Michigan Sports Betting Handle Jumps 64.9% in September

Jonathan Rodriguez

Written by: Jonathan Rodriguez

Published: Mon Oct 26, 2026, 8:00 am ET

Read Time: 3 minutes

Michigan Sports Betting Handle Jumps 64.9% in September

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Michigan sports betting activity surged in September 2026 as football season helped drive a sharp increase in wagering. 

Online sportsbooks accepted $544.8 million in bets, up 64.9% from August's $330.5 million. However, adjusted revenue grew much more slowly, highlighting the impact of deductions on sportsbook earnings.

The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) reported the figures in its September online gambling revenue update. The report showed that online sports betting adjusted gross receipts (AGR) climbed 88.2% year over year, despite a modest monthly increase.

Michigan Sports Betting Revenue Rises as Handle Grows

Michigan's online sportsbooks generated $55.5 million in gross receipts during September. Adjusted gross receipts reached $24.89 million, up 2.9% from August.

Compared with September 2025, however, sports betting AGR increased 88.2%, signaling stronger performance than the monthly comparison alone suggests.

The gap between gross receipts and AGR widened considerably in September. Gross receipts exceeded AGR by approximately $30.6 million, compared with $10.4 million in August.

Promotional credits and other deductions contributed to this difference, reflecting the effect of sportsbook promotional activity during the early football season. The reported gap should not be treated as a promotional-spend figure alone, since it represents the difference between gross receipts and adjusted revenue.

The contrast between handle and AGR is also significant. Customers wagered more than $214 million above August's total, yet adjusted revenue rose by less than $1 million. Betting outcomes, payouts and applicable deductions can all affect the revenue operators ultimately retain.

FanDuel and DraftKings Lead the Market

FanDuel ranked first among Michigan's online sportsbook operators in both handle and gross revenue. The operator accepted $186.3 million in wagers and reported $16.7 million in gross revenue.

DraftKings followed with $153.7 million in handle and $14.2 million in gross revenue. Together, the two operators accounted for a substantial share of Michigan's online sports betting activity.

Their adjusted revenue figures moved in different directions compared with August. FanDuel's AGR fell to $8.3 million from $9.3 million, while DraftKings' AGR increased to $6.7 million from $6 million.

BetMGM ranked third in handle, accepting $56.6 million in wagers. Fanatics Sportsbook followed with $48.9 million, placing both operators behind the two market leaders. These results highlight the competitive landscape for US online sportsbooks as football wagering accelerates.

Online Sports Betting Contributes to State Revenue

Online sports betting generated approximately $1.8 million in state taxes and payments during September, according to the MGCB report. However, internet casino gaming contributed substantially more, generating $60.6 million in state taxes and payments.

These results highlight the growing contribution of online wagering to Michigan gambling. However, iGaming continues to generate significantly more state revenue than sports betting.

Across both sectors, Michigan recorded $355.7 million in combined online gambling gross receipts, up 5.4% from August. Combined adjusted gross receipts totaled $313.04 million, including $288.15 million from iGaming and $24.89 million from online sports betting.

Year over year, iGaming AGR increased 18.4%, while sports betting AGR rose 88.2%. The comparison shows that both sectors grew annually, although sports betting recorded the sharper percentage increase.

Football Season Shapes September's Results

Michigan's September figures show how the NFL and NCAAF seasons boosted betting activity while deductions limited the growth in adjusted sportsbook revenue. Handle surged 64.9% month over month, and sports betting AGR increased 88.2% from September 2025.

FanDuel and DraftKings maintained their leading positions by handle and gross revenue. Meanwhile, promotional activity and other deductions widened the gap between gross receipts and adjusted revenue.

The coming months will provide further insight into whether elevated football-season wagering translates into sustained sportsbook revenue growth. For now, the MGCB report captures a market where betting volume accelerated considerably faster than adjusted earnings.

Jonathan Rodriguez
Jonathan Rodriguez

Jonathan is an avid basketball fan, and is often looking forward to the next upcoming NBA season when not checking players' stats during games. He also likes to keep his ears on the ground for the latest rumblings in the online casino industry.

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