Retail Sports Betting Coming To Michigan’s Soaring Eagle In Mid-January

Sports betting is coming to mid-Michigan early next year, specifically to Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort.

Soaring Eagle announced Thursday that it will take bets soon at its sports bar, renaming it Ascend Sports Book & Lounge in mid-January.

The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe has not yet announced a technology partner for sports betting. The press release said it will in the “near future.”

The tribe plans to use its own branding for online sports betting and online casinos down the line, Soaring Eagle CEO Mike Bean told Playinmichigan last week.

Soaring Eagle sportsbook upgrades in the works

It won’t just be Soaring Eagle Casino with the upgrade.

Sports betting will be offered at sister property Saganing Eagles Landing Casino & Hotel in Standish, at its Creekside Lounge and at The Slot Palace and Bingo Hall in Mount Pleasant.

“We will be upgrading Ascend, an already great venue, to accommodate sports betting,” Bean said, in a release.

“Changes will include more televisions, betting kiosks, a betting window and a ticker tape. The improvements will be in phases, initially starting with kiosk betting until the betting window modifications are complete.”

There are 14 casinos in Michigan that offer sports betting. Soaring Eagle and Saganing Eagles Landing would make it 16 if they are next. Michigan has 26 casinos, including 23 tribal ones.

The following renderings of the Ascend Sports Book at Soaring Eagle highlight the changes expected come January. Click on an image to expand.

Online sports betting coming soon to Michigan

Soaring Eagle is the state’s largest casino and a well-known brand throughout the state. That gives the Saginaw Chippewa tribe leverage in the state that others do not.

However, the tribe will be the last of Michigan’s 15 casino operators to announce a technology or operations partner for online.

Michigan online gambling will launch soon, possibly as early as this month.

There should be more clarity on when, as election fallout wraps up and the Michigan Gaming Control Board meets on Tuesday, Nov. 10.

Follow our live updates for more details on the launch.