Michigan sportsbooks ready to double down with Super Bowl bets

EMMETT TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — By the time the final whistle blows on Super Bowl LVII, sportsbooks across Michigan will handle more than $50 million in bets, one organization estimates.

According to Play Michigan, the Mitten State is expected to handle more than $53 million in bets related to Sunday’s game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs — the eighth highest total in the country.

Nevada is far and away the top handler, with an estimated $176 million expected, followed by New York, New Jersey, Illinois and Ohio.

Online sports betting became legal in Michigan in January 2021 so many sportsbooks weren’t licensed and live in the state for Super Bowl LV and the event brought in just $25 million in bets. That number doubled to $50 million for the Super Bowl last year.

Play Michigan’s Drew Ellis expects Super Bowl LVII to hold the biggest haul yet for Michigan, but not by much.

“This year, running true with the projections that Michigan is hitting a sports betting plateau, the projection of $53.7 million would be just a 7.4% increase,” Ellis said. “Projections are not exact, of course, and anything 10% above or below that number would be within expectations.

Ellis believes Michigan sportsbooks saw a bloated number in 2022 because of some added local appeal with longtime Detroit Lion Matthew Stafford leading the Los Angeles Rams to a Super Bowl win.

Super Bowl Sunday is typically the biggest gambling day for sportsbooks. Jim Wise, the vice president of sports and online gaming for FireKeepers Casino and Hotel near Battle Creek, says his team is ready.

“There’s no doubt that the Super Bowl, as a single day event, is beyond everything else that we do during the year,” Wise told News 8. “The first day of March Madness, the NCAA tournament where there’s games from noon to midnight going on cumulatively, that’s huge, but probably still not as big as the Super Bowl.”

Wise hopes to see a big crowd on Sunday but for the sportsbook, the bulk of the action happens online.

“There’s a line posted within minutes and people begin to wager on it immediately,” Wise said.

Bets roll in every day leading up to Super Bowl Sunday, not only on the outcome of the game, but also dozens of prop bets — everything from which team will win the coin toss to how long the national anthem performance will take or which color of Gatorade will be dumped on the winning coach.

Wise estimates FireKeepers has more than 100 different prop bets in play. Bettors can use online apps or can come watch the big game and place their bets in person at Dacey’s Sportsbook inside the casino.

“You can come in and get seats on the main floor or on our mezzanine and you can run back and forth to our 16 betting kiosks or to our in-person staff and make as many wagers as your heart desires,” Wise said. “It is a great environment and a lot of fans screaming one way or the other.”