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In November, sports betting at Detroit casinos experienced a slight decline due to the reintroduction of mask mandates during the holiday season at the trio of downtown gambling halls.
The total amount of money wagered at the three retail sportsbooks in the city was $26.7 million. This figure represents a decrease of 22.0% compared to October, which had five football weekends and was a highly successful month.
In 2021, the casinos achieved their highest revenue mark for any month, generating a haul of $4.6 million. This impressive figure corresponds to a hold percentage of 17.4%.
In the week leading up to Thanksgiving, Detroit’s three casinos reintroduced mask requirements following a recommendation from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
The ongoing struggles of the Detroit Lions may have impacted the sports betting profits, but the football teams of Michigan and Michigan State offered ample opportunities for wagering. Notably, Michigan’s 42-27 triumph over Ohio State on November 27 was among the compelling reasons to place bets.
The figures provided do not account for the bets placed at various sportsbooks in Michigan’s tribal casinos, as they are not obligated to disclose their monthly statistics to the Michigan Gaming Control Board. The revenue data for online sports betting in November is expected to be released shortly.
MGM Grand Detroit tops rivals for November handle lead
In November, BetMGM Sportsbook at MGM Grand Detroit emerged as the leader in sports betting, raking in $9.6 million in bets and securing a hefty 36.0% market share.
The FanDuel Sportsbook at MotorCity Casino came in second place with a handle of $8.8 million, accounting for 33.1% of the market share. On the other hand, the Barstool Sportsbook at Greektown Casino generated $8.3 million, representing 31.0% of the total.
| Licensee | Retail Handle | Revenue (GGR) | Promos | State Tax | Local Tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MGM Grand | $9,597,375 | $1,029,267 | -$2,190 | $38,989 | $47,653 |
| MotorCity | $8,830,680 | $1,788,692 | $316,296 | $55,657 | $68,025 |
| Greektown | $8,265,830 | $1,824,846 | $0 | $68,979 | $84,308 |
| Total | $26,693,885 | $4,642,805 | $314,106 | $163,625 | $199,986 |
In November, MGM Grand continued its streak by leading in the number of sports bets for the third consecutive month. This streak began in August when Greektown, having taken more than double the bets of any competitor, lost its top position.
Although Greektown had the highest revenue in November, they managed to keep $1.8 million from the betting earnings.
More than $2 million in tax payments so far in 2021
The city of Detroit received a payment of $199,986 from the casinos, while the state collected $163,625 in wagering taxes from November sports betting.
In 2021, Detroit received $1.2 million, and the state received $984,251 from the casinos, resulting in a combined total of almost $2.2 million.
Casino revenue, fantasy revenue down from last month
In terms of revenue from table games and slot machines, the Detroit casinos experienced a decline of 6.8% in November compared to October, with total earnings amounting to $103.9 million. However, when compared to the same period last year when the casinos were closed for 13 days due to pandemic-related health concerns, November’s revenue saw a significant increase of 116.1%.
In terms of table games and slot revenue, MGM Grand Detroit emerged as the frontrunner among the three, raking in an impressive $48.3 million, which translates to a dominant 46.5% market share. MotorCity Casino followed suit with $33.0 million in revenue, accounting for 31.8% of the market share, while Greektown managed to collect $22.5 million, representing 21.7% of the total revenue.
In November, the state received $8.4 million in gaming taxes from the casinos, which is an increase from the $3.9 million paid in November 2020. Additionally, the casinos reported submitting $13.0 million to Detroit for wagering taxes and development agreement payments during the same month.
In the race for the top spot in Michigan’s fantasy contest, DraftKings emerged as the leader in October, fending off competition from FanDuel, the daily fantasy sports giant.
The state’s reporting of numbers is always one month behind those provided by the casino and sports betting totals. In October, operators disclosed adjusted revenue of $1.7 million, resulting in a payment of $147,693 in state tax revenue.
DraftKings generated a total revenue of $1.0 million, with $84,474 being contributed towards state taxes. On the other hand, FanDuel obtained a revenue of $661,707, with $55,583 being allocated for state taxes.
Adjusted revenue for the year totaled $13.9 million, with taxes amounting to $1.2 million paid.
