BetMGM
PlayMichigan.com: Online sportsbooks make modest gains while online casinos set revenue record
Volume at Michigan’s online sportsbooks narrowly ticked up in August to more than $192 million, pushing Michigan past $2 billion in online and retail wagering for the year. The modest gain did not lead to more revenue, though, as sportsbooks set the stage for four of the busiest months of the year, according to PlayMichigan, which analyzes and researches the state’s regulated online gaming and sports betting market.
“August marks the beginning of the most important stretch of the year for sportsbooks,” said Eric Ramsey, analyst for the PlayUSA.com Network, which includes PlayMichigan.com. “It only takes a few college games, the NFL’s preseason and futures bets to show the importance of football to the industry. But the small number of games in August is merely a precursor for the next four months.”
Michigan’s online sportsbooks took in $192.3 million in bets in August, up 2.3% from $188.0 million in July, according to official data released Thursday by the Michigan Gaming Control Board. With $16.3 million in retail wagering in August, which was announced earlier this week, Michigan’s online and retail sportsbooks accounted for $208.6 million in wagering, up 1.1% from $206.3 million in bets in July.
Gross gaming revenue from online betting fell 18.8% to $15.9 million from $19.6 million in July. With retail revenue included, the state’s sportsbooks combined to win $17.5 million for the month, a drop of 15.6% from July. Taxable revenue from online bets landed at $9.2 million, which generated $757,405 in state and local taxes.
The relatively modest bump in sports betting volume was enough to push past $2 billion in online and retail wagering all-time, and for the year. Michigan sportsbooks have tallied:
- $2.2 billion in wagering since launch, including $2.1 billion this year alone.
- $189.0 in gross gaming revenue, including $170.8 million in 2021.
- $8.9 million in state and local taxes, including $7.4 million in state and local taxes this year.
“The hot start after launching online betting in January was the key in hitting $2 billion in wagering this soon, but it is remarkable growth, no matter how you view it,” said Matt Schoch, lead analyst for PlayMichigan.com. “Tax revenue has been somewhat underwhelming so far. As the market continues to mature, and promotional spends begin to slow, hopefully tax revenue improves.”
DraftKings took the online market lead with $61.4 million in wagers, up from $53.4 million in July. Gross gaming revenue rose to $4.4 million from $3.1 million in July. FanDuel fell to No. 2 in the state with $47.7 million in wagers, down from $54.5 million in July. The bets in August produced a market-best $4.8 million in gross sports betting revenue, down from $7.8 million in July.
BetMGM was third in the state with $43.7 million in wagers, up from $41.0 million in July. That total produced $3.9 million in gross receipts, down from $5.0 million in June.
The online market leaders were followed by:
- Barstool ($13.1 million handle, down from $13.6 million in July; $741,707 gross revenue, down from $1.4 million)
- Caesars ($10.0 million handle, up from $7.5 million; $162,383 GGR, down from $252,708)
- PointsBet ($6.2 million handle, down from $7.8 million; $939,617 GGR, up from $849,524)
- BetRivers ($3.1 million handle, up from $2.6 million; $236,884 GGR, up from $224,089)
- Fox Bet ($2.5 million handle, down from $2.7 million; $328,911 GGR, up from $252,873)
- FireKeepers ($1.1 million handle, up from $367,354; $109,987 GGR, up from $44,048)
- TwinSpires ($1.0 million handle, even with July; $109,846 GGR, down from $138,911)
- WynnBet ($883,496 handle, down from $2.3 million; $95,820 GGR, down from $357,718)
- Golden Nugget ($668,503 handle, up from $623,977; $3,049 GGR, down from $98,615)
- Four Winds ($483,992 handle, up from $318,987; $16,666 GGR, down from $35,979)
- Parx ($455,331 handle; $87,231 GGR)
“Football is not only the main draw for most existing bettors, it is also the primary vehicle for each sportsbook to grow its customer base,” Schoch said. “The promotional offerings and seemingly wall-to-wall advertising that we’ve already seen shows how aggressive Michigan’s operators are and will continue to be over the next couple months.”
Online casinos and poker set fresh record
Gross gaming revenue at Michigan’s online casinos and poker rooms rose to a record $97.2 million in August, up 5.3% from $92.3 million in July. August’s revenue was up to $3.1 million per day over the 31 days of August from $3.0 million per day in wagers over the 31 days of July. That total yielded $17.9 million in state taxes and $6.9 million in local taxes.
August marked the fifth time in the past six months that revenue topped $90 million. August also was the first full month of live dealer online casino games, which launched in late July, helping to boost revenue.
Since launching in January, online casinos and poker rooms have generated $672.6 million in revenue and $166.6 million in state and local taxes.
“Michigan’s online casinos continue to grow, and with live dealer games now in the fold, there is no reason to believe that will end soon,” Ramsey said. “For all the interest in sports betting, it is the state’s online casinos that have proven to be the bigger benefit to the state, dwarfing sports betting in tax revenue.”
Other highlights from August:
- BetMGM/MGM Grand Detroit topped the online casino and poker market with $39.7 million in gross gaming revenue, which yielded $10.5 million in state and local taxes.
- FanDuel/Motor City was second, with $14.2 million in gross receipts and $3.7 million in state and local taxes. DraftKings/Bay Mills was third with $12.6 million in gross receipts, producing $3.2 million in state and local taxes.
For more information and analysis on regulated sports betting in Michigan, visit PlayMichigan.com/news.
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BetMGM has appointed Casey Hurbis as its new Chief Marketing Officer. Reporting directly to BetMGM Chief Revenue Officer Matt Prevost, Hurbis brings 30 years of diverse consumer marketing expertise to BetMGM’s leadership team, positioning the brand to further accelerate its rapid momentum in the sports betting and iGaming industry.
“Building BetMGM from the ground up into one of the most recognizable brands in the sports betting and iGaming sphere has been an incredible accomplishment made possible by the tireless efforts of our amazing team. Bringing a visionary leader like Casey Hurbis on board adds another impactful advantage for our brand,” said Prevost.
Over the past three decades, Hurbis has spearheaded innovative, needle-moving strategies in consumer engagement, digital advertising, partnership development, experiential marketing and more — expertise that will evolve into big-impact initiatives for BetMGM. Most recently, Hurbis served as Chief Marketing Officer at Rocket Mortgage, where he led marketing strategies that captured the country’s attention for the nation’s largest retail mortgage lender. Highlights of his tenure include consecutive No.1 rankings on USA Today’s Ad Meter for Super Bowl commercials and the launch of the Rocket Mortgage Classic, which has become the most awarded event on the PGA Tour.
Hurbis said: “Sports betting is one of the most competitive and rapidly evolving industries in the marketing world, and I’m honored to join BetMGM at such an exciting time in its growth. BetMGM is a brand with incredible momentum, backed by a team that is redefining how we engage and entertain audiences. I look forward to pushing the boundaries of creativity and innovation to not only attract new audiences but enhance the experience for our loyal players to even greater heights.”
Before joining Rocket Mortgage, Casey spent 24 years in automotive marketing, culminating in his role leading advertising and communications for FIAT and Alfa Romeo. Alongside his brand-building expertise, Casey is deeply committed to philanthropy, supporting organizations such as the Special Olympics, the Salvation Army and Bethany Christian Adoption Services. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Adcraft Detroit, Michigan State Communication Arts and Sciences, Brand Innovators and the Detroit Sports Commission.
Hurbis and BetMGM’s creative agency of record, Highdive, previously collaborated on three top-ranked Super Bowl campaigns at Rocket Mortgage, laying the foundation for even greater synergies and success at BetMGM.
BetMGM, a leading iGaming and sports betting operator, announced a new partnership with Push Gaming, a B2B online gaming industry supplier. The first phase of the partnership brings some of Push Gaming’s top slot titles to BetMGM Casino in Ontario. In 2025, pending regulatory approval, BetMGM will be the exclusive partner for Push Gaming in the US.
Some of Push Gaming’s most popular slots, including Retro Tapes, Big Bamboo, Razor Returns, and Wild Swarm 2 are now available at BetMGM Casino and Wheel of Fortune Casino in Ontario, with more top titles arriving soon. Retro Tapes won Gambling News’ Most Watched and Most Streamed Slot Award in 2023. Retro Tapes immerses players in a late 20th-century-themed atmosphere with state-of-the-art graphics and sound design.
“Push Gaming’s exciting slots resonate with players and elevate the iGaming experience. We are proud to partner with Push Gaming and add their popular slots to our online casinos in Ontario which offers players a vast variety of over 3,000 titles,” Oliver Bartlett, VP of Gaming Product & Content at BetMGM, said.
This deal is a landmark occasion for both brands, signalling Push Gaming’s first-ever market entry with BetMGM, one of the leaders in the online casino industry in the province. The combination of BetMGM’s industry leadership with Push Gaming’s innovative, mobile-first approach positions both companies for continued success and growth. Ontario experienced an increase in total wagers to $18 billion (CAD) during the second quarter of the 2024-25 fiscal year according to iGaming Ontario (iGo), with online casinos accounting for an 86% share of the province’s total wagers.
“This is a proud moment for the team at Push Gaming as this partnership is the culmination of an incredible amount of hard work. Having some of our biggest games available to BetMGM players, one of the industry’s largest names, is a milestone in our evolution as a developer and we’re incredibly excited at the potential of our partnership. As well as being committed to creating the best slots the industry has to offer, it is also our priority to ensure that content is available to as many players as possible, in tandem with the very best operators, globally. Working with BetMGM fits those goals perfectly and the ensuing long-term closer cooperation across North America that this will bring gives us an amazing foothold in key regions,” Fiona Hickey, Chief Business Development Officer at Push Gaming, said.
BetMGM, a leading iGaming and sports betting operator, announced a major enhancement to its customer experience by consolidating BetMGM Reward Points (BRPs) into a single account. In addition to users’ cash balance, this feature enables BetMGM Rewards Points to travel with them across jurisdictions.
Streamlining BetMGM Rewards Points into a single account is the next phase of BetMGM’s single, digital wallet. With single account, users have one set of login credentials and account settings, along with a single cash balance accessible in all states where BetMGM is available. In August, BetMGM became the first sports betting app to offer Nevada bettors seamless, nationwide connectivity through a single, digital wallet. Through operation and partnership with MGM Resorts, this innovative feature makes BetMGM the only legalized sports betting app that allows Nevada residents and visitors to wager in the state and carry their funds to BetMGM mobile markets across the US.
“We are committed to streamlining the loyalty experience for our players so they can enjoy the rewards they earn wherever they are in the US. The BetMGM Rewards Program showcases our key differentiators — omnichannel play, the iconic hospitality and MGM Resorts International’s entertainment, and partnerships including our alliance with Marriott Bonvoy. With every bet at the sportsbook and spin of the slot you are earning rewards that can be used online or in-person,” said Adam Greenblatt, CEO of BetMGM.
Players can earn BetMGM Rewards Points and Tier Credits by playing at BetMGM Sportsbook, BetMGM Casino, and BetMGM Poker.
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