"}” data-sheets-userformat=”{"2":33559425,"3":{"1":0},"10":2,"11":0,"12":0,"15":"Arial","28":1}”>
125% WELCOME BONUS
Up to $1250 to bet on sports
250% Slots + Table Bonus
150 Free Spins On Gorilla Or Buffalo Ways
50 Daily Boost For Your Massive Wins
Grab your 175% + 50 free spins
2
Up to $2,000 On Deposit
Blackjack, Live Dealer & More
Use Promo Code: FREECZR
3
$25 Freeplay® On Sign Up
100% Deposit Match up to $1,000
Use Bonus Code: PLAYNJFREE
4
$35 CASINO CREDITS
On Sign Up
$35 Casino Credits on Sign Up
100% Match up to $100 (1x PTR) or
100% Match up to $2,000 (15x PTR)
To Claim: Click Play Now
5
Up to $2,000 Back if Down After First Day
Blackjack, Roulette, Slots & More
1 X Play Through
To Claim: Click Play Now
6
100% Up To $1,000 Deposit Bonus
Premium Online Casino Games
To Claim: Click Play Now
7
$100 Bonus PLAY
Opt-in & Bet Just $1
Bet $1 Get $100 Bonus Play
50 Bonus Spins Included
Daily Casino Bonuses
To Claim: Click Play Now
8
100% Up to $500 in Bonus Money
ONLY 1x Play Through!
Use Affiliate Code: PLAYCAS
9
In Bonus Bets
UP TO $1,000
Free Live Streaming - Watch Live Games
$1,000 Paid Back in Bonus Bets
Use Bonus Code: PLAYBONUS
Online poker’s long-awaited return to Michigan
April 15, 2011, holds the infamous title of “Black Friday” within the poker industry due to the departure of the leading online poker platforms, PokerStars and Full Tilt, from the US market. Even though I had recently begun my poker journey, I vividly recall the somber atmosphere that engulfed the online poker community, especially in the United States.
Poker has made a comeback in Michigan, but with notable changes compared to its previous state in 2011. Presently, there are two poker websites available in Michigan, however, they are exclusively accessible within the state’s borders. This implies that players must be physically present in Michigan to participate in these particular player pools.
Although I was thrilled about the prospect of having regulated online poker, I had reservations about the viability of a player pool limited to just one state. I questioned whether there would be a sufficient number of players in Michigan to maintain a robust player base capable of supporting cash games and tournaments with substantial prize pools. While I acknowledged the existence of a strong poker community in Michigan, I pondered whether it would be adequate to sustain an entire player pool.
Year 1 of online poker a success in Michigan
Yes, from the beginning, PokerStars Michigan offered numerous cash games with various buy-in levels and hosted tournament series with prize pools reaching as high as $100,000.
Despite occasional slight dips, the Michigan market remains resilient and continues to thrive one year later.
Excitement fills the air as players eagerly join any emerging market. However, the launch coincided with state-issued lockdowns due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, resulting in the closure of casinos and poker rooms throughout the state.
Michigan residents were provided with a platform to engage in poker with the introduction of these online poker sites.
Bigger, better things on horizon for Michigan online poker?
Despite the initial success of online poker in Michigan during its first year, numerous players and industry experts are eagerly anticipating even greater achievements in the upcoming months and years.
There have been persistent rumors for several months suggesting that Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey are planning to merge their player pools for online poker. Additionally, any upcoming states that permit online poker with these operators are expected to join the combined player pools.
In my view, playing together is essential for the future success of online poker in the United States. While the player pools in individual states have shown promise, uniting them is imperative to unlock the full potential of regulated online poker in the country.
Having a larger number of participants in a single player pool leads to the creation of a higher number of games and provides players with more options.
(For more information, browse through the archives of David Kaye)
Tournament participants are highly enthusiastic about and actively pursue tournament series that offer substantial guarantees. When players from all states come together in a single pool, it allows for a larger number of participants in each tournament, resulting in bigger prize pools. This aspect is advantageous for site operators from a marketing standpoint as well. A tournament featuring a prize pool of $1 million generates much greater excitement among potential players compared to a prize pool of $100,000.
The availability of numerous players in a cash game player pool leads to a wider range of choices for players. This translates to an increased variety of poker variants, a greater number of tables to participate in, and higher stakes. All these factors play a crucial role in ensuring the enduring success of a cash-game market.
In late 2021, I made the bold decision to quit my corporate job and fully commit myself to playing poker and generating poker-related content. This move stems from my strong conviction in the immense potential of the regulated online poker market in the United States.
In order to realize its complete potential, I strongly advocate for the consolidation of regulated online poker states into a unified player pool. Like countless poker enthusiasts nationwide, I am optimistic that this amalgamation will become a reality in 2022.
Just how well did David Kaye do in 2021?
After reading my review on the inaugural year of online poker in Michigan’s regulated market, you might be curious about David’s performance at the tables in 2021.
Anticipating your query, I have compiled my poker results from the time Michigan state regulated sites were introduced on Jan. 29, 2021, until the present day, Jan. 27, 2022.
Here are my cash game results. As depicted in the accompanying images, I achieved a total win of $36,199 by primarily participating in the $2.50/$5 and $1/$2 no-limit hold’em cash games. Additionally, I have provided a graph illustrating the fluctuations I encountered throughout the year.
Despite considering myself primarily a cash game player, I managed to achieve some notable success in tournaments over the past year. Throughout the year, I accumulated a profit of $32,622 from playing on Michigan’s online poker sites. Among my achievements, my most significant accomplishment was securing third place in a $215 buy-in event on BetMGM, which earned me a substantial prize of $9,419.
Both websites offer programs that provide players with cash rewards in the form of bonuses and rakeback. Through these programs, I have accumulated approximately $6,000 in earnings within the past year.
Playing on PokerStars and BetMGM, I made approximately $74,000 in profit over the past year by combining earnings from cash games, tournaments, and promotions. I am especially pleased with this amount because I was juggling a full-time job until September 2021, also participated in live poker games, and spent numerous hours editing content for my YouTube and Twitch channels.
I had a blast playing online poker this past year and I hope you all did too! Looking forward to another exciting year of poker in 2022!
David Kaye, a poker enthusiast hailing from Mason, consistently contributes a column to Playinmichigan. If you’re interested in keeping up with David’s poker endeavors, you can find him on various social media platforms using the username “DavidKayePoker.” He can be found on YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, and Instagram.
![]("https://us1.catenaus.com/import/img/BetMGM_logo.png"){kind=logo}
