Michigan Sports Betting Handle Falls In January As NFL Playoffs Miss Detroit

Michigan reported a slower start to 2026 sports wagering activity, with lower betting volume tied to reduced local team engagement during the NFL postseason.

Good to Know

• January handle reached 502.6 million dollars, down 12.6 percent year over year.
• Gross sports betting revenue fell 31 percent compared with January 2025.
• Online casino gaming continued to grow, posting more than 298 million dollars in revenue.

The Michigan Gaming Control Board released January figures showing total wagers of 502.6 million dollars. Betting activity declined compared with the same period in 2025, when Detroit secured a division title and entered the NFL playoffs as a top seed, driving strong engagement across sportsbooks.

Detroit finished the 2025 season with a 9 and 8 record and missed the postseason, leading to reduced betting interest statewide. January handle landed at the lowest level recorded for the month since 2023.

Sportsbooks generated 58.8 million dollars in gross revenue. Nearly all revenue came from online platforms, while retail locations accounted for only 789000 dollars from an 11.3 million dollar handle. After promotional adjustments, online operators reported 37 million dollars in taxable revenue, producing about 2.5 million dollars in state taxes.

Win rate also moderated. January hold measured 11.7 percent, the first monthly figure below 12 percent since September 2025 and lower than the 14.9 percent recorded one year earlier.

FanDuel led all operators with a 169.3 million dollar handle and 22.8 million dollars in gross revenue, reflecting a 13.5 percent hold. DraftKings followed with 144.8 million dollars in wagers and 16.2 million dollars in revenue on an 11.2 percent hold.

BetMGM posted an 8.1 million dollar revenue total from a 61.1 million dollar handle, supported by a 13.2 percent win rate. Fanatics Sportsbook reported 4.4 million dollars in revenue on 44.4 million dollars wagered, equaling a 10 percent hold.

Hard Rock Bet accepted 21.9 million dollars in wagers and generated 2.7 million dollars in revenue with a 12.3 percent hold. theScore Bet recorded a 9 percent win rate from an 18.8 million dollar handle. Caesars returned less than 6 percent from 18.5 million dollars wagered, marking one of the lowest operator holds for the month.

While sports betting cooled, internet casino gaming maintained strong momentum. Online casinos produced 298.3 million dollars in gross revenue during January, representing a 20.2 percent increase from the prior year. Monthly total ranked as the second highest on record, trailing only the 315.8 million dollar peak reached in December 2025.

FanDuel led the iGaming segment with 73.3 million dollars in revenue, followed by BetMGM at 65.8 million dollars. Tax contributions from online casino operators exceeded 54 million dollars, with an additional 20.2 million dollars directed to local governments.