Sports betting has been legal in Michigan since last March. But to do that, you had to go to an actual casino that offered a sportsbook.
But a new era of sports gambling dawns for casual and hard-core bettors alike as online gambling and sports betting officially kicks off Friday in the state. Nine sites will go live at noon, meaning you'll be able to bet from the comfort of your own home - either on your desktop or phone.
Their apps will be available to download quickly and you'll be able to legally bet on anything from this weekend's NFL playoffs to Bulgarian soccer, rugby, cricket, darts, drone racing and much more.
Veteran gamblers have already been doing this for years, whether using offshore sites, such as Bovada or BetOnline, or going old school and having a bookie. But legalized mobile betting means Michiganders won't have to pay pesky international fees to their bank or an additional fee to the website for each deposit. Or drive to Indiana or Illinois to use legal betting mobile apps.
If you've decided it's time to dip your toes into world of sports betting, You may also like: scan tool. here's an idea of what you're getting into.
Yes. You must be 21 years old to participate in sports betting in Michigan.
No. Much like a trip to Las Vegas or Atlantic City casinos, if you are within the state borders you can use the online sites/apps to place bets. So if you live in Ohio or Wisconsin, you can simply drive to Michigan and bet on your phone.
"What's great about our app is that it travels with you from state-to-state," said Johnny Avello, the director of race and sportsbook at DraftKings. "There are probably people adjacent to Michigan who are going to want to participate and don't have sports wagering, who will drive to Michigan and sign up and make their wager, go home and continue to do that when they want to make a wager."
The sportsbooks will vary in the number of bets they offer for each sport, so if your interest lies in tennis or auto racing, or even more obscure sports such as drone racing or gaming, be sure to find the sportsbook that best fits your interests. You can download those apps before signing up and see what's offered, plus you can get a feel for each app's functionality and see what you like.
A uniquely qualified expert in the sports betting world is Dan Kilbridge, an East Lansing and Michigan State graduate - and former Lansing State Journal staffer - who now works as a betting writer and handicapper for Bookies.com.
"Definitely look at multiple options before you make a deposit," Kilbridge said. "If you're really into tennis and you see that the book you're looking at doesn't have a lot of tennis lines, go find something else because there will be a book with every tennis bet that you can imagine."
If you're looking specifically for ease-of-use when it comes to apps, Kilbridge recommends DraftKings or FanDuel.
"Those are both really easy to use and geared toward user-friendly experiences," Kilbridge said.
While all these sportsbooks are paired with what Avello calls "brick-and-mortar" casinos, he expects 99 percent of all bets placed in Michigan to take place online once it goes live Friday.
Every book will offer you a sign-up promo, and you should take advantage. Although read the fine print first - some sites won't let new users withdraw their winnings right away.
For example, DraftKings will have two "double-your-money" promos for new users:
Those are $25 maximum bets, so when you bet and win both (which you will), you're basically getting a free $50 when you sign up.
"All these sportsbooks have first-time sign-up bonuses and incentives, and often they'll match your deposits. You essentially double your money right from the start," Kilbridge said. "If you can spread (your money) around, you can basically take advantage of those offers at every sportsbook."
FanDuel's sign-up offer is $100 in free bets ($50 on sports, $50 on casino).
PointsBet's sign-up offer is also unique. If you place a bet of $25 or more on the Pistons to win Friday vs. Houston, you'll receive $1 in Free Bets for every point the Pistons score. So i...

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