All About Michigan Handle And Revenue
The experts at BetMichigan.com have assembled this guide to explain what we mean when we talk about Michigan sports betting financial figures, which include handle, revenue, adjusted gross receipts and tax collections.
The Michigan gambling market is one of the most expansive in the United States. Michigan has Tribal and commercial casinos; retail and mobile sports gambling; and online casino games (also called iGaming) with options such as slots, table games and internet poker.
Tribal casino gambling in Michigan predated the commercial casinos in Detroit. In 1993, the state signed compacts with several federally recognized tribes in Michigan to conduct Class III gaming on their lands, but some tribal gaming operated even before that time. In 1996, Michigan voters approved commercial casino gambling for Detroit, which allowed for three casinos. They opened from 1999 to 2000.
Near the end of 2019, the state legislature legalized a raft of gambling options, including in-person and online sports gambling, iGaming and fantasy sports. Commercial and tribal casinos could have retail sports betting and Michigan sportsbook apps. The first in-person sports bet was made in March 2020 and online sports gambling launched in early 2021.
Michigan Sports Betting, January vs. December
| Total handle | Mobile handle | Revenue (GGR) |
January | $502.588M | $491.260M | $37.736M |
December | $525.172M | $512.939M | $62.853M |
Change | Down 4.3% | Down 4.2% | Down 40.0% |
Michigan sportsbooks dipped in both monthly and year-over-year handle to open 2026, according to numbers posted at the Michigan Gaming Control Board website on Feb. 19.
January’s total sports betting handle was $502,588,166, down 4.3% from December ($525,171,568). That figure for wagers accepted statewide was also more than $70 million lower than January 2025. The mobile sports betting handle was $491,260,369 in the first month of 2026, 4.2% lower than December ($512,939,192).
The total adjusted sports betting Gross Gaming Revenue dropped 40%, from $62,853,378 ($61,133,815 online, $1,719,563 retail) in the previous month to $37,735,815 ($36,965,495 online, $770,319 retail) in January.
The total state tax derived from sports betting was $2,567,182 ($2,538,064 online) in January, a 40.2% drop from $4,292,536 in December, of which $4,227,537 came from mobile Michigan sportsbooks.
The top five operators for January handle and their partner casinos: MotorCity Casino (FanDuel) $169,273,834, Bay Mills Indian Community (DraftKings) $144,780,007, MGM Grand Detroit (BetMGM) $61,140,602, Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians (Fanatics) $44,412,350 and Hannahville Indian Community (Hard Rock Bet), $21,900,938.
Betting Handle Through The Months
Handle and Revenue FAQs
In Michigan for 2025, sports betting handle was about $5.544 billion, a slight 0.6% increase compared to 2024 ($5.511 billion). Adjusted gross sports betting receipts had a much more pronounced increase, rising to $450 million in 2025 compared to just above $204 million collected at mobile and retail sportsbooks combined over the previous year. Adjusted gross receipts include deductions for the monetary value of free play incentives provided to and waged by bettors. Internet taxes, fees and payments from online sports gambling topped $27 million in 2025.
Author
Jim Tomlin writes and edits for BetMichigan.com. In 30 years as a journalist he has worked for publications such as the Tampa Bay Times, Saturday Tradition, Saturday Down South and FanRag. He now lends his sports and gambling expertise to BetMichigan among other websites.
Cited by leading media organizations, such as:
