When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, many Michigan sportsbooks planned openings shifted from summer to football season.
For one, Island Resort & Casino in Harris plans to open its BetAmerica Sportsbook on Thursday just in time for NFL kickoff.
Many others are still on the sidelines.
The BetAmerica Sportsbook will be the first retail sportsbook to open in the Upper Peninsula and ninth statewide.
The Hannahville Indian Community signed a partnership with Churchill Downs Inc. last month for online gambling and retail sportsbook operations.
BetAmerica Sportsbook features CashOut feature
Since retail sportsbooks at tribal casinos in Michigan aren’t tied to Michigan Gaming Control Board regulations, they can offer unique bets that Detroit’s commercial casinos cannot.
One such bet is a CashOut, which will be allowed through BetAmerica.
CashOut allows bettors to grade existing wagers before the game is over and secure a return prior to the end of the game. Bettors can also cash out an existing wager prior to the start of the game.
Live betting will also be available at BetAmerica. According to the guide, the sportsbook will offer betting on NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, college football, college basketball and “much more!”
Where can Michigan residents make NFL bets this season?
In addition to the new BetAmerica lounge near Escanaba, other sportsbooks taking bets for the opening of the NFL season include:
- BetMGM Sports Lounge at MGM Grand Detroit, Detroit
- Dacey’s Sportsbook at FireKeepers Casino, Battle Creek
- FanDuel Sportsbook at MotorCity Casino, Detroit
- Four Winds Sportsbooks, Dowagiac, Hartford and New Buffalo
- Greektown Casino-Hotel sportsbook, Detroit
- River Rock Sportsbook & Grill at Little River Casino, Manistee
Online sports betting, casinos and poker are coming to Michigan. Launch should happen around Thanksgiving.
What will be the next Michigan sportsbook openings?
Two northern Michigan casinos are making noise about sportsbook openings that could be imminent.
Odawa Casino in Petoskey started a Facebook page, Sports Betting at Odawa Casino, to hype an opening.
Odawa Casino partnered with The Stars Group for online offerings.
Down the road near Traverse City, Turtle Creek Casino in Williamsburg has started a Facebook page and Twitter account for the Onyx Sports Book by William Hill.
Promotional posts say the sportsbook is coming soon there, along with its sister casino, Leelanau Sands Casino in Peshawbestown.
Other sportsbooks coming down the line
PlayMichigan reached out to Michigan’s other casinos with planned sportsbooks. No details were shared about opening dates.
They include:
- Bay Mills Casino in Brimley, launching a DraftKings Sportsbook
- Gun Lake Casino in Wayland, partnered with Pennsylvania’s Parx Casino for sportsbook operations
- Kewadin Casinos, planning to open sportsbooks powered by GAN at its five U.P. locations in Christmas, Hessel, Manistique, Sault Ste. Marie and St. Ignace
- Northern Waters Casino Resort in Watersmeet, partnered with PointsBet
- Ojibwa Casions in Baraga and Marquette, partnered with Golden Nugget Michigan
- Soaring Eagle in Mount Pleasant and Saganing Eagles Landing in Standish, planning sportsbooks
