertainment, and eat at a restaurant at any MGM property.
As a member of the program, you can also enjoy exclusive free play promotions. Slide your Mlife Rewards card into your favorite slot to see your current free play balance.
There are four tiers to the Mlife Rewards Program, each offering a wider range of exclusive benefits. You start at Sapphire level, while Pearl, Gold and Platinum levels can be reached by hitting points goals. The highest level – “Noir” – is by invitation only.
Benefits from the Mlife rewards program include the following:
Entertainment takes place in three different areas of the MGM Grand Detroit:
There are five different restaurants at the MGM Grand Detroit:
This venue also features a 400-room hotel. It is the only hotel in Detroit to receive both AAA Four Diamond and Forbes Four Star Awards. Standard rooms at the hotel are relatively spacious, starting at a minimum of 510 square feet. In-room amenities include flat-screen TVs, leather sitting chairs, marble showers with dual shower heads, Keurig coffeemakers, work desks and complimentary bottled water.
The Immerse Spa, for those staying at the hotel, includes eight treatment rooms. The fitness center features cardio machines, strength-training equipment, and free weights. As part of the hotel there is 30,000 square feet of event space, most of which is taken up by the Grand Ballroom. Three conference rooms and two boardrooms offer flexible approaches for all businesses. Weddings can be hosted at the hotel for up to 1,200 guests.
A recent announcement has seen sports betting now offered at the MGM Grand Detroit.
“Michigan is home to some of the nation’s most enthusiastic sports fans. MGM Resorts and Roar Digital are excited to be opening BetMGM Sports Lounge at MGM Grand Detroit in time for college basketball’s tournament season,” said Scott Butera, president of interactive gaming for MGM Resorts.
BetMGM is the marquee betting app from Roar Digital, the joint venture between MGM Resorts and GVC Holdings.
Party Poker is the poker provider for online gaming at the MGM Grand Detroit. The company, famously one of the largest poker sites on the planet, already had a presence in New Jersey and has now made the move into Michigan.
To enjoy the online gambling options, you do not have to be a resident of Michigan, though you have to be within state lines to gamble for real money.
With more than 3,500 slots and 150 table games, the MGM Grand Detroit is an imposing casino presence in the city. The luxury hotel, the entertainment, the array of restaurants and the events center all combine to create what is considered by many to be the ultimate entertainment and hotel destination in Michigan.