Michigan has emerged as one of the most popular states for online poker gaming. Thus, it should come as no surprise that online poker has also found a home in the Great Lake State.
Best Online Poker Bonuses in Michigan
The growing number of online poker operators in the state is great for Michigan players. Not only do players have more choices of where to play, but more online poker rooms mean better bonuses, as rooms compete for the players’ attention.
Below, we will take a look at online poker in Michigan, as well as some of the best bonuses that players won’t want to miss.
Is Online Poker Legal in Michigan?
Michigan is one of only a handful of states in the United States to have legalized online poker. The state has a strong tradition of gambling, so it was inevitable that this was going to be the case. The practice was legalized in 2019 thanks to the Lawful Internet Gaming Act. The bill was originally proposed a few years prior and was met with much enthusiasm when it was brought into effect.
Customers in Michigan have embraced online poker. At the time of writing, there are two licensed operators in the state — Poker Stars and Bet MGM. Both of these are major players in the online poker world. In this guide, we are going to take at everything the state of Michigan has to offer online poker players.
Purpose of an Online Poker Bonus
The world of online poker is constantly growing, and operators need to do their utmost to stand out from the crowd. For players, a welcome bonus or ongoing promotion is a chance to boost your bankroll, while for operators, it is a chance to bring in customers and help them grow their operation.
While offering bonus funds may cost them some money in the short term, a growing customer base will see plenty of long-term profit for a casino. As well as this, offering bonus funds to players can be a great way of providing them with a taste of what is on offer. It allows players to enjoy games without the risk of losing their own money. It also allows players to discover whether or not they want to use a service. In short, it is a win-win situation for both parties involved.
Online Poker Bonuses in Michigan
There are two main real money poker operators in Michigan. Poker Stars and BetMGM. These two are both highly respected names in the online poker world, and they have a selection of different bonuses for players in Michigan to take advantage of.
Poker Stars
When new players sign up to play at Poker Stars Michigan, they have the choice of one of two different welcome bonuses:
- $30 Free Play
- 100% Bonus up to $600
Both of these bonuses are great, and you will need to use a Poker Stars promo code when you have made your decision. Both of the bonuses are paid out incrementally. With the 100% bonus of up to $600, players will need to earn redemption points in order to unlock funds.
For the $30 free play, players are given tickets and cash over the course of six days totaling up to $30. These tickets will then expire after 21 days. The minimum deposit a player will need to make in order to claim the bonuses is $10.
to claim your PokerStars Welcome bonus.
BetMGM
The welcome bonus at BET MGM for poker players in Michigan is very similar to the one at Pokerstars. The main difference is that both bonuses come as one welcome package. Redemption points are also used with BetMGM, with the bonus funds being paid out incrementally at a rate of 10% of the players’ initial deposit. Players will be given 28 days in order to meet all of the wagering requirements related to the bonus before it expires.
to claim your welcome bonus at BetMGM Poker.
Types of Online Poker Bonuses
Operators will use many different types of bonuses and promotions to get customers to play. The most common type you will find is probably a deposit match, which provides players with a boost to their account up to a certain percentage of their deposit. As well as this, other types of bonuses are also widely available. These include:
- No deposit bonuses
- Welcome bonuses - These can often feature two or three individual bonuses in a package
- Rakeback
- Tournaments - These will vary in length
- Tournament Tickets
No Deposit Signup Bonus
A no deposit signup poker bonus does exactly as its name suggests. It gives new players a bonus without them having to make a deposit. This bonus is typically deposited straight into the bonus funds account of a player. This can be a great way to get a taste of everything that the operator has to offer and to sit down and play some poker at a range of tables.
Deposit Match
Most poker operators will offer some sort of deposit match bonus to players. This is a bonus that matches a deposit from a player up to a certain percentage.
For example, a 50% on deposits up to $100 means you can get up to $50 in bonus funds to use on the site. Some of these bonuses can be particularly generous, with operators offering to double and even triple the deposit amount that a player makes.
This type of bonus is commonly associated with welcome packages, but many operators will offer them for other events and tournaments as well.
Tournament Tickets
With so many ongoing tournaments and tables at online poker sites in Michigan, it can sometimes be difficult to secure your place. This is where tournament tickets and promotions come in. These are tickets that will allow you entry to certain tables and games. They will often come loaded with a cash amount that can be used to enter and stake at a table.
Tournament tickets can be earned in a number of different ways. Some of them are given for player loyalty, while others may be used as prizes for promotions and other tournaments.
Loyalty Or Rewards Programs
With so many different operators available, sticking to one deserves some sort of recognition. Casinos recognize this and will seek to reward their most loyal customers through loyalty and rewards programs.
These often involve collecting points and climbing up tiers for using the services. Ascension through the loyalty programs will grant access to things like exclusive promotions and tournaments. It can also offer other benefits like faster withdrawals and access to an account manager.
Of course, loyalty programs differ from site to site, so be sure to check out all of the terms & conditions first. Most loyalty programs automatically enroll players but once again, double-check this before you miss out.
Rakeback
Whenever you pay to sit down at a virtual poker table, the operator will collect a certain amount of money known as the rake. This is just a small percentage that is there to cover the costs of the operator itself.
Some poker sites will run promotions known as rakeback, which provides you with a return percentage of the amount you have contributed toward the rake. There are even some promotions out there that have been known to return the entire amount you have contributed to the rake.
This rakeback could be for individual games or tournaments or over a period of time, like a week or month. These promotions can be a really useful way of getting back some of your lost funds.
Rakeback bonuses aren’t as common on U.S.-based online poker sites. However, they may become more popular as online poker grows in the states and providers offer even more competitive promotions.
Building an Online Poker Bankroll
The key to success when playing poker is managing your bankroll properly. While claiming a bonus isn’t something you have to do, it can be a huge help in this department. In many casinos, players will receive the bonus funds into their bonus account, which means you get to play while you’re protecting your main bankroll.
The key to managing a bankroll is to manage expectations and set yourself a limit. There is no point in going gung-ho and entering high-stakes tournaments if you are not an experienced player. Have a set amount that you are willing to enter for a buy-in. Some players like to use 5% of their bankroll as a maximum buy-in amount. As you play more, this will allow you to enter into higher-stakes games without the risk of losing the money you can’t afford. Remember that you should never play with money that you can not afford to lose.
Online Poker Bonus Strategy
The way you play poker is going to be dependent on your level of experience in the game. Of course, using bonus funds can be a really useful element when working out your poker strategy. It may allow you access to games you would otherwise not play in, and it means you can try games without risking your own bankroll.
Players should still have a sensible strategy if they want to win money, though. Entering smaller tables is always a good start, with 6 max games being a useful way to hone your skills. Sit-N-Go tables can also be a fantastic way of building your bankroll and managing your losses. These allow you to come and go at tables as you please, giving you the chance to walk away without suffering huge losses if things aren’t going your way.
It is also important to become accustomed to the different types of tables you can sit at and play. A good way to do this is to play with lower stakes if you are just adapting to the rules of a new variation of the game. Of course, players should always remember that there is no guaranteed way of winning at poker. Making sure you have a good strategy for managing your bankroll is a 100% necessity.
Cashing Out A Poker Bonus
Before players are able to withdraw their funds from any of the Michigan poker sites, they will need to make sure that they have met all of the wagering requirements laid out by the casino. As we have mentioned, the operators in Michigan use a redemption points system, with players earning points for playing at and depositing funds on the site. These points will then be used to release the payments into the users’ accounts.
As well as this, many of the bonuses that you will find in Michigan will have time limits. These typically range between 21-28 days. If a player has not managed to meet the wagering requirements in that time period, they will lose all of their funds.
Operators in Michigan will provide a range of different banking methods for their customers to use. Each of these methods will come with its own pros and cons, including things like faster withdrawal times and ease of use. The following are the most common methods available:
- Credit/Debit Card
- E-check ACH
- PayPal
- Cash at Cage
- PayNearMe
- Tapp
- Discover
Typically, the sites in Michigan will have a minimum deposit of between $10-$20. Be sure to check all of the terms & conditions of individual bonuses and promotions before claiming them.