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Michigan Online Poker

On this MIBetting.com page, you will learn everything you need to know about Michigan online poker, including the best MI online poker sites, their legal status, how you can sign up, and much more.

Johnny Covers By: Johnny Covers
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With the stroke of a pen, Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the Lawful Internet Gaming Act in December 2019 that would legalize online gambling including Michigan online casinos, sports betting, and online poker. Half a decade later, Michigan has cemented itself as one of the most progressive states in the country when it comes to all things online gambling.

Just over a year after Whitmer signed the legislation, online poker launched in Michigan on January 29, 2021. In the process, Michigan became just the fourth state behind Nevada, Delaware, and New Jersey to offer legal online poker in the country.

Best Michigan online poker sites

With one of the most established online poker scenes in the country, Michigan is of course home to some of the top players in the industry. With PokerStars Michigan, BetMGM Poker Michigan, and WSOP.com Michigan operating in the state, all three Michigan online poker sites offer a wide variety of games and player options to their customers.

Yes, online poker is legal in Michigan and was signed into legislation as part of the 2019 Lawful Internet Gaming Act. Signed into law by Governor Gretchen Whitmer, the bill came in an effort to modernize Michigan’s gaming industry, while regulating games and ensuring transparency from both players and operators.

Whitmer tasked the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) to oversee online poker and other iGaming in the state, which includes everything from handing out licenses to operators, ensuring compliance with state laws, and protecting players from irresponsible gambling.

A unique aspect of the online poker laws in Michigan is that the state participates in multi-state agreements, meaning Michigan players can play with players in other states where online poker is legal, such as Nevada or New Jersey. By making the potential player pool larger, Michigan players have more money at stake when playing their favorite poker games online. 

How can you sign up at a Michigan online poker site?

With three Michigan online poker sites to choose from, avid poker players in the state would be wise to sign up for accounts with each of them. Whether you are looking to sign up for a new account, or are playing Michigan online poker for the first time, below are the steps involved for how you can sign up at a Michigan online poker site today.

  1. Get a Welcome Offer: With three different legal online poker sites available in Michigan, each of them has a welcome offer to entice new customers. Using the links above, visit the MIBetting.com review of the Michigan online poker site of your choosing to get started. At the top, click on the “Get Bonus” button to be redirected to the site and have the best welcome offer automatically applied to your account.
  2. Register for an Account: With the best welcome offer already applied to your new account, you’ll now be asked to sign up for an account. Start with your login credentials, including your email address, username, and password.
  3. Verify Your Account: From here, you’ll be asked to verify your identity, and the MI online poker site will ask for personal information such as your first and last name, home address, phone number, date of birth, and the last four digits of your social security number.
  4. Deposit Funds: Thanks to the oversight and regulation provided by the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB), you’ll have a host of options when it comes to getting funds. Popular payment options include Venmo, PayPal, Bank Transfer, Wire Transfer, and more.
  5. Choose Your Limits and Game: While Texas Hold ‘Em is the most popular game at Michigan online poker sites, you’ll also have the ability to play other online poker games such as Omaha. Choose the game you wish to play, and the limits you want to play for, and enter the game’s lobby. From here, you’ll be able to choose the seat you want and begin playing.

Michigan casinos with poker rooms

As of the last count, there are eight Michigan casinos with poker rooms spread throughout the state for players to enjoy. If you are more of an in-person poker fan, let’s take a closer look at where you can find Michigan casinos with poker rooms.

  • MGM Grand Detroit: 1777 3rd Ave, Detroit, MI 48226
  • MotorCity Casino Hotel: 2901 Grand River Ave, Detroit, MI 48201
  • Greektown Casino-Hotel: 555 E Lafayette St, Detroit, MI 48226
  • FireKeepers Casino Hotel: 11177 E Michigan Ave, Battle Creek, MI 49014
  • Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort: 6800 Soaring Eagle Blvd, Mt Pleasant, MI 48858
  • Four Winds Casino: 11111 Wilson Rd, New Buffalo, MI 49117
  • Odawa Casino Resort: 1760 Lears Rd, Petoskey, MI 49770
  • Bay Mills Resort & Casino: 11386 W Lakeshore Dr, Brimley, MI 49715

Which online poker games can you play in Michigan?

Michigan online poker isn’t just reserved for Texas Hold’Em, as there are many different types of poker games players have at their fingertips today. Let’s take a closer look at five of the online poker games you can play in Michigan.

  • Texas Hold’Em: No doubt the most popular type of online poker, Texas Hold’Em has been made popular by the media with the World Series of Poker (WSOP) and iconic movies such as Rounders. To start each hand, each player at the table (maximum 8) receives two cards face down. The player to the left of the dealer is the small blind and the player to their left is the big blind. If you are a big blind, you must pay the big blind amount to receive your cards, and the small blind must pay half of that. The rest of the table must put in the big blind amount if they wish to play in that hand. Once the initial round of betting is done, three cards are dealt face-up, before another round of betting ensues. Next, the turn card is shown face up, before another round of betting, followed by the river card face up, and one final round of betting. The best five cards (the player’s two cards plus three of the dealers) win the hand.
  • Omaha: Commonly referred to as Omaha High, the game is similar to Texas Hold’Em with the biggest caveat being the player receives four cards out of the gates instead of two. Just like its counterpart from Texas, the goal of each hand is to have the best five cards on the table in conjunction with the dealer.
  • Five-Card Draw: One of the oldest forms of poker, five-card draw poker starts with each player at the table receiving five cards face down. From here, each player can choose from zero to five cards that they can switch out with the dealer. After one initial round of betting ensues, each player shows their cards with the best five-card hand winning.
  • Badugi Poker: Badugi plays similar to a five-card draw, except each player receives four cards face down instead of five. Players can then swap out cards up to three times, with the goal being having the worst hand of four cards at the table when all is said and done.
  • Crazy Pineapple: To start Crazy Pineapple Poker, each player receives three cards face down before an initial round of betting ensues. From there, the dealer flops three cards over followed by another round of betting, before each player has to discard at least one of their own cards. From here, the same cadence of Texas Hold’Em plays out, as five more cards in total are shown by the dealer. The best player + dealer cards wins the games.

Expert advice when playing online poker in Michigan

Having played online poker in Pennsylvania for many years, I know a thing or two about playing. Below is some expert advice when playing online poker in Michigan today at any of the three legal operators.

  • Start With Free or Microstake Games: Each of the Michigan online poker sites has tables that are free to play at, or at a minimum only cost a few pennies to get involved. Take advantage of these to get a sense of how the site works, how quickly you should play, and to just get an overall feel of the site.
  • Choose Your Style: It’s critical to find a poker-playing style that fits your game and stick to it. For me, I like to play aggressively early in hands when I get dealt a strong pair, forcing players early on to play or not. Unless they flop something out of the gate, they’ll likely fold their hand making your initial bet a way to pick up more blinds.
  • Know Your Remaining Blinds: Especially important when playing in tournaments, you should always know how many more big blinds you can afford. For example, if you have $1,000 in chips, and the big blind is $10, you have 100 more big blinds you can play with before going broke, assuming all else stays the same.

Why choose a mobile poker app over an online poker site?

Each of the three Michigan online poker sites has both a mobile app and an online poker site to choose from. Available in both the Google Play and Apple App Store, the mobile poker apps are easy and free to download but come with a few pros and cons you should be aware of. Let’s take a look at each of them.

Pros

  • Cash Games: When playing in cash games at Michigan online poker sites, you have the luxury of popping in and out of games at your discretion. These are great to use mobile poker apps for, as you can pop in and out of them while on the go and away from home.
  • Familiarity: Like most Americans, you probably do most of your online scrolling and browsing from your mobile phone. By having a mobile poker app on your smartphone, you can simply toggle to the app while on your phone for other reasons.
  • Mobile-Only Promotions: Some of the promotional offers offered by Michigan online poker sites might only be available for mobile users. By having the Michigan online poker app downloaded, you’ll have a whole new host of promotional offers to choose from.

Cons

  • Cellular Data: If you are using a Michigan online poker app away from home or WiFi coverage, you’ll have to rely on your cellular phone’s data plan. This can not only be costly, depending on your plan, but you’ll be at the mercy of the strength of your connection. If you are playing in a high-stakes tournament, being able to react in real time could be the difference between winning or not.
  • Can’t Multitask: One advantage of playing on a desktop computer is that you can have other windows and tabs open while playing for in-between hands. On your smartphone, you are limited to just the app while playing in it, with no ability to toggle between other apps on your phone in between hands.

FAQ

Do all casinos in Michigan have poker rooms?

No, not all casinos in Michigan have poker rooms. In general, the bigger the Michigan casino the more likely it has to have a poker room.

Should I play at offshore poker sites in Michigan?

No, you should never play at offshore poker sites in Michigan as they are unregulated and offer you as a player no protection when things go awry. Unlike legal poker sites in Michigan, which are overseen and regulated by the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB), the regulating bodies for offshore poker sites are in faraway places such as Malta or Panama.

When did MI legalize online poker?

MI legalized online poker in December 2019 as part of the Lawful Internet Gaming Act, as signed into law by Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Michigan online poker launched just over a year later on January 29, 2021.

Do I need to be a resident of Michigan to play online poker there?

No, you do not need to be a resident of Michigan to play online poker there, you just have to have a registered account and be inside state lines.

What is the minimum age to play online poker in Michigan?

The minimum age to play online poker in Michigan is 21 years of age or older.

Are there any responsible gambling resources for online poker players in Michigan?

Yes, there are many responsible gambling resources for online poker players in Michigan. Some of those include the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) (1-800-270-7117), Self-Exclusion Programs, the Responsible Gambling features on each online poker site, and the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) (1-800-522-4700).

Can I play online poker on my mobile device in Michigan?

Yes, you can play online poker on your mobile device in Michigan using one of three online poker apps. Each of them is free to download in the Google Play and Apple App Store, available for both Android and iOS devices.

Author Details

Johnny Covers

Johnny Covers

Johnny Covers, an author and sports betting expert at MI Betting, brings nearly ten years of industry experience. Known for his handicapping abilities, he has provided valuable analysis to several leading sports and betting platforms. His work has gained recognition in notable publications such as All-In Magazine, Blitz Predict, FantasyPros, Betting Pros, Sportsbook Review, Golf Monthly, and OddsChecker.