No, You Can’t Bet On The Super Bowl National Anthem In Michigan, And Here’s Why

The Super Bowl always presents an embarrassment of riches when it comes to options for Michigan sports bettors. But, you may wonder just what you can and can’t bet on for the big game when it comes to the licensed operators in the state.

While the lure of offshore sportsbook can look appealing, those are not always what they seem.

Before you begin placing your wagers haphazardly, get educated on what your safest betting options are.

What are the MGCB rules for sports betting?

The Michigan Gaming Control Board has a lot of information on what constitutes a permissible sports betting wager here in the state.

As part of its Guidelines & Comments section of the Sports Wagering Catalog, the MGCB outlines that any negative outcome propositions of any kind are not permitted.

It also states that approved leagues and operators may offer any wager type where the results are determined on the field of play and can be verified by a box score or statistical analysis. Any other wager or wager types that do not meet these criteria must be submitted to the board for approval the first time it is offered and may not be available for wagering until approved by the board.

They also note examples of impermissible player propositions. Those are not limited to wagers that are:

• Inherently objectionable (ex., will any player suffer an injury, will any player be arrested or suspended, how many games will an injured player miss, etc.)
• Officiating related (ex., when will first penalty flag be thrown/foul be called, how many flags/fouls will be called, what will be the game’s first accepted penalty, what will be result of coach’s challenge, etc.)

What can you bet on in the Super Bowl?

As you start to peruse through different sportsbooks and their Super Bowl markets, there are plenty of options.

What you can find aside from the basic spread, total and moneyline offers for the game itself are:

• Alternate Spreads
• Alternate Totals
• Halftime Spreads/Totals
• Quarter Spreads/Totals
• Player Props
• Team Props
• Game Props
• MVP Awards Market
• Player Parlay Props

Each of these categories has several options as well, especially the player props. If you have a hunch that Stanley Morgan Jr. is going to score a TD, you are in luck. The Cincinnati Bengals receiver with two catches all season is listed at +3000 to score in the big game.

The coin toss is always a popular betting market for the game as well. Michigan did approve the coin toss market just prior to last year’s game.

The MGCB approved betting on which team will win the coin toss, what the coin toss call be, and what the coin toss winner will decide to do. You can also bet on whether the toss will be heads or tails.

Offshore markets provide greater risks

Certain offshore markets provide expanded betting markets for the Super Bowl. Included are odds for commercials, the halftime show and national anthem.

In Michigan, you also cannot bet on which color Gatorade shower the winning coach will receive after the game. You can make this wager in some other states, including Arizona, Indiana, Louisiana, New Jersey, West Virginia and Wyoming, as well as Washington DC.

Part of the issue with some of these wagers are they have an easy way to be fixed.

When an over/under is set for the length of the national anthem, the singer can be aware of that time. It opens the door for collusion that could benefit people close to the singer.

The MGCB warns that placing wagers with unregulated gaming sites opens users up to identity theft.

“If you share personal information with an unregulated gambling site, there are no guarantees your information won’t be sold to or used by criminals,” MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams said in a press release. “Identity theft is the most common complaint received by the Federal Trade Commission. In 2020, 1.3 million identity theft reports were made in the U.S., including more than 24,000 cases of identity theft reported in Michigan.”

The Federal Internal Revenue Service warns that thieves use your personal info to apply for credit, file taxes or obtain medical services.

Also, any users that have disputes with an offshore sportsbook don’t have the MGCB to help them argue their claim if winnings aren’t paid out or a refund is not given.

“Unlike regulated gambling, there is no mechanism for the MGCB to handle a patron dispute with an unregulated, offshore gambling site,” Williams said. “Our agency does not have the authority to pursue a dispute with an unregulated site.”

Michigan currently has 14 licensed online gaming providers in this state.

Michigan projected to wager $45 million on Super Bowl

In a report from PlayUSA, Michigan is projected to legally wager $45 million on Super Bowl LVI next week.

That is part of a national projection that expects $1 billion in wagers for the game.

Michigan’s projection ranks seventh among the highest in the nation. Nevada leads the way at $175 million.