The annual spring sports betting slowdown was in full effect for Michigan sportsbooks during April, with sizable declines in wagering handle and revenue.
Overall, the Great Lakes State saw a 19.8% month-over-month decline in wagering handle during April, from March’s total of $421,666,037 to $338,127,853.
As far as sports betting revenue was concerned, Michigan sportsbooks saw a 25.0% drop from March’s total of $32,857,411, falling to $24,636,287 during the fourth month of the year.
Operators in the state – retail outlets and Michigan sports betting apps combined – chipped in $1,698,048 in taxes to the state of Michigan and $84,624 to the city of Detroit, with the former falling and the latter climbing from March’s totals ($1,969,024 and $65,210).
Michigan Sports Betting, April vs. March
Where Michigan Sports Betting Ranks in April
Part of the reason for the state's decrease in revenue and wagering taxes was a $2.6 million parlay win on $40,000 in wagers that a FanDuel Sportsbook Michigan customer cashed in on. The user placed four, two-leg parlays that involved UConn winning the national title in men's basketball at +3500 and various wagers on the Super Bowl.
So far, Michigan sportsbooks have reported the fourth largest handle in the country for April, coming in ahead of No. 5 Maryland ($328.5 million) and behind Massachusetts ($579.3 million). Many states have yet to report their April figures, including huge betting states such as Illinois, Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Nationally, New York is the leader in the national sports betting handle clubhouse for April, with $1.55 billion in handle, while neighboring New Jersey is No. 2 at $834 million in wagers.
The Great Lakes State, home of real money Michigan betting bonuses, is currently ahead of a handful of stalwarts such as Indiana $321.4 million), Louisiana ($209.7 million), Iowa ($172.6 million), Kansas ($133 million) and Connecticut ($126.7 million) for the amount wagered on sports in April.
Michigan Sportsbook Handle Versus 2022
The first four months of 2023 have been far from ideal for the state’s sports wagering companies, with a 12.2% decrease from the same period a year ago despite a nice bump in the Michigan March betting revenue report.
Overall, Michigan sportsbooks have raked in just over $1.6 billion in sports betting handle during the first four months of the year, compared to the $1.830 billion during the same period of 2022.
Michigan’s largest handle of 2023 ($490.9 million in January) would be a distant second compared to the same period a year ago, when the Great Lakes State saw handles of $532.681 million (January), $477.967 million (March) and $423.768 million (February).
The state has yet to crack $500 million for sports betting handle in any month of 2023. The state last took in that many wagers in October 2022, at about $504.34 million.
To date, Michigan sportsbooks have taken in just over $10.5 billion in wagering handle since launching online sportsbooks as well as MI online casinos in 2021.
The retail and online casinos combined for a bit more than $253 million in adjusted gross receipts last month. The state is one of six in the nation offering iGaming, or online casino games.
