11 Things Every Michigan Online Casino Player Needs To Know

Michigan online casinos are incredibly popular.

That’s evident by the amount of money they’re bringing in each month, which is starting to consistently eclipse $150 million.

But at just over 2 years old, online casinos in Michigan are still relatively new in the grand scheme of things. They can also be intimidating for some, or, in some cases, not trusted by those who prefer a brick and mortar casino setting. That’s fine. Everyone has their preferences.

But to help those that are curious or hesitant, here are 10 things you need to know about Michigan online casinos.

There are 15 Michigan online casinos

If it feels like we’re a broken record on this, that’s because we are. But there is some differing, and false, information out there that states to the contrary, and we want to set the record straight.

So, let us repeat again: there are 15 online casinos in Michigan.

Here they are:

• Golden Nugget Casino
• Caesars Casino
• BetMGM Casino
• DraftKings Casino
• FanDuel Casino
• WynnBET Casino
• PokerStars Casino
• BetRivers Casino
• PointsBet Casino
• FireKeepers iCasino
• PlayGunLake Casino
• Four Winds Casino
• Barstool Casino
• Eagle Casino & Sports
• SI Casino

BetMGM Michigan has historically had the biggest jackpot payouts

Michigan online casinos paid out at least four jackpots of more than $1 million in 2022. And those are just what were reported to us.

All four of those came from BetMGM Michigan:

• $2,475,934 on Bison Fury, March 3
• $2,293,880 on MGM Grand Millions, Sept. 9
• $1,565,482 on Bison Fury, Nov. 20
• $1,329,947 on Bison Fury, March 27

BetMGM has a massive progressive jackpot library, and is far and away the leader when it comes to Michigan online casino revenue. So it’s no surprise that it’s consistently providing the largest payouts.

In fact, eight of the top 10 reported payouts in 2022 were won at BetMGM. In a bit of a shock, the other two came from FireKeepers ($750K) and Four Winds ($507,331).

Most bonuses have playthrough requirements before you can withdraw

It’s great to see money you didn’t deposit in your account. But it can be frustrating for a first-time player to find they can’t withdraw it. And not just right away, but after they’ve used it to bet.

That’s because of playthrough requirements, which are connected to nearly every online casino bonus in Michigan.

A playthrough requirement equals how many times you’ll have to wager the amount of that bonus before you can withdraw it. So if it’s a 10x playthrough requirement on a bonus of $20, you’ll need to wager $200 before you can withdraw. That doesn’t mean you have to lose $200, just bet it.

Also, make sure to look at time limits on playthroughs, as most require you to hit the playthrough in a set amount of time.

Basically, just pay close attention.

BetMGM has the most games of any Michigan online casino

The state’s biggest online casino is BetMGM, and that’s true when it comes to number of customers, revenue and games offered.

As of May, BetMGM featured more than 2,100 slot games and 150 table games — including live dealer. It’s library dwarfs its competitors, which all have vast libraries themselves.

DraftKings Casino offers more than 630 games, while even a smaller operator like Eagle Casino & Sports has more than 600.

Starmania has the highest RTP of slots at Michigan online casinos

While many online casino players are looking for the major progressive jackpots available at Michigan online casinos, some just want the pleasure of winning more often.

That’s where return to player, or RTP, comes into play. Michigan online casino games have to come with an RTP rating, which represents the amount of many bet on the game that will be returned to players over time.

This fluctuates as the games are played, obviously, but as of this writing the online slot game with the highest RTP at Michigan online casinos is Starmania, which can be found at most of them.

Does that mean you’re most likely to win money playing Starmania? Not exactly. It just means it’s paying out a higher percentage over its lifetime than other games.

So, yes, RTP can be instructive. But do not use it as a crystal ball.

Live dealer games are actually live people dealing in real time

If you’ve been on the fence about trusting an online casino, live dealer games might be the perfect bridge.

All 15 of Michigan’s online casinos have live dealer games, with the latest being live dealer craps. Blackjack remains the most popular live dealer game.

With live dealer games, you are watching a real person — who is in a studio, likely right in Southfield — actually deal your cards, or spin the roulette wheel in real time. It’s kind of like being in a casino on Zoom, but they can’t see or hear you.

You can earn reward points through Michigan online casinos

Like their in-person counterparts, Michigan online casinos offer rewards programs to create customer loyalty. And, with many of them, you can use those points both online and in-person.

For bigger brands, such as Caesars, Wynn and MGM, that means online casino play can lead to hotel stays and perks at resorts around the country.

Each online casino has their own point system, but the general rule is that the more you bet, the more points you earn. Lower tier rewards include bonus bets or bonus dollars, while high rollers can cash in for all-expenses paid trips.

The best part is that most of these rewards programs will enroll you automatically, so you won’t miss out.

All Michigan online casino games must go through testing to ensure fairness

Anyone who played in a casino, either in-person or online, has hit a cold streak. That doesn’t mean the game is rigged against you.

And while it can be easy to draw that conclusion when you are playing against a computer and cannot see the mechanism behind it, Michigan online casino games are not rigged. Before any game can go to market, it must be rigorously tested and meet the requirements set by the Michigan Gaming Control Board.

You can try Michigan online casino games for free

While the thrill of winning money is definitely what brings people to an online casino in Michigan, you can try out most of the games for free before you play them.

Many games have a demo mode both on the app or on your desktop computer that allow you to get comfortable before wagering real money. Or, maybe you just enjoy playing for fun.

You can set limits on your online casino play

Michigan online casinos offer responsible gambling tools that allow players to police themselves, if necessary.

You can set time, betting, loss or deposit limits on yourself, if necessary. You can also time yourself out, which stops you from gambling, making deposits or getting promotional emails for a set amount of time.

There is also the option to place yourself on a permanent operator self-exclusion list.

To find these tools, visit your account on your app or site of choice, and visit the responsible gaming tab.

If you, or someone you know, has or is developing a gambling disorder, please call the problem gambling helpline at 1-800-270-7117.

Michigan online casino tax revenue funds education, first responder fund

Online casinos in Michigan have created nearly $900 million in tax revenue for the state. We project that 2023 will be a record year for tax revenue in the industry, and that total contributions will pass $1 billion by fall.

The biggest chunk of that money will go to the School Aid Fund in Michigan, which funds many vital K-12 education services like special education and school lunches.

On top of that, $2 million each year goes to the First Responder Presumed Coverage Fund. That fund provides disability compensation benefits to first responders who have been diagnosed with one of a multitude of cancers because of the hazards they were exposed to.