Michigan’s Newly Legal Sports Betting, and Where to Sign Up

Updated February 9, 2023
Updated February 9, 2023By Chris Boline

At the start of 2021, Michigan took a bold step: the legalization of sports betting finally came into effect. Although approved over a year ago, the government has taken its time to approve the online betting sites available for Michigan bettors.

An Early and Striking Success

While online sports betting has only been approved, regulated, and taxed by the state of Michigan for a short amount of time, it has already proven to be incredibly successful. 

At noon on January 29th, Michiganders were at the ready, their smartphones in their hands, ready to place their first bets. The launch was either conveniently or strategically timed to coincide with the end of the National Football League Postseason and Super Bowl. The Super Bowl always brings in tons of fun bets. They get really creative, especially at the best NFL betting sites.

The opening weeks have gone very smoothly. This is in part due to the pre-downloads available to bettors in Michigan. This helped free up the servers to handle the massive traffic they were expecting between the big UFC fight and the NFL Championship games.  Having more betting sites available only means that you should be more aware of strategies and how to make the best bets. Check out our list of best UFC betting sites so you can make sure you’re getting the best deals when you’re betting on the UFC. 

While official figures from the opening weekend in terms of revenue are not available, we do have indirect evidence of a massive haul. According to GeoComply, more than 7.5 million transactions were processed across 400,000 accounts on online sports betting sites in Michigan and Virginia. 

However, we can assume most of this traffic came from Michigan. Virginia only launched with two operators, while Michigan launched with ten. Michigan is also about 20% more populous, suggesting that a majority of the transactions were from Michigan bettors. We will know the details soon. 

Michigan Sportsbooks

There are currently ten official state-licensed online sportsbooks in Michigan. Five others have been pre-approved. Sportsbooks raced to get their approval in on time so that they could be there for the launch.  

However, you have nothing to worry about because you can rest easy in our hands. We have tested betting sites available in Michigan and laid out the best ones. We always use our signature review process to test out bonuses, betting markets, and customer service. 

Other States and their Legalization Process

The legal patchwork of online sports betting in the United States can appear confusing to some. But we have done our research and laid out the best sports betting sites by state. 

No need to worry. If you find it in your state’s list, you can bet there, they will be a great overall sportsbook, and will have plenty of odds that are the most important to residents of your state. 

About the Author

Chris Boline
Chris Boline

As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football in the Mountain West Conference, and basketball. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones.

Read Chris's Profile

Ask Chris about this guide:

Email Twitter