Detroit’s Sportsbooks Roll Out The Red Carpet

With the recent legalization of sports betting in Michigan, the three casinos in Detroit, the MGM Grand Detroit, Greektown Casino, and the MotorCity Casino have rolled out the red carpet for bettors. Each casino has built a state of the art sportsbook that features plenty of betting windows and dozens of 24/7 betting kiosks to accommodate the demand.

Let’s take a look at what you can expect from each Detroit sportsbook as betting takes flight in Michigan.

BetMGM Sportsbook at the MGM Grand Detroit

The MGM Grand Detroit dipped into past sportsbook experience with the help of Roar Digital to create the BetMGM Sportsbook. Since MGM runs sportsbooks around the country, the company did not have to look far to create one of the most stunning sportsbook facilities in all of Michigan.

The sportsbook, open seven days a week, offers six betting windows with live tellers from 9 am to 11 pm. And if you want to place a wager after hours, the casino has placed 14 self-service kiosks throughout the gaming facility.

The MGM Grand Detroit also offers a sportsbook-adjacent amenity known as the BetMGM Sports Lounge. The lounge is a slice of luxury, providing comfortable seating, a bar providing drinks throughout your game watching, and access to 60 HDTV’s that display the latest sports news and keep you up to date on your wagers.

The lounge does take reservations for the plush chairs surrounding the floor, although there is high-top seating that won’t break your back if you want to take your chances as a walk-in.

If you like to gamble on casino games while enjoying your time in the lounge, head to the bar for some video poker. Each seat offers you the opportunity to jump on a video poker machine embedded in the bar. After 5 p.m., the video poker seats are eligible for daily beverage service.

Even if you aren’t interested in betting, but want to catch up with a game quickly, the lounge is a fantastic place to get a drink. The full-service bar offers delicious signature craft cocktails and a wide selection of craft beers from the area’s best brewers. The lounge is open seven days a week from 10 am to 1 am.

If you want the life of a high roller, but don’t have the money, the BetMGM Sports Lounge gives you first-rate amenities to enjoy a night out at one of the best sportsbooks in Michigan.

The Sportsbook at Greektown Casino

Much like the other two casinos in Detroit, the Greektown snagged a powerhouse in the gaming industry to run their Sportsbook. But like the MGM Grand Detroit, the casino leaned on its owner, Penn National Gaming, to provide a complete sportsbook service.

Penn National’s recent partnership deal with Barstool Sports could also bring the media company’s branding to Greektown Sportsbook in the coming months. After adding Michigan, Penn National now operates sportsbooks in four states, along with Indiana, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

While the Greektown does not house a traditional sportsbook with entertainment services, like the MGM Grand Detroit and the MotorCity Casino, Penn National is constructing a full sportsbook in the area of the casino once occupied by the video poker lounge.

For now, Greektown offers a sportsbook area on the upper casino level near Trappers Bar. Even though they might not have the glitz and glamour of their competitors yet, everything you would expect from a Penn National sportsbook is available for your enjoyment. 

The Greektown provides four betting windows for bettors during their operational hours. Sunday through Thursday, the Sportsbook is open from 10 am to 10 p.m. On Friday and Saturday, the Sportsbook opens at the same time but adds an extra hour to closing time to allow you to cash in those late-night wins.

At their four betting windows, the Sportsbook offers wagers on point-spread bets, moneyline plays, parlays, futures bets, and prop bets.

If you don’t want to walk to the Sportsbook to make a quick bet, then the casino has 40 self-service kiosks providing an extra level of convenience during your stay at the Greektown.

Even though the Sportsbook at the Greektown Casino might not have the permanent feel of a sports betting facility, you won’t struggle to have a great time watching the night’s best games.

FanDuel Sportsbook at the MotorCity Casino

When the MotorCity Casino opened the doors to its FanDuel-branded sportsbook, Detroit Lions Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders was there to place the first bet. Sanders placed $20 bets on the Lions and MLB’s Detroit Tigers to win the championships in their respective leagues.

After legalization was signed in late 2019, casinos around the state raced to sign partnership agreements with national sportsbook operators. MotorCity Casino grabbed a big fish in the gaming industry by signing a partnership deal with FanDuel.

The agreement gives FanDuel exclusive branding rights to the casino’s sportsbook plus allows the company to oversee all aspects from setting the lines to taking bets and paying out winners.

The FanDuel sportsbook in the MotorCity Casino covers two stories with a breathtaking array of betting windows, dozens of HDTVs to cover all the games, and a VIP area that provides five-star amenities.

Operating hours for the FanDuel Sportsbook vary by the day. Monday through Thursday, the main betting windows stay open from 10 am to 1 am. On the weekend, the operation hours stagger with Friday going from 10 am-2 am, Saturday hours are 9 am-2 am, and Sunday runs from 9 am-1 am.

Six betting windows are available for bettors during operation hours, but if the lines are too long, there are betting kiosks to handle your wager. MotorCity has the most self-serve betting kiosks out of the three Detroit casinos with a whopping 54 placed around the facility. Bettors can cash in their wagers or make a new bet at any time of the day with a kiosk.

If you make a couple of wagers before your night out and get back to the casino after the windows have closed, the MotorCity’s main cage will cash tickets until the sportsbook reopens the next day.

The two-story sportsbook provides plenty of safe, socially-distanced seating for your party to feel safe while watching your favorite team.

About the Author

Derek Worlow

Derek Worlow is a writer by trade with more than seven years of experience writing for several Fortune 500 companies. In his free time, he enjoys trading sports and stock markets, as well as watching NCAA football and English Premier League soccer.