Best Michigan sports betting sites: Top MI sportsbooks in 2023

talkSPORT

10 August 2023

Best Michigan sports betting sites: Top MI sportsbooks in 2023

The sports betting scene in Michigan is one of the best in the US. The state legalized sports betting in March 2020, and online gambling followed the following year. Today, there are more than a dozen top sportsbooks to choose from, including some of the leading names in the industry.

If you’re in the Great Lakes State and want to start betting on sports, we’ve got you covered. This page contains everything you need to know to get involved, including details on which are the best sites, the types of betting options available, bonuses, and lots more. Let’s go.

⭐ Top online sportsbooks in Michigan

DraftKings - Bet $5, get $150 in bonus bets instantly
BetMGM - Get up to $1,000 in bonus bets, if you don't win
BetRivers - 2nd chance bet of up to $500
WynnBet - Bet $100 & get $50 bet credit and $50 casino bonus

⚖️ The legality of Michigan sports betting

Yes. Sports betting has been legal in Michigan since March 2020, and online gambling followed in January 2021.

The story of legal gambling started in May 2018, when the Supreme Court removed the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. PASPA was essentially a federal ban on sports betting, and when it was removed each state in the US was free to introduce legislation to legalize sports betting if they wished.

In fact, lawmakers in Michigan had been preparing behind the scenes in anticipation of PASPA being removed. The groundwork for a bill was already in place, although when it reached Gov. Rick Snyder in 2018 it was vetoed. The debate continued until a new bill called the Lawful Sports Betting Act was passed and signed into law by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2019.

By 2023, a total of more than $9 billion had been handled in sports betting wagers in Michigan.

📋 What do I need to create an online Michigan sports betting account?

The process for creating an account with a Michigan sportsbook is both fast and simple. It's in the interests of the betting site to make it as easy as possible to get people set up to bet with just a few clicks, and that’s pretty much exactly how it works.

To register, you’ll need to provide the site with some fairly basic personal info, which you can see below:

Name
Date of birth
Address
Phone number
Username and password

This is enough to get your account set up, but you’ll also need to verify all the identifying details you provided. Normally, this means sending the sportsbook a copy of your driver’s license or passport, which the customer support team checks manually.

When you’re signing up you might also see a space to type in a bonus code, which can be used to trigger a welcome bonus. All Michigan sportsbooks offer special offers for signing up, like deposit bonuses or risk-free bets. You can check out our reviews for the latest promo codes.

🏈 Popular types of sports betting in Michigan

Michigan sportsbooks have a full menu of sports bets available, with options for everyone from absolute beginners to veteran bettors and sharps.

We’ve listed some of the most popular betting formats below.

Moneyline

Betting on the moneyline is the easiest way to bet. It’s simply a forecast of which side you think will win a single game or match. The payouts are determined by the odds, which the sportsbook sets by deciding which team they think is more likely to win, along with a premium factored in so they make money.

Here’s how it might look:

Boston Celtics -200
Chicago Bulls +162.5

Here, the Celtics are the favorite. If you bet $10 on them, you would stand to win $5. The Bulls are the underdogs, and a $10 bet on them would win $16.20.

Point spread

Betting on the spread is a little like betting on a side with a built-in head start or a handicap in a single game. Here’s how it works: the sportsbook sets a line that they think represents a likely margin of victory for the favorites, taking into account each team's quality. You can then bet on either team against that margin (the spread), normally at odds of around -110. Here’s an example:

Boston Celtics -5 -110
Chicago Bulls +5 -115

This means that to win your bet on the Celtics, not only would they have to win the match but they would need to do so by 6 points or more. On the other hand, if you bet on the Bulls all they need to do for you to win is avoid losing by 5 points or more.

Totals

A totals bet is all about the overall number of points or goals scored in a game. The sportsbook sets a line and you simply choose whether you think it will be over or under that amount. Again, the odds are normally around -110. Here’s how it might look:

Boston Celtics v Chicago Bulls

Over 227.5 -110
Under 227.5 -115

Parlay

A parlay or accumulator is a combination bet, where you combine multiple bets on a single betslip. To win, you need all your selections to be correct. The odds are determined by multiplying the odds of the individual legs together (depending on whether the outcomes affect each other). They tend to be harder to hit but often come with attractive payouts.

Teaser

A teaser is a type of parlay where you combine two or more different bets while also changing the spread in your favor. In this sense, it’s safer than a parlay - but the odds you receive reflect this. It’s most popular in the NFL and NBA.

Consider these two lines:

Boston Celtics -5 -110
Chicago Bulls +5 -115

and

LA Lakers +8 -110
Golden State Warriors -8 -110

Say you like the Celtics in the bet above, but think the -5 spread is a little steep. Similarly, you think the eight point spread in favor of the Lakers is overly generous. You could tease the bets and move the Celtics’ spread to -1 (NBA teasers normally move by 4 points) and the Lakers to +4.

To win your bet, both teams must win against the new spread.

Futures

Betting on an outcome that takes place some time in the future, normally with several variables in play, is known as a futures bet. They are often placed at the start of a season or competition, but not always. Betting on the winner of a Conference, the Super Bowl winner or a team to make the playoffs are examples of futures bets.

Live betting

Just like it sounds, live betting involves betting on games as they happen. The odds and betting options change second by second, depending on what's happening in the game - so you need to move fast and be decisive. Mobile betting makes a lot of sense for live betting, since it’s easy to whip out your phone while watching a game, whether actually live at the stadium or at home on your couch.

Player and team props

Prop bets are bets on specific things that happen in a game, including the performance of players and teams. It’s a more granular and technical way to bet, and might even have a fairly negligible effect on the actual outcome of the event. Examples include betting on rushing yards in the NFL for either a player or the whole team, layups in the NBA, or how many shots on target a soccer player will have.

🏀 What kind of sports can I bet on in Michigan?

There are no major restrictions on sports betting in Michigan. In fact, as a rule of thumb, we would say if you can think of a major sport chances are you’ll be able to bet on it in some capacity.

The exception is high school sports, which are not legal to bet on. You also generally can’t bet on entertainment events, although you can bet on the Oscars.

NCAA Football
WNBA
NCAA Football
NHL
NCAA Hockey
MLB
NCAA Baseball
Soccer (Premier League, MLS, International, Champions League, etc.)
Golf
Basketball
Tennis
Boxing
UFC/MMA
Motorsports
Table Tennis
Lacrosse
Australian Rules
Badminton
Billiards
Bowling
Chess
Cricket
Curling
Cycling
Darts
Esports
Field Hockey
Floorball
Handball
Horse Racing
Netball
Rugby League
Rugby Union
Snooker
Volleyball
Winter Sports

📱 Is mobile sports betting legal in Michigan?

Yes. Mobile sports betting arrived in Michigan in January 2021, almost a year after legal sports betting first arrived in the state. Since then it’s been full steam ahead for online betting: all the sportsbooks in the state have mobile platforms and anyone can use them provided they are physically located in the state when they place the bet.

👉 👍

🤔 How do I know which Michigan sportsbooks I can trust?

No matter which state or even country you are in, you should only ever bet with legal and regulated sportsbooks. In Michigan, this means choosing platforms that have been licensed by the Michigan Gaming Control Board.

The MGCB is the organization tasked with regulating the legal sports betting industry in the state. They monitor all the online platforms to make sure they are treating their customers fairly and adhering to state laws.

All the sportsbooks we’ve recommended on this page are licensed by the MGCB.

You might find unregulated offshore sites that are happy to accept Michigan-based bettors, but these kinds of platforms are very risky. They operate in a legal gray area, which means there’s not really anything to stop them from simply taking your money and disappearing.

Which sites have the best Michigan sportsbook betting?

It depends. Just like different types of sports, all sportsbooks have their own qualities that will be more attractive to some types of bettors than others.

BetRivers is one of the only sportsbooks with a dedicated rewards program designed for sports bettors (rather than exclusively for online casino games). DraftKingshas a huge range of bets and sports available.

It’s up to you to choose a sportsbook that makes sense for you, although you can check out our reviews to help you along the way.

Is there a rollover to withdraw winnings in Michigan?

If you receive a Michigan sports betting bonus, chances are there will be some terms and conditions attached which might include rollover requirements. For example, say you sign up for a site that doubles your first $50 deposit, so you start with $100.

You won’t be able to withdraw this money without first using it to bet, normally at specific odds. This makes sense - otherwise, sportsbooks would basically be giving away free money, which isn’t a very sustainable business model.

Outside of money accrued from bonuses, there are no special rollover conditions in Michigan. Anything you win is yours to withdraw.

💵 Do I have to pay taxes on my winnings from Michigan sports betting?

It’s a little complicated.

From a legal perspective gambling winnings are considered taxable income, which includes a flat rate of 4.25% plus additional charges depending on your overall income. It’s up to you to keep track of all your gambling wins and losses and declare them at the end of the year, with the rest of your taxes.

That said, there isn’t really any method used by the IRS to track the individual gambling records of individuals - it’s entirely up to you.

The exception is with bigger gambling wins (more than 30x your stake and over $5,000), which trigger a 24% withholding tax applied by the sportsbook.

Top 5 Michigan sports teams to bet on

In every state, local favorites always attract a lot of bets, and it’s no different in Michigan. The Great Lake State has four teams in the major leagues, all based out of Detroit, and lots of other big sports teams from a variety of sports in various smaller leagues.

Detroit Lions - It’s been a tough couple of years for Lions fans, with the franchise failing to make the playoffs since 2016 and finishing last in the NFC North division in 2021 with a record of 3-13-1. There have been some green shoots of late. However, with a much improved 2022 campaign that saw the Lions just miss out on the playoffs with a 9-8 record. Expect more bets to flow in if that upward trend continues.
Detroit Red Wings - The Red Wings are of the most successful NHL teams in history, sitting third in the list of all time Stanley Cup wins. Sadly, it’s a different story more recently, with the Red Wings currently in a run of seven consecutive seasons without making the playoffs.
Detroit Tigers - it’s been a tough few years for the Tigers too, finishing last in the AL Central division in both 2019 and 2020 and going eight years without a playoffs appearance.
Detroit Pistons - It’s not a good time to be a Pistons fan. They finished the 2022/23 season dead last in their Conference, with the worst overall season in the NBA at 17-65, the second worst season in their history. Unsurprisingly, it proved to be the last season under head coach Dwane Casey, with the Pistons hoping to bounce back with a new coach later in 2023.
Michigan Wolverines/Michigan State Spartans - NCAA sports are very popular in Michigan, with both the Wolverines and the Spartans attracting a lot of bets across a variety of sports.