Online Sports Betting in Michigan
Published: | Updated:Having launched legal sports betting in 2021, Michigan has quickly become one of the larger markets in the US. Purely based on revenue and the sheer number of sports betting apps available (12+), Michigan is a popular spot for action.
What sports can you bet on?
All major sports and leagues are available for betting in Michigan. In-state college betting is permitted. The precise list is as follows: NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, NCAAF (College Football, NCAAB (College Basketball), and College Ice Hockey.
Facts about Michigan sports betting:
- Michigan first officially legalized sports betting in December 2019.
- The online launch took place in January 2021.
- In the first 10 days of legal online wagering, bettors placed over $100M in wagers.
- Michigan sportsbooks set a record for monthly handles in December 2021. More than $514M was wagered.
- To legally bet on sports in Michigan, you must be 21+.
- There’s no residency requirement for sports betting, but you must be within state lines to place bets.
- Key league and team personnel may not wager on their own sports.
Online Gamblers have compiled a list of legal sites offering sports betting. Each operator is licensed and regulated by The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB), which makes sure sports betting sites follow the same regulations. Choose a site and register now!
Most popular sports (to watch) in Michigan
Michigan has five professional sports teams, each featuring a diehard fanbase. While it certainly isn’t a requirement to have a professional team in-state, it does help build momentum for sports betting markets. All of Michigan’s pro teams play in the Detroit metropolitan area.
Michigan also features a smattering of college teams, most of whom we will cover below as well.
The Detroit Lions
The Lions are one of four NFL teams to never play in a Super Bowl, and they’re the only one in the NFC. They actually have the second-longest championship drought in the NFL. They’ve also only made the playoffs three times… this century.
Despite all of that, their fanbase unfailingly supports a team best known for losing. Whereas fans of other teams get rewarded for their support with W’s in the win column, the Lions fanbase continues its wait for that elusive successful playoff run.
The Detroit Pistons
The Pistons and the Red Wings are partners with PointsBet Michigan, so sports betting has already found its way to Little Caesars Arena (where they play). The Pistons are a blue-collar team in a blue-collar town. Working hard and playing team basketball is what makes the Pistons (historically) the pride of Detroit.
With three NBA championships on their resume, the Pistons have a measure of success that the Lions do not. They won back-to-back titles in 1989 and 1990, led by the “Bad Boys” – Isiah Thomas, Dennis Rodman, and Bill Laimbeer. They also won a title in 2004 as an underdog team featuring Chauncey Billups, Richard “Rip” Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Rasheed Wallace, and Ben Wallace.
The Detroit Tigers
The Tigers have been with Detroit (as the Tigers) longer than any other American League (AL) team has been with their respective city. Beginning in 1901 as one of eight charter franchises, the Tigers are as closely tied to Detroit as a baseball team can get. They are four-time World Series champions, with the last victory coming in 1984.
The Tigers have also played in 11 World Series, most recently in 2012 (where they were swept by the San Francisco Giants).
The Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings are one of the most popular NHL teams – having won the Stanley Cup 11 different times, most recently in 2008. That’s the most of any US-based NHL franchise and third most overall behind Canadian franchises in Montreal and Toronto.
The Red Wings are a tradition-oriented team, from octopus throwing to belting “Don’t Stop Believing.” There’s a reason why Detroit is known to NHL fans as “Hockeytown.” For you film buffs, Ferris Bueller’s buddy Cameron is also notable for wearing a Detroit Red Wings jersey in Chicago (a cardinal sin in the Windy City).
The Michigan Wolverines
The Wolverines are one of the two major Michigan colleges known for athletics, the other being the Michigan State Spartans. Everything about the Wolverines screams tradition and history – having the winningest program in college football history to being the school where the Fab Five plied their trade in basketball.
The Wolverines also play their games at The Big House – the largest stadium in the U.S., with a capacity for over 107,000 people.
All of this ignores another sport, which is ice hockey. The Wolverines are the best collegiate hockey program in the US – winning nine national championships, more than any other program. Though their most recent championship came in 1998, records are records.
The Michigan State Spartans
The Spartans may not have the national prestige of the Wolverines, but they were formidable in their own right in the 50s and 60s, winning six college football national championships. The Spartans are better known for their basketball prowess. They previously won a national championship in 1979 – an iconic game against Indiana State featuring two future NBA Hall of Famers (Magic Johnson on the Spartans and Larry Bird on the Indiana State Sycamores). That game remains the most-watched college basketball game in history.
Not to be entirely outdone by Michigan Wolverines ice hockey, the Spartans have claimed three national championships, including a more recent victory in 2007.
The Eastern Michigan Eagles
Only people from Michigan and diehard college sports fans know about these next teams, but the Eagles are … something to behold. They’ve finished undefeated in football five times in the history of their school, even once holding opponents scoreless (in 1943), but they’ve also gone winless eight times in school history.
In basketball, the Eagles don’t shine often, but when they show up – they’re there to play! In 1972, the Eagles reached the Division II Final Four in their only ever appearance, led by future Hall of Fame George “The Iceman” Gervin.
The Western Michigan Broncos
The Broncos have played football in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) since 1948 and have won just four conference titles. They’re perhaps best known for becoming the first MCA team to play in the Cotton Bowl in 2017 after an undefeated regular season (13-0). That team was best known for the play of star wide receiver (and current New York Jets wideout) Corey Davis, who finished his career with an NCAA Division 1 record 5,285 receiving yards. He was originally selected by the Tennessee Titans with the fifth overall pick of the first round, making him the highest draft selection from Western Michigan University.
With only two NCAA tournament wins, the Broncos compete in basketball, but that’s about all you might be able to say about that team – having won their conference six times total.
The Central Michigan Chippewas
The Chippewas are statistically the best football program of the three Directional Michigan schools. They actually won a National Championship (Division II) back in 1974 and have played in 12 bowl games, winning three of them. Most recently, they had not one but two players selected in the 2022 NFL Draft – offensive guard Luke Goedeke and offensive tackle Bernhard Raimann.
Central Michigan also plays in the Mid-American Conference for basketball, which they’ve won seven times. They’ve also been part of an NCAA tournament upset team, beating Creighton in 2003 as an 11th-seeded Chippewas squad.
Most Popular Michigan Athletes (Current)
DET Pistons Point Guard: Cade Cunningham; DET Lions Wide Receiver: Amon-Ra St. Brown; DET Lions EDGE Rusher: Aidan Hutchinson; DET Red Wings Center: Dylan Larkin; DET Tigers Infielder: Miguel Cabrera; Michigan Wolverines Running Back: Blake Corum.
Most Popular Michigan Athletes (Ever)
DET Pistons Point Guard: Isiah Thomas; DET Pistons Center: Ben Wallace; DET Lions Running Back: Barry Sanders; DET Lions Wide Receiver: Calvin “Megatron” Johnson; DET Red Wings Center: Steve Yzerman; DET Red Wings Defenseman: Nicklas Lidstrom; DET Red Wings Center: Henrik Zetterberg; DET Red Wings Defenseman: Chris Chelios; DET Red Wings Center: Pavel Datsyuk; DET Red Wings Right Wing: Gordie “Mr. Hockey” Howe; DET Tigers Center Fielder: Ty Cobb; DET Tigers Infielder: Miguel Cabrera.
MI residents and visitors can legally gamble at the age of eighteen. However, local Michigan casinos require players to be at least 21 or risk violating Michigan state law.
Since there is no federal law against betting online, gambling online is legal in the US.
Yes, the state of Michigan and the Michigan Gaming Control Board has permitted legal online sports wagering and Casino.
