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.
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.
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.
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
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 and basketball across the country. 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. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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