Detroit often gets shade thrown it’s way, but one thing people across the country can’t deny is that Detroit is a top sports town. The Red Wings were one of the most successful NHL teams of the past two decades (they are in rebuilding mode now) and they (along with the Pistons) recently moved into the state of the art Little Caesars Arena, which I would argue is the nicest arena in the country. The Lions also play in a beautiful indoor stadium at Ford Field, while Comerica Park is also a very nice MLB ball park.
The city is doing just fine in terms of supporting their sports teams and with all of these high quality major league teams in the city the general public also seems to have taken a particular interest in sports betting.
On this page I will outline the legal questions surrounding betting on sports if you live in Detroit, while also providing a couple recommendations for online betting sites to use and touching on the land based betting locations in Detroit.
Is Sports Betting Legal in Detroit?
Yes, sports betting is legal in Detroit. Michigan legalized sports betting in December of 2019 and the first retail sportsbooks began taking bets in the state in March of 2020. The regulated online sports betting market then launched in January 2021 and there are now 13 online betting sites live in Michigan.
As a Michigan resident you also have the option to place your bets through offshore betting sites, such as the two I’ve outlined below, which are licensed and regulated outside of the USA. These sites continue to accept Detroit residents and offer an alternative to the state licensed sportsbooks. The offshore betting sites rely on their reputation, trust and experience serving bettors to continue operating their businesses.
Best Sportsbooks for Detroit Residents
The following two online sportsbooks are the most popular and trusted betting sites accepting American players.
BetOnline.ag is our top rated betting site for American players. BetOnline accepts players from around the world, but their main focus is on providing the best betting platform for American residents. This includes customizing the betting options to cater to Americans, while also offering a huge selection of deposit/withdrawal options that Americans can easily use.
Check out the reviews in the table below.
- Accepts players worldwide
- Competitive betting lines
- Fast & easy deposits and withdrawals (including Bitcoin)
Offline Sports Betting in Detroit
Land Based Casinos
Detroit is home to a variety of casinos in the downtown core. These include MGM Grand Detroit, Greektown Casino and MotorCity Casino. All three of these casinos opened sportsbooks on their properties in 2020.
MGM Grand Detroit
MGM Grand Detroit has opened the BetMGM Sports Lounge in the casino. The sportsbooks hours of operation are 9am to 12am seven days a week and features 6 betting windows and 33 self-service betting kiosks.
The sports lounge is open from 10am to 1am seven days a week and features plush seating with 60 HDTV’s to make sure you don’t miss a second of the action.
Greektown Casino
Greektown Casino has opened The Sportsbook at Greektown. The sportsbook is located on the Upper Casino level near the Grand Staircase and is open from 9 or 11am to 11pm or 1am depending on the day of the week. The sportsbook features 40 betting kiosks, 25 HDTV’s and a 30 foot video wall for the biggest games.
Major Sports Teams in Detroit
- Detroit Lions (Football – NFL)
- Detroit Pistons (Basketball – NBA)
- Detroit Red Wings (Hockey – NHL)
- Detroit Tigers (Baseball – MLB)