An iconic gambling brand is now live in the Michigan sports betting market. Caesars Sportsbook launched here Monday, but that doesn’t necessarily mean an additional option for Michigan sports bettors.
The launch is actually a rebrand of the former William Hill Sportsbook.
Caesars finalized a $3.7 billion purchase of William Hill in the spring and promised a rebrand by football season.
With but a few days until the NFL preseason opens Thursday, Caesars has made its Michigan debut this week.
Caesars Sportsbook app available now on iOS, Android
On Monday, Michigan sports bettors could log on to the same William Hill website with the same URL.
Sign-in credentials are the same, and PlayMichigan found that account information transitioned just fine.
Later Monday, an app update went live on iOS and Android, a Caesars spokesperson said. For us, account and wallet information transferred over smoothly on the new interface.
There’s now a Caesars Sportsbook logo at the top left of the site next to the Turtle Creek one. Switching over to the online casino section of the website also has the Caesars Sportsbook logo on the top.
Tantalizing welcome offer for Caesars sportsbook launch
William Hill had long been one of the best Michigan operators for players looking for bonus bets. But the new Caesars Sportsbook in Michigan is taking that reputation to another level.
New customers are eligible to receive a $5,000 sports bet for signing up and making a qualifying deposit. To clarify, if you previously used the William Hill app, you are not considered a new customer.
Other bonus offers to look out for
William Hill served up some nice daily bonuses, and the new Caesars sports betting app promises to continue that tradition of generous promos. Among the many offers that Michigan bettors got on the former Will Hill app were:
- Double your winnings on Fridays for moneyline baseball bets
- Promotions during the NBA playoffs that gave bonus bets based on how many points top players scored.
This week, Caesars Sportsbook had a 100% profit boost on a single sports bet on Tuesday ($200 maximum bet and minimum of -200 odds). Coming Wednesday was a 50% profit boost (max $50 bet and minimum of -200 odds).
Caesars also was offering a Big Bet Bonus where any $500 sports bet this week (minimum -150 odds) would trigger a $200 bonus bet.
The sportsbook also has strong daily baseball Super Boosts this summer. Expect much of the same on the new and improved app.
Caesars Rewards integrated with new sports betting app
Caesars Sportsbook links with Caesars Rewards, where every bet earns Caesars Rewards Tier Credits, making it as easy to earn and redeem online as it is in person at one of Caesars’ more than 50 destinations across 16 states.
According to a news release, “Reward Credits earned within the Caesars Rewards network can be redeemed everywhere, meaning everything you earn online can be used for bonus play, dining, getaways, and specially curated sports and entertainment experiences.”
In the first two weeks of the rebrand, Caesars is offering 5x rewards credits for online slots play through Aug. 15 using the Caesars casino promo code FREE10.
Players cannot earn Tier Credits and Reward Credits by placing sports bets in person at Turtle Creek and Leelanau Sands.
Caesars takes over Grand Traverse Bay tribal partnership
The brand is taking over the Grand Traverse Bay Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians partnership from William Hill.
The tribe operates a pair of casinos in the Traverse City area of northwest Michigan: Turtle Creek Casino in Williamsburg and Leelanau Sands in Peshawbestown.
Turtle Creek opened Onyx Sports Book by William Hill last year, and the space will be rebranded as Caesars Sportsbook, Caesars confirmed. PlayMichigan has reached out to the casino to check on the timeline and has not heard back. Leelanau Sands offers sports betting kiosks on-site.
Caesars has another notable property nearby, as Caesars Windsor overlooks downtown Detroit across the Detroit River. Although Ontario is adding online sports betting soon, this rebrand is not affiliated with the Canadian casino.
Caesars rebrand could boost William Hill’s MI performance
A hugely popular sportsbook brand in the United Kingdom, William Hill Sportsbook has yet to gain huge traction here in Michigan.
Through June, $38.3 million was wagered online through William Hill in the state. That amounts to a 2.6% market share of the $1.5 billion wagered in less than six months statewide since the Jan. 22 launch.
That William Hill handle ranked sixth in the market, which saw its 14th sportsbook launch this week.
William Hill was well behind FanDuel, DraftKings and BetMGM, as the big three combined for 77.5% of the state’s online sports bets through June.
Barstool Sportsbook was fourth at an 11.1% market share, and PointsBet Sportsbook was fifth at a 3.9% market share.
The Caesars Sportsbook app operates on Liberty, the company’s owned and integrated tech stack. Caesars Sportsbook is also available online in Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, New Jersey, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
Actor-comedian JB Smoove will be part of a national advertising launch about the rebrand, embodying the legendary Caesar. The series of spots also will feature Patton Oswalt as Carl, one of Caesars’ biggest fans.
WSOP.com launch expected as part of Caesars change
The Caesars move is also expected to be the avenue for a World Series of Poker Michigan launch.
The platform recently launched in Pennsylvania and is expected in Michigan soon. That app will also link up to players’ Caesars Rewards account.
