Michigan Online Sports Betting

Sports bettors, welcome! It’s an exciting time to be a part of the industry here in Michigan and we are very happy to help you navigate it all.

Perhaps you were already aware when you arrived on this site, but you’ve found one of the best resources for sports betting in the Great Lakes State.

We have all the relevant news, updates and information about how to bet on sports in Michigan. Best of all, we have information about bonuses that all of the online sportsbooks have to offer and many of them are exclusive to our site and cannot be found elsewhere.

So, if you’re interested in sports betting in Michigan, you’ve come to the right place. Read on for all the details.

Michigan Online Sportsbooks

PointsBet Sportsbook Michigan

PointsBet offers a lot to its customers, which could be overwhelming for first-time users. However, it has all the standard types of traditional team and player prop bets, as well as the go-to bets like spreads, totals, moneylines, etc.

The wide variety of bets offered arguably makes PointsBet a winner. In addition to those traditional bets, it also has PointsBetting, a new and exciting way to bet.

PointsBetting is for bettors who want to try something new that no other sportsbook offers.

PointsBetting simply takes a spread, total or prop bet, and turns it into a variable bet that lasts until the end of the event. In this situation, the more correct bettors are, the more they win, but it works the same in reverse, too.

Bettors can place bets on a variety of sports. There are a lot of international leagues that are available, which means you can place bets on anything from the NBA to the Swedish Hockey League. PointsBet regularly updates its betting board, which allows you to bet on certain seasonal events such as the NBA trade deadline or the MLB Home Run Derby.

PointsBet is the only sportsbook to offer its own branded Mastercard. Other payment methods for deposits and withdrawals typically include ACH (e-check) or a debit/credit card. PayPal is also another feature that has recently been added.

PointsBet also has a decent app for iOS and Android devices. There are just a handful of pages, including things like terms and conditions, and they do not have any issues loading or taking too much of your time. Navigation seems to be at its best when on the app, but the desktop version works just fine, too.

PointsBet provides users with proper education. PointsBet Pulse, which is PointsBet’s blog, offers users educational content, videos, and articles that cover popular sports like football and basketball.

With this feature, PointsBet does a fairly good job of explaining how PointsBetting works, offering examples of bets, as well as educational videos with popular sports players. PointsBet also covers traditional bets, so first-time bettors will feel comfortable placing bets.

Live betting is not its strongest suit, but it will get better over time. Even though that particular menu option is a bit bland, all other aspects of PointsBet point to it being a top sportsbook.

FOX Bet Sportsbook Michigan

As the name suggests, FOX Bet is part of the same FOX Corp. media company that also broadcasts sports across the US. FOX Bet has operations for its online sportsbook in three states — Colorado, New Jersey and Pennsylvania — and is still growing.

In May 2019, FOX announced a deal with The Stars Group, a gambling company that has since been acquired by Flutter Entertainment, to launch FOX Bet.

FOX Bet has a large variety of sports to bet on — 14 or more at any given time. Within each of these sports, you will see just about every betting option that you may have been looking for.

If you are on FOX Bet’s website on your phone, you will be prompted to download the FOX Bet app prior to making an account for the first time. If you are on the desktop version on your computer, you can sign up on the website and then simply download the app later.

FOX Bet offers a ton of deposit options like PayPal and online banking, which usually are the two most reliable ways to fund your account. Some bettors prefer to use a credit or debit card, which is also an option here. Since the partnership behind FOX Bet also includes PokerStars, you have the option to deposit with your PokerStars Play+ card.

For withdrawal methods, the options are almost as large as the deposits. These options also include PayPal, at the cage of a partner casino, and even back to your PokerStars Play+ Card.

There are some other features that FOX Bet has that make it stand out in the market.

Bet Boosts: As the name sounds, Bet Boosts give you increased odds on select events each day, giving you the chance to win more money than you would have earned had the odds not been boosted. FOX Bet also has certain boosts to bets that are given by FOX Sports personalities like Colin Cowherd, Clay Travis and others.

Super Boosts: Super Boosts are the biggest bet boosts of the week. They offer even more of an advantage if you do them regularly.

Custom bets: By tweeting, you can use the hashtag #CustomBet to find your homemade proposition bet on the FOX Bet site. You can then place a wager on it.

FanDuel Sportsbook Michigan

FanDuel has been around for quite some time and was first known for its daily fantasy sports business. It has one of the best sportsbook interfaces when compared to other industry greats.

FanDuel has an extensive list of bet types for each sport it offers, which is more than a handful. It also has a large amount of daily fantasy sports options and tournaments. In addition, it has a great selection of deposit and withdrawal methods.

When you first get to the FanDuel website, you will be greeted with the option for daily fantasy sports or the sportsbook. You can toggle back and forth, but you have to create a separate account for each.

For the sportsbook, the interface could not be better. It’s easy to overlook when using other sportsbooks, but FanDuel definitely had its customers in mind when it comes to navigating, finding bets and having all the information at your fingertips.

Betting opportunities are seemingly endless. It has a variety of sports that you can bet on, and on top of that, an entire laundry list of opportunities for the betting types for each sport.

When it comes to deposit methods, FanDuel again offers a variety. For credit and debit deposits, you can most likely find your bank card or favorite credit card to use. It also offers deposit methods such as PayPal, online bank transfer and ACH (e-check).

For withdrawal methods, the options are a little bit slimmer, but it still has a handful to choose from. You will be able to see options such as ACH (e-check), a check in the mail, FanDuel prepaid card and PayPal.

When it comes to bonuses and promotions, these will vary by location. As such, it is important to check often to see what great deals or incentives are available, such as daily odds boost or deposit bonuses.

When it comes to customer service, FanDuel has a great reputation for catering to the needs of its customers. In fact, it is highly respected and trusted for its excellent customer experience.

FanDuel offers a 24/7 live chat as well as email and a toll-free phone number to contact for support any day or time of the week.

DraftKings Sportsbook Michigan

DraftKings has created one of the most appealing sports betting applications among the available mobile wagering options across the United States. In addition, it also has excellent offerings for its sports bettors such as flash bets.

Flash bets are still a newer live betting option that lets users place in-game wagers between points for a given event. DraftKings, depending on location, usually has attractive sign-up bonuses and some of the best bonus offers in conjunction with odds boosts for daily games, insurance on parlays and other features.

DraftKings’ app is highly functional and is a great experience. Although the app is user-friendly and reliably fast, DraftKings still has its desktop website for those who want to use it at home. Both the app and desktop versions have a straightforward structure, so it makes it easy to navigate.

Looking at payment methods, DraftKings users can find more options than most other sportsbooks for deposits and withdrawals. Deposit methods most used by customers are usually your bank account, credit card or PayPal.

After making a withdrawal, you can expect to have that cash in your account in a day or two, assuming there are no issues along the way. With DraftKings, it is a known brand that can be trusted and has a reliable sportsbook for registering and a variety of payment options.

DraftKings makes it a point to try to have its odds available as one of the first ones out there. With an increased market share, it can name its price, so to speak, on its odds, at times resulting in a better deal for its guests.

Michigan Retail Sportsbooks

Greektown Casino Hotel

The Greektown Casino Hotel is one of the three commercial casinos located in the city of Detroit. It is owned and operated by Penn National Gaming.

A retail sportsbook opened in March 2020, which happened to be the first day that any properties in the state were allowed to do so. The facility was always meant to be temporary, and Greektown is working to open its permanent sportsbook location under the branding of Barstool Sports thanks to a recent acquisition of the latter’s equity.

Meanwhile, Greektown is also working to launch a Barstool Sportsbook mobile app in the coming months. Given how frequently Penn National is one of the early leaders in the market of sports betting.

MGM Grand Detroit

MGM Grand Detroit is another one of the three commercial casinos in Detroit, and is owned and operated by MGM Resorts International. The casino giant has its own sportsbook brand, BetMGM, and launched the retail version of the book in March 2020.

BetMGM is already an online commodity in states, including New Jersey, Indiana and Michigan. Michigan’s population and already-in-place infrastructure means the online sportsbook’s launch in the Great Lakes State was a no-brainer.

MotorCity Casino

MotorCity Casino is the third commercial casino in Detroit, and its candidacy for the first Michigan online sports betting site to open is as strong as the other two properties. MotorCity already has a strategic partnership of its own — FanDuel — and launched its retail sportsbook just a single day later than the other two Detroit casinos.

Bay Mills Casino/Kings Club

The Bay Mills Casino and the satellite Kings Club are both owned and operated by the Bay Mills Indian Community. The two locations are located on tribal lands in Brimley in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

The tribe announced in June 2020 it had reached a partnership deal with DraftKings, the sports betting and daily fantasy sports powerhouse. The deal calls for both mobile sports betting and a retail location inside the Bay Mills Resort and Casino.

FireKeepers Casino

The FireKeepers Casino has the distinction of having opened the state’s first retail sportsbook on tribal lands. The casino, which is owned and operated by the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, opened Darcy’s Sportsbook in late June 2020.

In a somewhat unusual step, the tribe has also announced it is developing a sportsbook that will use the FireKeepers name as its brand. Its collaborator in the sportsbook’s development is perennial technology partner Scientific Games.

Gun Lake Casino

Gun Lake Casino in Wayland was one of the first tribal casinos in Michigan to announce a sports betting partnership. The casino linked with one of Pennsylvania’s largest casino locations for sports betting way back in March 2020 when it signed up with Parx Casino for both retail and online sports betting.

So far, most of the prep work seems to be focused on the retail location and Gun Lake is working to prepare a small counter for placing wagers in its Stage 131 bar area. Additionally, there will be kiosks scattered around the property to take bets.

Gun Lake seems less likely to lead the way when it comes to Michigan online sports betting, though we’ll announce any additional news as it becomes available.

Kewadin Casinos

The Sault Ste. Marie Band of Chippewa Indians, which owns the five Kewadin casino locations, has announced it has reached a deal to offer sports betting at at least some of its properties. It has partnered with gaming developer GAN and an unnamed casino operator to assist in the deal.

What is less clear is whether Kewadin is gearing up for an online launch right now. The deal with GAN calls for retail sports betting and assistance with the tribe’s online casino plan, rather than for online sports betting. Of course, all of these things could end up being folded together, so we’ll keep you informed as information comes out.

Leelanau Sands Casino/Turtle Creek Casino

The Leelanau Sands and Turtle Creek casinos will both be blessed with sports betting operations in the near future. The owner of both properties, the Grand Traverse Bay Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, recently signed a deal with sportsbook giant William Hill for both retail and online sports betting in Michigan.

The Turtle Creek Casino will soon have a fully-branded William Hill Sportsbook on site, and Leelanau Sands will have a satellite location.

Little River Casino Resort

The Little River Casino Resort is located in the northwestern portion of the lower peninsula in Manistee, just off the shoreline of Lake Michigan. At present, the casino is planning to install the River Rock Sportsbook very soon. The space for the sportsbook is already branded as the River Rock and needs only to add betting to be complete.

Little River Casino Resort, which is owned by the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, is partnered with Rush Street Interactive. Rush Street used this relationship as its method of entering the Michigan market with its BetRivers brand.

Northern Waters Casino

Northern Waters Casino is the gambling property owned and operated by the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians. It is located in the western portion of the Upper Peninsula in Watersmeet, about 10 miles from the Wisconsin state line.

Casino ownership has chosen to partner with Australian sportsbook PointsBet for its foray into the Michigan online sports betting market. PointsBet, with a novel product and a fearlessness that has propelled it to success in states like Iowa and New Jersey, and now the Wolverine State.

Odawa Casino Resorts

A quick launch from the Odawa casinos might be impossible to avoid. Few other casino properties in Michigan have signed such extensive partnerships in the last few months than the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians.

In rapid succession, the group has joined forces with the Stars Group and USBookmaking. The Stars Group, which owns FOX Bet, PokerStars Casino and PokerStars, gives the tribe the opportunity to explore debuts in all three major verticals for online gambling, including sports betting.

Meanwhile, the deal with USBookmaking is a technology partnership designed to help the casino bring the Victories Sports and Entertainment sportsbook to life at its flagship location, Odawa Casino Resort in Petoskey. With so much activity, it’s hard to believe there will be much delay coming from the folks in Petoskey and Mackinaw City.

Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort/Saganing Eagles Landing

The Soaring Eagle and the smaller Saganing Eagles Landing are both owned and operated by the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe. Both casinos are going to be recipients of sports betting kiosks very soon, according to statements from casino management.

In addition, the Creekside Lounge at Saganing Eagles Landing will be converted into a retail sportsbook at some point in the future. There’s no word about online sports betting just yet, but we will let you know when more information is available.

How does online sports betting work in Michigan?

Unless you’ve traveled to one of the few states that already has legal online sports betting, you might be a bit curious about how it’s all going to work. With so many different options hitting to hit the market, you may be wondering if you’re going to have to learn about multiple different sites and their individual operation.

Fortunately, despite the competition between them, most online sportsbooks stick to the same procedures and formats as each other. It’s just not good business to make the learning curve any steeper than it has to be. So, for the most part you can use the instructions below to access and successfully bet on sports online in Michigan.

Downloading a sportsbook app

The first thing to do will be to download a sportsbook app to your mobile device. While you may be able to access some sportsbooks through your laptops or desktops, the prevalence of smartphones and tablets makes it more likely you’ll be using one of them. To that end, we will mostly be discussing how to use the mobile platform.

If you prefer to use your personal computing device, however, it may be possible. The best thing to do is visit your sportsbook of choice through your browser, but make sure to use our exclusive link, as we often have bonuses that activate through that method only.

The vast majority of players are attempting to access mobile sportsbooks through either an Apple (iOS) or Android device. The process for getting a sportsbook app onto your phone is largely the same as it is for any other kind of app.

For iOS users (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch), you only need to click through our secure link above to access the download page for your preferred sportsbook. Look for the Apple logo there, and it will take you right to the page with the link where you can download and install.

Android users (Google, Samsung, Sony, etc.) must first set their devices to accept downloads from unknown sources. This step is necessary due to Google’s ongoing ban on gambling apps in the Google Play Store. Once you’ve set your device correctly, proceed through the link above and click the Google logo to start the .apk file download to your device. Once the file is done, make sure to install it. You may have to approve a warning from your phone, but it’s fine to do so as these apps are legal and secure.

Registering on a sportsbook app

Once you’ve downloaded the app to your device, you will need to register for an account. In almost every sportsbook, you can begin this process by pressing a prominent button right on the home screen. It usually says a word or phrase like “Register,” “Sign Up,” “Get Started” or something similar.

The button will take you to the registration page for the site. There, you will have to volunteer typical pieces of personal information in order to establish your identity with the site.

It’s a good idea to have the following details close at hand when you register:

• Name
• Email address
• Date of birth
• Mailing address
• Social Security number
• Phone number
• Choice of username
• Choice of password

Make sure to store your username and password in a secure location and do not share them with anyone. Sports betting apps require the submission of financial information most of the time, so it would be best not to allow someone to gain unauthorized access.

Make sure that you take note of any registration codes we have offered for the sportsbook you’ve chosen. On most registration forms and deposit forms, there will be an optional box to fill in with codes. You’ll want to enter the proper code there so you can take advantage of the best offers, like those available exclusively through this website.

Depositing and withdrawing

It’s exceptionally likely that you’ll be making a few deposits onto the site at some point, so it’s good to know what to expect when you do. In most cases, sports betting apps will have several different options for making a transfer of funds into your account.

The deposit page on most apps will usually have the following funding options available to you:

• Credit/debit card
• Electronic checks
• Electronic wallets (PayPal, Skrill, etc.)
• Prepaid cards
• Online bank transfers or wire transfers
• PayNearMe (via 7-Eleven)
• Cash at the casino partner’s cage

If you are inclined to use your credit card or debit card, it’s important to know about a couple of caveats. The first thing is many card issuers will not allow deposits to a gambling site. Even some big banks, like Wells Fargo, Bank of America and Chase will deny any attempts to fund your account.

Even if your bank does allow you to make those kinds of deposits, be aware it is likely to consider the transaction to be a cash advance against your card. Make sure to take a look at the cash advance fees that apply, as they can be quite steep in some cases.

For withdrawals, they are mostly completed through the same procedure as depositing. You are likely to be able to use the same method, although you should verify that’s the case before you pull the trigger.

Note: Be sure to read up on how winnings are taxed.

Bonuses

As mentioned earlier, you may have the opportunity to enter a bonus code in a box either on the registration page or the deposit page. Don’t miss out on extra dollars or perks, especially if you’re just getting started — most sportsbooks’ best bonus offers are for new players.

You may see several types of bonuses as you play, and the following types of bonuses are common on sportsbook apps:

• No-deposit
• Deposit/match/reload
• Cashback/insurance
• Bonus bets
• Odds boosts
• Loyalty programs

Each type of bonus varies in terms of how it rewards you. In most cases, it doesn’t hurt to opt in for an offer. However, make sure to take note of the bonus’ playthrough requirement. This condition may call for you to play an extraordinary amount in a short period of time, and may restrict your ability to realize the bonus until you do.

Placing a bet

Now that you’ve downloaded, registered and made your deposit, you’re ready to play. No matter which sportsbook you’ve chosen, the lobby layout will mostly be the same.

So, you can typically find the list of sports the book has available for betting in a column on the left-hand side of your display. The most popular sports are usually listed automatically, but you can find the complete list at the bottom.

In the middle of the display, you will usually find the featured bets that the sportsbook wants you to see. Any big events, odds boosts or other popular wagers will also usually show up here.

On the right, you will usually find your betslip. This slip will auto-populate with your selections as you go.

Betting on a sportsbook app is fairly self-explanatory. You simply press the button next to the bet you wish to make. If you want to do a combination bet, those options usually show up on the betslip itself.

One feature that may appear on your betslip is the Cash Out option. It will present itself after your bet’s game is underway, and it usually only appears if your bet appears to be going well.

The Cash Out option is a way for the sportsbook to settle a wager early for a smaller payout amount. While it may seem silly to accept less money than your advertised payout, bear in mind that Cash Out ends the wager and puts money in your hand even if your bet ends up turning south after you’ve selected to take the option. So, if you’re feeling nervous about your team holding the lead or the teams keeping their scoring going at the same pace, Cash Out might be just what you need.

For more information, read our full guide on how to bet on sports in Michigan.

Types of bets

One thing you will notice as you’re playing is the sheer variety of wagers you have at your disposal. A clear advantage online sportsbooks have over retail versions are some of the types of bets that simply are not possible in a live setting.

Typical bet types that you will find online include:

• Point spreads
• Moneylines
• Totals (Over/unders)
• Futures
• Propositions
• Parlays

All of these types are not unique to online play and you will find them at most live sportsbooks.

There is a type of bet you will usually only find online — the live bet. A live bet is a type of proposition wager that occurs after the game or match is already in progress.

Because of how quickly the action moves in most sporting events, the live bet requires an exceptional amount of technology and speed to execute proficiently. The modern online sportsbook can usually do it, though, and live betting has quickly become one of the most popular ways to wager.

Because of the popularity of these wager types, and the easy access to the technology to wager with, live bets now exist regarding the outcome of microevents throughout a match, up to and including the resolution of single plays.

Because there are so many more opportunities, players now have the ability to make more than 100 wagers over the course of a single game. Players like this, of course, but so do the sportsbooks.

That’s not to say live betting is a bad thing, but rather that you accelerate the frequency of both good and bad outcomes when you wager more frequently.

Top sports betting events in Michigan

You may be wondering what types of sports you’ll be able to bet in Michigan. The short answer is almost any sport under the sun, including golf and tennis, is available for your wager. The only major disallowed category is high school sports, but there’s nowhere in the country that you can legally wager on athletes below the age of 18, anyway.

In terms of betting volume, however, a few sports stand out as incredibly popular and big favorites for the betting public.

Here are some of the most popular sports for sports bettors in Michigan:

Football

In terms of sports betting, few sports have the consistent pull that football does. Most American sportsbooks time their debuts and launches to coincide with the NFL season for a reason.

Obviously, the biggest sports betting day in the United States is the Super Bowl. The championship game between the winners of the AFC and NFC draws billions of dollars in wagers each year, and those figures are just from bets that we hear about. It’s one of the biggest games for placing prop bets.

Otherwise, both regular-season and playoff games in the NFL are big business. Similarly, Michiganders will have plenty of opportunities to bet on the Wolverines, the Spartans or whatever college football team they favor during the same timeframe.

Soccer

Although soccer does not have the same pull in the US as some of the other sports, there’s no denying that “football” is the most popular sport in the world overall. In fact, betting on the World Cup final actually exceeds wagering on the Super Bowl each year, so it’s clear there are a lot of interested people.

Michigan sportsbooks have soccer matches from around the world available for wagering. All the top leagues like the English Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, Bundesliga and MLS will have multiple betting opportunities for each game, regardless of the teams involved.

In addition, because soccer is so widespread, there’s rarely a time a soccer match is not available for a bet, regardless of the time of year.

Basketball

Basketball is a popular sport for wagering in the US because of its immense popularity to fans. Even casual fans are usually able to name several players on NBA teams, and the league’s games always draw eyeballs.

However, basketball’s biggest event for betting is not an NBA event at all. The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, better known as March Madness, is where the real money in basketball is.

The sheer number of available games and the unpredictability of their outcomes means betting on the Big Dance is guaranteed to be exciting, which makes its popularity no surprise.

Baseball

Baseball remains America’s pastime, even as the culture and times change. So, it’s not a shock that baseball is an extremely popular sport for wagering in the US. The breadth of statistics and measures surrounding the game gives sports bettors and sportsbooks plenty of aspects of the game on which to bet.

One of the biggest reasons that baseball is such an excellent focus for one’s betting is because of the length of the season. Major League Baseball compels each of its teams to play a whopping 162 games every season, so there are literally months of games bettors can use for their wagering purposes.

Of course, the most prominent draw for baseball bettors is the World Series. The Fall Classic, which pits the two best teams from the season against each other and determines the World champion, is steeped in tradition and prestige and always draws a mountain of wagers each year.

Boxing

Despite the rise of mixed martial arts, boxing remains one of the most-wagered sports in all of the world. The sweet science still maintains a certain level of mystique, and bettors want to be able to put money on the next big thing.

Boxing is also a year-round sport without an offseason, and there’s a fight happening every single weekend. Bettors who do their homework can always find something of interest.

Horse Racing

Finally, even though its heyday has passed, horse racing remains a huge draw for betting dollars. Tracks around the country offer the opportunity for both live and simulcast racing, and each race has dozens of betting options available.

One of the biggest sports betting days of the year surrounds a horse race, actually. The Kentucky Derby, which is horse racing’s most prestigious event, draws betting numbers in excess of $200 million — and that’s just a single race.

So, even though the “sport of kings” does not have the luster of yesteryear, you can always find a way to bet the ponies in Michigan.