Last updated on: March 8th, 2024

Legal Michigan Sports Betting

Legal Michigan sports betting has been active for many years through local and offshore betting options. Michigan opened its brick-and-mortar sportsbooks in March of 2020. Afterward, local sports betting sites in MI launched but legal online sports betting sites that accept Michigan bettors have been around since well before both of them. Continue reading to learn more about Michigan sports betting laws and where to bet on sports in Michigan.

  • Even with the regulated market launch, legal sports betting sites like Bovada are still available in Michigan.
  • Michigan is one of the largest sports betting markets in the US, as the government receives tax money from local sportsbooks.
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#1

Bovada Sportsbook

Bovada – The Best Legal Michigan Book

Bovada is the top legal sportsbook in Michigan. With so many different ways to wager, you can find things at Bovada that regulated books in MI won’t touch. This include wagers on politics, television, and markets like Motor City Cruise odds. There are a lot of options to bet online in Michigan. But it only makes sense that legal Michigan sports betting begins with Bovada.

Rating: 5 Star Rating

  • Highly Regarded Sportsbook
  • Excellent Prop Builder Tool
  • Thousands Of Wagers Available
  • Live Betting For In Game Wagers
  • Mobile Betting On Phone

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#2

BetOnline Sportsbook

One Of The Biggest Selectons Of Sports To Bet On

BetOnline is one of the best Michigan sports betting sites that are legal, with extremely sharp odds making it one of the most popular online sportsbooks around. It’s a great sportsbook to have access to even if you aren’t going to use it as a primary, as their odds make them a good sportsbook for line shopping in MI as well.

Rating: 5 Star Rating

  • Reliable Banking Methods
  • Strong Server Connection
  • 10+ Year Track Record
  • Huge Assortment Of Odds
  • No App Mobile Betting

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#3

MyBookie Sportsbook

Giving Hawaiians Their Best Bets

MyBookie is a sportsbook built around providing as many sports betting options to their customers as possible. You can wager on a large variety of subjects at MyBookie, and they routinely have more odds and more wagers than their competitors. Definitely a good option for MI sports betting.

Ratings: 5 Star Rating

  • Huge Player Bonuses
  • Consistent Odds
  • Easy Interface
  • Rapid Live Betting
  • Legal In Michigan

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#4

SportsBetting Sportsbook

Cryptocurrency Accepting Sportsbook

SportsBetting is a great sports betting site in Michigan, and it is one of the better line shopping options available in the state. You can wager on a large variety of subjects at SportsBetting, and this allows you to line shop on nearly anything when you use SportsBetting as a secondary sportsbook. As one of the best legal sports betting sites that allow MI residents, it is worth checking out. 

Ratings: 5 Star Rating

  • Efficient Site Layout
  • Full Mobile Betting Suite
  • Available Customer Service
  • Trustworthy Banking Options
  • Fast Payout Times

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#5

XBet Sportsbook

Great Odds And Fast Payouts

XBet is a great online sportsbook for players in Michigan to use, and they have a ton of great options for MI sports bettors to take advantage of. You can even use XBet to place wagers that regulated books in MI won’t offer, such as bets on political elections, movies and pop culture. This makes XBet a great betting option in MI.

Ratings: 5 Star Rating

  • Worry-free Legal Betting
  • Exclusive Bonus Offers
  • Constantly Updated Odds
  • Premier User Experience
  • Full Mobile + Live Betting

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Michigan Sports Betting And Gambling Laws

HB 4916 was passed in December 2019 and regulates​ both retail and online sports betting. Michigan offers a good variety of casinos and even a live horse racing track with a built-in sportsbook. Even before regulating sports betting, Michigan had some of the loosest gambling laws in the USA and its new sports betting laws are extremely favorable both to sportsbooks and consumers. The fees and taxes associated with operating legal Michigan sports betting are very light compared to other states. Even with the lax laws, many wonder if sites like Bovada are legal in MI. Luckily, these international online sportsbooks are outside the jurisdiction of US law and are legal to use in Michigan.

Bet on the Detroit Lions at Bovada Sportsbook

Where is Sports Betting Legal?

Bovada NBA Betting

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NFL Betting at BetOnline

Michigan’s Sports Betting Timeline

9/20/2022 – Michigan sports betting operators report more than $150 million made in August.
2/28/2022 – Problem gambling spiked in Michigan, with calls up 200%
12/23/2021 – Michigan passes SB 764 after it is signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The bill allows for a gambling losses tax deduction on federal taxes.
11/20/2021 – 90% of Michigan’s gambling revenue in the month of October came from online sports betting.
4/21/2021 – Online sports betting comprised 93.7% of all wagers placed in the month of March, dominating March Madness.
1/22/2021 – Ten mobile sportsbooks go live in Michigan, transforming the face of the Michigan ganbling industry forever.
12/11/2020 – The Michigan Gaming Control Board has awarded 15 sports betting licenses.
10/13/2020 – Michigan has finalized the draft online sportsbook rules and regulations that will govern its nascent online sportsbook industry.
5/7/2020 – Michigan will now allow mobile sportsbooks to apply for horse race betting licenses in MI.
3/10/2020 – The Michigan Gaming Control Board approves sports betting at the three casinos in Detroit.
12/20/2019 – Michigan has officially approved sports betting.
12/12/2019 – Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has a bill to approve sports betting on her desk.
12/10/2019 – HB 4916, a bill to regulate sports betting, has passed out of a Senate committee and will see a floor vote.
10/31/2019 – The Michigan House of Representatives has passed MI HB 4916, which would regulate sports betting in MI.

What Is The Legal Sports Betting Age In Michigan?

Legal Michigan sports betting has a 21 and up age requirement. Legal sports betting sites that take Michigan players allow them to be 18+ but it’s usually best to follow the state’s legal sports betting age on this to remain on the safe side of the law.

Can I Bet Real Money On Sports In Michigan?

People have bet real money on sports in Michigan for years through online outlets and have more recently been able to do it at casinos. There are land-based sportsbooks, mobile sports betting applications, and legal internet sports wagering platforms that offer real money sports betting in Michigan.

Bovada Sportsbook

What Teams Can I Bet On?

Michigan is a lucky state because of their strong athletic teams in different sports. Detroit is a hub for powerful professional athletics and has strong Division I teams. Whether using sports betting sites in MI betting or commercial apps, the number of teams to bet on in Michigan is expansive. Everyone will have odds on the Pistons or Lions. But the online betting sites will cover odds on all Michigan teams.

Popular Michigan Teams

Detroit Lions (NFL) Detroit Tigers (MLB) Detroit Red Wings (NHL)
Detroit Pistons (NBA) Central Michigan Chippewas (Mid-American-D1) Detroit Mercy Titans (Horizon-D1)
Eastern Michigan Eagles (Mid-American-D1) Michigan Wolverines (Big Ten-D1) Michigan State Spartans (Big Ten-D1)
Oakland Golden Grizzlies (Horizon-D1) Western Michigan Broncos (Mid-American-D1) Davenport Panthers (GLIAC-D2)
Ferris State Bulldogs (GLIAC-D2) Grand Valley State Lakers (GLIAC-D2) Hillsdale Chargers (Great Midwest-D2)
Lake Superior State Lakers (GLIAC-D2) Michigan Tech Huskies (GLIAC-D2) Northern Michigan Wildcats (GLIAC-D2)
Northwood Timberwolves (GLIAC-D2) Saginaw Valley State Cardinals (GLIAC-D2) Wayne State Warriors (GLIAC-D2)
Adrian Bulldogs (Michigan-D3) Albion Britons (Michigan-D3) Alma Scots (Michigan-D3)
Calvin Knights (Michigan-D3) Finlandia Lions (C2C-D3) Hope Flying Dutchmen and Flying Dutch (Michigan-D3)
Kalamazoo Hornets (Michigan-D3) Olivet Comets (Michigan-D3)

Legal Sports Betting Sites Taking Bets On The Detroit Lions

For the first time in a long time, the Detroit Lions will enter an NFL season with odds that put them in the top half of teams in the NFL. Their +2500 preseason odds to win Super Bowl 58 mean that expectations on the Lions are higher than they’ve ever been. The Lions missed the playoffs in the 2022-23 season, but they only did so by the thinnest of margins. They’ve missed the playoffs every year since 2016, so it’s very odd to see them as a potentially dominant force in the NFC North and not at the bottom of legal NFL betting sites.

Betting On The Michigan Wolverines And Michigan State Spartans

Betting on college football is one the biggest topics of discussion in Michigan, being that both the Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State Spartans have been consistently good over the past decade. As such, there are a plethora of sports betting sites in MI that take action on both teams. This can take the form of player prop betting, betting on game lines, placing futures, and much more. Check out Bovada if you want to find the best local college football betting lines for the 2023-24 season.

Bet on the Michigan Wolverines at Bovada Sportsbook

Mobile Betting Apps In Michigan

Michigan has plenty of options for mobile sports betting as both legal sports betting sites and regulated mobile sports apps are available to residents. There are several active mobile sportsbooks that have partnerships with the 12 local tribes and three commercial casinos. The 12 tribes operate 23 tribal casinos across the state. There are currently 15 active mobile sports betting apps in Michigan.

Barstool Sportsbook

Barstool Sportsbook is a joint venture between Barstool Sports and Penn National Gaming. A newer sportsbook in name only, Penn National is a sportsbook company with a serious amount of pedigree, and so there are Barstool Sportsbook operations across the US. It’s a solid book, but does not distinguish itself beyond the name and branding.

BetMGM Sportsbook

BetMGM is another regulated sportsbook operated by a true industry giant. In this case, it operates as a subsidiary of MGM Resorts. It’s a very solid sportsbook for MI bettors to use, and in terms of odds offered, one of the better options in the state.

BetRivers Sportsbook

BetRivers is a growing sportsbook that focuses on providing good bonuses to customers in order to keep growing and attain market share. This makes them an enticing alternative to use if you’re a Michigan better looking to make your bankroll go farther.

Caesars Sportsbook

Caesars Sportsbook is focused mostly on their advertising blitz as far as their customer acquisition strategy. Their bonuses are good, but more or less in line with the market, and their odds are solid as well. Their app is well designed, and worth a mention as one of the easier to use apps in MI.

DraftKings Sportsbook

DraftKings is one of the leading sportsbooks in America, and it’s not surprising to find it as one of the leading sportsbooks in Michigan as well. DraftKings is a dominant daily fantasy provider, and you can access their DFS options in MI in addition to their sports betting options, making them a unique package of sports wagering.

FanDuel Sportsbook

FanDuel, much like DraftKings, is one of the largest sportsbooks in both America and Michigan. The difference is that FanDuel is number one, while DraftKings is usually number two. FanDuel also offers daily fantasy, but has been the number one sportsbook in America for years now, thanks to solid bonuses and a great mobile app.

FireKeepers Sportsbook

FireKeepers Sportsbook, partnered with the FireKeepers Casino Hotel, has been in operation since July 2021. It’s more of a local operation than many of the larger sportsbooks in the state, and has a decent reputation as such. They also offer online casino gameplay.

Four Winds Sportsbook

Four Winds is another sportsbook that is more locally operated than any of the major conglomerate sportsbooks in Michigan. Operated by one of Michigan’s Native American tribes, Four Winds offers a touch of home to Michigan bettors. One should be wary of hometown bias at sportsbooks like Four Winds, however.

Fox Bet Sportsbook

Fox Bet is one of the major conglomerates that runs sports betting in a multitude of states that casino like FireKeepers and Four Winds are contrasted against. Owned by FOX, they have an astonishing amount of money behind them. Sometimes, this translates into great bonuses, so they’re worth keeping an eye on in MI.

Golden Nugget Sportsbook

Golden Nugget Sportsbook is a solid sports betting option for players in Michigan to use. Like other regulated books in MI, you can’t bet on politics or entertainment wagering, but you should be able to find basically anything else when you wager with Golden Nugget Sportsbook.

Gun Lake Sportsbook

Gun Lake Sportsbook is another of the more locally operated online sports betting options available in Michigan. As with most regulated books, be aware of potential hometown hero effects, and keep an offshore sportsbook around to compare lines to when it comes to wagering on local teams.

PointsBet Sportsbook

PointsBet Sportsbook is one of the better online sportsbooks in Michigan in terms of functionality – they offer good odds, good wager variety, and good bonuses. Their app is quite reasonable, and they perform the function of a sportsbook very well, there just aren’t many bells and whistles with PointsBet in MI.

TwinSpires Sportsbook

TwinSpires is a famous online sportsbook operated by horse race betting company TwinSpires. Unfortunately, parent company Churchill Downs Inc. is shutting down TwinSpires’ sports betting options, and as such we cannot recommend it to bettors in MI.

WynnBET Sportsbook

WynnBET is a great online sportsbook for players in Michigan to use, and a sportsbook that provides a ton of utility in terms of bonuses and wagering option for MI players. You can find a lot of different wagers at WynnBET, and their bonuses tend to be either in line with or better than the market.

Michigan Retail Sports Betting Locations 

Bay Mills Sportsbook

Bay Mills Resort And Casinos – yes, casinos plural – lives up to the name by featuring two casinos on the property, as well as a great sportsbook built in partnership with DraftKings. This is currently the only sportsbook in Michigan partnered with DraftKings, and it’s one of the better places to wager in MI.

Four Winds Casino Sportsbook

Four Winds casino operates several locations in the state, and the one in Buffalo features 18 betting kiosks. This sportsbook is operated by Kambi, which has a poor reputation among sharp bettors for limiting sharp accounts.

Four Winds Hartford Sportsbook

Players in Hartford can visit the Four Winds casino in Hartford to wager on sports, or plan their bets on the app and then place them at the sportsbook. Both options are viable, and depend on whether you want to travel, and how much you care about sportsbook ambience.

Four Winds Dowagiac Sportsbook

The Four Winds Dowagiac is a retail casino that operates a sportsbook in partnership with Kambi. In order to wager at the sportsbook, you can use the betting kiosks that they have set up, as well as their app.

FireKeepers Casino Sportsbook

The first tribal casino to open a sportsbook, FireKeepers Casino and Hotel features the Dacey’s Sportsbook, and also features online sports betting if you want to access their odds from the comfort of your home. Their sportsbook is quite good, whether you use it online or in person.

Sportsbook at Greektown Casino Hotel

Greektown Casino partnered with Barstool Sportsbook in order to open a Barstool Sportsbook location on their premises. You can also wager on Barstool Sportsbook when you want to play online.

Gun Lake Casino

Gun Lake Casino, operated by the Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians Of Michigan, opened their sportsbook in October 2021. Available online in the form of Play Gun Lake, you can access Gun Lake’s sportsbook at their retail location as well.

Kewadin Casino Sportsbook – Sault Ste. Marie

The sports betting options at the Kewadin Casino Sault Ste. Marie are focused on kiosks that are located in multiple lounges in the casino. As the effective home base of the Kewadin Casino brand, the sports betting options here are quite solid, as are the casino options.

Kewadin Casino Sportsbook – Christmas

Like the other partnerships between WynnBET and Kewadin Casinos, this one has resulted in sports betting kiosks, in this case located near food and drinks, in the Kewadin Casino Christmas. It’s a convenient location within the casino, and you can have a lot of fun wagering on sports here.

Kewadin Casino Sportsbook – Hessel

The partnership between WynnBET and the Kewadin Casino brand has yielded similar results at most Kewadin Casinos – kiosk based sports betting options that can allow local bettors and casino-goers to wager on sports. For sports bettors specifically, the WynnBET app is also available.

Kewadin Casino Sportsbook – Manistique

The Kewadin Casino Manistique made a deal with WynnBET to acquire betting kiosks for visitors to their retail property. In addition, WynnBET’s app – one of the better ones for regulated books – is available to bettors across the state of Michigan.

Kewadin Casino Sportsbook – St. Ignace

Kewadin Casino St. Ignace partnered with WynnBet in order to offer sports betting kiosks at this location. You can play at the kiosks, but you can also access online sports betting with WynnBet via their online app.

Leelanau Sands Casino & Lodge

The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, who operated Leelanau Sands Lodge And Casino, teamed up with Caesars to open the Onyx Sportsbook at this location. Since the odds are provided by Caesars Sportsbook, it will likely look very similar to their online sportsbook in terms of odds at any given time.

Little River Casino & Resort

Little River Casino And Resort partnered with BetRivers, operated by Rush Street Interactive, in order to open the River Rock Sportsbook on location. It’s a very solid book, with an online option available in the form of the BetRivers app for those who do not wish to travel to the Casino itself in order to wager.

BetMGM Sports Lounge – Detroit

The MGM Grand Detroit is one of the biggest casinos in the state, and it’s not a surprise that they partnered with BetMGM to open their on-site sportsbook. Featuring a fully equipped sports betting lounge, it’s one of the best places to bet on sports in the entire state, even if it’s not as convenient as online sports betting.

MotorCity Casino Hotel

FanDuel and MotorCity Casino partnered in order to provide sports betting to Detroit residents in the form of a FanDuel Sportsbook on location. This deal also allowed FanDuel to open their online sportsbook, which can be wagered on as well. Motor City features more than 2,800 slots in addition to sports betting.

Northern Waters Casino Resort Sportsbook

Northern Water Casino Resort offers sports betting in the form of PointsBet kiosks that are available for visitors to the casino. You can also wager on PointsBet online via their app, which is available across Michigan.

Odawa Casino Mackinaw City

This legal Michigan sports betting location is more in name than in practice, as the Odawa Casino Mackinaw City does not have a sportsbook proper, but instead offers kiosk-based sports betting. If it is the closest option to you, it can still be a reliable retail sportsbook in practice. Another option is to look into Minneapolis sportsbooks.

Also Visit: Odawa Casino Sportsbook – Petoskey

Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel

A joint venture between Caesars Sportsbook and the Grand Traverse Band Of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, the Onyx Sportsbook at Turtle Creek Casino and Hotel is one of the better options for any sports bettor in Michigan to use. Sports betting sites in MI are also available, which may be more convenient for some.

Horse Racing Betting In Michigan

Although Michigan only has one horse race track in the state, it offers live horse racing. There are no slots available though. Michigan can go to the horse race track and bet on the races that are going on. A better option for them is to go to offshore sites like BetOnline to enjoy the races there. Not only can bettors enjoy races in Michigan online, but they can also watch and partake in horse race betting happening all over the country. They can make straight or exotic bets as well. The best way for locals to enjoy horse races is to go online and check out the online racebooks.

Daily Fantasy Sports In Michigan

Daily fantasy sports (DFS) is legal in Michigan. There are no laws that prevent DFS sites like DraftKings and FanDuel from operating in Michigan. There are two bills that were up for legislation, MI S 461 and bill MI S 462 Both bills would have regulated DFS in Michigan. Regulating DFS doesn’t mean that DFS is currently against the law in Michigan though it’s just a way for state Congress to keep DFS sites in check. Right now, DFS players can take part in many different contests across a large number of sports, like baseball and basketball.

Legal Michigan Sports Betting FAQs

Where Is The Best Place To Bet On Sports In Michigan?

With multiple mobile applications available for download, brick-and-mortar sportsbooks at casinos in the state, and legal internet sports betting websites, all three outlets could be named the best place to bet on sports in Michigan. It depends on what the preference of the sports bettor is as well as which platform is offering the better lines for the wagers that a gambler wants to place.

Can I Bet On Sports With My Friends In Michigan?

Yes, anyone in Michigan can wager on sports while watching the games with their friends. No law in the state says that Michiganders cannot bet on sports matchups with one another.