Seven can be a lucky number in the gambling world. Sevens on a slot machine are typically good. A seven on a come out roll in craps is an automatic winner. Of course, a seven on a blackjack table can mean a reluctant stand on a 17 and a seven after the come out roll in craps is bad. Unless you are playing the dark side.
Seven gambling bills were previously presented to the Michigan legislature regarding the prospects of legalized sports betting in the state. Seven gambling bills were previously rejected. The eighth is now pending. For now, sports betting is not legal in Michigan.
Difference of opinion with licensing fees and tax rates are holding up the process. The state wants the money, it just wants more of it than what has been proposed to this point in time. Eventually, the Governor and the legislature will come to an agreement, but that time has not come yet.
We’re talking about a big territory and a big population to not have legalized sports betting. Michigan is the 11th-biggest state in the country and ranks 10th in population. More than half of Michigan’s population resides in the Detroit metro area. That presents a problem for the state because Detroit is close to Ohio and Indiana. One has legal sports betting and one does not. The potential loss of revenue from citizens close enough to go over the border to bet has to be a driving force behind any pending legislation.
Checkout Our Legal Indiana Sportsbooks
So far, it hasn’t been enough, but with legal sports betting in Indiana, the process could be expedited a little bit. Ohio is moving at an even slower pace than Michigan, but things could change quickly on that front, so Michigan needs to get moving.
After all, there are 26 Native American casinos and three commercial casinos across the state. All three commercial casinos are in Detroit, with Motor City Casino, MGM Grand, and Greektown. MGM is already an established brand in the sports betting space with its BetMGM app and its presence in Las Vegas.
With most of the population near Detroit and around those three major casinos, it could take some time for online sports betting to become a reality in the state, but it should only be a matter of time before some form of wagering is allowed. But, who has time to wait?!
Can I Bet on Sports in Michigan?
Because sports betting is not legal in Michigan, the short answer is no. The long answer is that you can leave the state and bet in Indiana. You can also bet in Iowa if you want to make that drive. Pennsylvania and West Virginia are also within driving distance.
How does it work to bet on sports in Indiana if you don’t live in Indiana? It’s pretty simple, really. Technology is a beautiful thing and all of the sportsbook apps are equipped with geolocation tracking. They know when you are in a locale where betting is legal, much like Indiana.
BetRivers and DraftKings were the first Indiana sports betting apps to take mobile wagers beginning on October 3, 2019. DraftKings, a household name because of its presence in the daily fantasy sports world, has a tremendous reputation across the industry and is a name sure to resonate with Michiganders. All it takes is going across the border into Indiana, downloading the app, signing up for an account, and getting it funded.
The app is easy to get on Apple because it is right in the App Store. For Android, the process involves going to the DraftKings website to download the app because the Google Play Store currently blocks gambling apps. Still, it’s a mild inconvenience in exchange for a whole hell of a lot of convenience by being able to bet from anywhere in the state of Indiana. Check out our DraftKings review to find out more!
Brick-and-mortar casinos are always an option in Indiana, but maybe you live too far to make the drive with regularity. By downloading an app like DraftKings, you just simply have to get into the state to the point where the geolocation tracking picks up where you are.
How’s this for some irony? Representative Brandt Iden, the primary supporter of Michigan’s sports betting bills, went across the border into Indiana to – and here’s the ironic part – MICHIGAN CITY, Indiana to place bets on football in the fall of 2019. So easy a politician can do it.
No word on if he downloaded the DraftKings app to make it easier, but still.
Michiganders should eventually be able to stay within the state and bet, likely with any number of the sports betting apps that out there. For right now, they can’t, unless they travel out of state to do it. Fortunately, it isn’t that bad of a trip.
