Last updated: April 26, 2024
Online poker is fully legal and regulated in Michigan. You can choose between three world-class sites — PokerStars, BetMGM, and WSOP — that each offer safe and secure real money online poker.
Each Michigan online poker site offers a great experience, with loads of games and tournaments and excellent mobile apps. Each has a great new player bonus and offers good rewards and ongoing promotions.
So, how do you choose which to play on? That’s where we come in.
On this page, we compare welcome bonuses, tell you where to find the best and biggest tournaments, and give honest, in-depth reviews of all three MI online poker apps.
Yes, you can play online poker in Michigan on fully legal, regulated sites. There are three poker sites running in the state: PokerStars, BetMGM and WSOP. Each offers a variety of online poker tournaments and cash games, great welcome offers and run regular promos.
There are three online poker rooms in Michigan and all are good choices — but there’s pros and cons of each. If you’re looking start playing online poker, or if you’re a seasoned player looking for a new site, this guide is here to help you choose.
If you are just starting with online poker, PokerStars is our top recommendation. The welcome package is perfect for new players, giving you $150 worth of free play after playing a single cash game hand. It’s a fantastic way to experience the online poker product through spending very little of your own money.
PokerStars also offers some of the cheapest cash game tables and tournaments you will find anywhere. The ring game action starts as low as $0.01/$0.02, while you will find tournaments and sit and goes with buy-ins well under $1. So its perfect if you’re just trying out online poker for the first time.
Of course, the site is an excellent pick for experienced players as well, as there is plenty of action across all stakes. Because its player pool is connected to New Jersey, it has by far the best selection of cash games. For tournament players, PokerStars features a rich schedule of daily and weekly events combined with regular series featuring big guaranteed prize pools.
PokerStars offers state-of-the-art software equally fitting for recreational and serious players, and its mobile app is also world-class.
All together, PokerStars ticks every box, and we rank it high in every category. For that reason, it is our first choice for all player types. While BetMGM’s bonus might be bigger, and WSOP has the brand and prestige of the World Series, you’ll likely find the best action on PokerStars.
PokerStars Michigan: Key Facts | |
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Freeplay bonus | $150 in casino and poker funds |
Deposit match bonus | 100% up to $600 with code STARS600 |
Apps | Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android |
Main highlight | Best tournaments |
BetMGM offers quality action on its cash game tables and provides a solid tournament schedule of its own.
BetMGM Poker signup bonus is best-in-class — offering up to $75 in MTT tickets after the initial deposit and the generous 100% deposit bonus of up to $1000 on the first real money deposit. It also has very good clearance terms, meaning that you’ll earn the bonus much faster than at competitor’s welcome bonuses. If you’ve got a big bankroll, BetMGM’s welcome bonus is the quickest way to grow it.
While it does not offer the same player numbers or variety as PokerStars, BetMGM manages to hold its own with interesting MTT series and decent cash game traffic. Players looking for additional value will find plenty here, as some tournaments, especially the bigger buy-in ones, have been known to feature overlays.
While MTTs at BetMGM Poker feature smaller fields and prize pools, the competition in these events also tends to be softer. They also do not take as long to complete. With smaller fields comes lower variance, allowing you to move up the stake ladder quicker and increase those important numbers.
BetMGM Poker also features some very valuable promotions focused on the players who put in constant volume, allowing you to rake up hundreds worth of rakeback every single week, which is particularly appealing to those who prefer cash games over tournaments.
BetMGM Michigan: Key Facts | |
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Freeplay bonus | Up to $75 in MTT tickets |
Deposit match bonus | 100% up to $1000 |
Apps | Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android |
Main highlight | MTT tickets on first deposit |
WSOP Michigan doesn’t have the traffic as its competitors, but it is our recommendation if you want to play official WSOP events. It also has a huge welcome bonus that works well for both new and serious online poker players.
WSOP has a rich schedule of daily and weekly tournaments. The operator also features regular events and series where you can win WSOP bracelets and WSOP Circuit rings, all playing from your home computer or even phone. These tournaments usually have higher buy-ins, costing from a couple of hundred to a couple of thousand, so they are best suited for players who already have a solid bankroll and some experience. Plus, no other poker site in Michigan gives you the opportunity to win WSOP gold bracelets.
WSOP has the biggest headline bonus in Michigan, encompassing a deposit match up to $1000, free play money money up to $100, and freeroll tickets. It is the biggest value of any bonus in the state. The deposit match clears quite slowly, so just make sure you can put in the volume if you want to max it out.
While WSOP Michigan is an attractive option for tournament players, it also offers solid cash game action. The new software is also very smooth and provides a quality gaming experience for players of all shapes and sizes.
It is also worth noting that the operator is generous with its frequent bonuses, promotions, and freerolls, giving players a chance to get their hands on a lot of extra value. True grinders will certainly find plenty of reason to play here and put in the required volume to unlock all these extra funds. We recommend PokerStars for new and casual players, but WSOP is a good choice — certainly for those interested in tournaments.
WSOP MI: Key Facts | |
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Free Play Offer | Up to $100 extra on First Deposit |
Deposit Match Bonus | 100% up to $1000 & Freeroll Tickets |
Apps | Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android |
Main Highlight | Play for WSOP bracelets online |
Signing up with licensed and regulated poker sites in Michigan is easy, even if you have never played before. To get started, follow these simple steps:
Provided you are physically within MI state borders, players should have no problems downloading the relevant software to your device. For the most part, the procedure does not differ from that of downloading any software.
First of all, visit the website of the operator you want to play with — either PokerStars MI, BetMGM Poker MI, or WSOP MI.
If you are playing from a desktop computer, find the download link or button on the site, click on it, and follow the procedure. Usually, it will only take a few clicks and a couple of minutes before the platform is up and running on your device.
For those wanting to play on their phones, you will need to download the relevant app, i.e. Android or iOS, which can also be done via the operator’s website or the relevant app store.
You may have to allow files from unknown locations when prompted by your phone. After a few seconds, you will download the .apk file. Run it, let the installation process complete, and you will be good to go.
Once you have downloaded the software, if you have not completed the registration before, you will be able to do so from the platform or app interface. It is important to note that you will not be able to access any functionalities of the software before you are fully registered and logged in.
Michigan is home to three major poker operators, and all three of these try to cater to tournament players in the state in their own way. Depending on the type of player you are and what you are looking for, you might prefer one poker room over the other, but you are almost certain to find a good fit at one of them.
PokerStars is arguably the leader when it comes to real money online poker tournaments in Michigan. This comes as no surprise, seeing how PokerStars primarily built its reputation on a global scale, hosting some of the largest online events in the world.
With PokerStars combining its NJ and MI player pools, the operator has started using a different name — PokerStars US — instead of state-specific ones. With larger player pools, these tournaments have become even more attractive, offering more action and bigger prize pools. Iconic tournament series now include USCOOP — which falls into the PokerStars Championship of Online Poker branding.
Other than this, PokerStars has frequently hosted other, smaller series, such as the Fall Fest and the Winter Series.
WSOP Michigan has captured its fair share of the online tournament action in Michigan, focusing on its biggest advantage over the competition — the ability to award prestigious WSOP bracelets.
WSOP has regularly hosted online bracelet series, usually taking place simultaneously with the live iteration of the World Series in Las Vegas (June and July). Michigan poker players have a shot at over half a dozen bracelets every year, and we expect that number will increase with time, especially if WSOP combines its MI player pool with that of New Jersey and Nevada.
Players on the site also get to enjoy several online circuit events every year, where they have a chance to compete for large prize pools and WSOP rings — again, something that only this operator can offer in the US.
Beyond this, WSOP has also kept its finger on the market’s pulse, trying to cater to players’ expectations. The operator was the first to bring the increasingly popular Mystery Bounty format to the US.
BetMGM Poker is the smallest of the three operators in terms of player traffic, making it hard to organize big tournaments and promise large guarantees. However, they have emerged as a differential of sorts for the players looking for smaller, more manageable fields and softer competition.
The operator does not have such a fixed schedule for its big series, so it is somewhat harder for the players to plan ahead. Its major events seem to be concentrated around holidays, as we saw with the Winter Poker Championship.
Tournaments are just one side of online poker in Michigan. Players have access to a wide range of cash game options across all regulated sites as well.
In terms of stakes, games are available as low as $0.01/$0.02, making them accessible to everyone, regardless of what their bankrolls might be. On the other side of the spectrum, those looking to play for big money can find stakes as high as $100/$200 and even more at heads up tables.
When it comes to available games, No-Limit Hold’em and Pot Limit Omaha are available across the board. Those looking for more exotic variations can turn to PokerStars MI, where they will find options like 8-game, Stud, Razz, 2-7 Triple Draw, and even Badugi.
Michigan poker players have access to a fair number of banking options. Most importantly, all these methods are completely safe and reliable, so you don’t have to worry about your personal information getting into the wrong hands or your money not reaching its intended destination.
As for the available options, this is one of those things that always change and develop, so if you do not see an option that works for you, this does not mean that it will not be added at some point in the future.
When it comes to banking, more is almost always better, as the more options there are, the easier it gets for everyone to fund their poker account in the most suitable and convenient manner.
While different MI poker sites support different methods, a majority of the operators recommended on our site will feature payment options listed below:
Method | Deposits | Withdrawals |
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Visa | ✅ | ❌ |
MasterCard | ✅ | ✅ |
PayPal | ✅ | ✅ |
Skrill | ✅ | ✅ |
NETELLER | ✅ | ✅ |
Wire Transfers | ✅ | ✅ |
Paysafecard | ✅ | ❌ |
Cash at the Cage | ✅ | ✅ |
Checks | ❌ | ✅ |
PokerStars MI, BetMGM MI, WSOP MI also enable deposits and withdrawals at their land-based casino partner. This is a very convenient and safe method if you happen to live nearby the casino or visit the area often.
Like in other states, credit and debit cards should not be your first choice. While these are perfectly legal options on any regulated poker site, banks seem slow to get the memo.
Many financial institutions in the US still block transactions to gambling sites, even the licensed ones. This should change in the future, but if you have other options, try them first. Credit cards are also not the best option as they only work one way — you can deposit with them, but you will need to use a different method to cash out.
All three sites are great options. For most players, we recommend PokerStars, because of its welcome bonus, great cash games, and huge tournament schedule. However, BetMGM is good for high volume players, and WSOP has the brand and cache of online bracelets which will appear to some.
All players must be physically present within Michigan state borders to legally play online poker for real money. All licensed operators use geolocation software solutions to ensure all of their active players comply with this requirement at all times. Whether on a desktop computer, laptop, or mobile device, you can only play on MI poker sites if you are actually in Michigan.
Yes. Sites offering legal online poker in Michigan are safe to play on. The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) is in charge of vetting and licensing all online poker operators in the state. To receive a license, the operator must meet stringent requirements that guarantee the safety of the players and their funds and ensure the fairness and randomness of the games on offer.
No, online poker games in Michigan are not rigged. The MGCB oversees and regulates all online gambling operations in the state, including online poker.
Those looking to play online poker in Michigan have a variety of deposit and withdrawal options at their disposal. These include credit and debit cards, wire transfers, e-wallets like PayPal and NETELLER, some prepaid cards, ACH, etc.
Yes, Michigan players have access to quality poker apps for mobile phones. PokerStars, for example, offers a top-quality mobile solution for Android and iOS users alike. This is one of the best poker apps you can find in Michigan and worldwide.
You can win WSOP Gold Bracelets by playing online poker in MI. WSOP regularly offers its Michigan players chance to win WSOP bracelets and circuit rings via its online tournament schedule.