Online Gaming In Michigan
Online poker went live in Michigan in January of 2021, and it was only with one operator, PokerStars Michigan. Other licensed companies launched online casinos and sportsbooks, but they held back on the poker segment to begin with.
FOX Bet, along with Pokerstars and Stars Casino, officially launched its sports betting and online gambling products in Michigan on Friday following another major sports-betting app that was. (WNDU) - Online casino gaming and sports betting is now legal and well within reach in the State of Michigan. The Michigan Gaming Control Board has authorized 11 operators in the past three.
It was not long before the state showed its online poker potential: PokerStars MI has become the largest regulated online poker room in the States, with the average traffic of 400 players in the very first week.
This development could well have prompted other stakeholders to move their online poker plans up. WSOP.com is one: While the final launch date for WSOP MI is still up in the air, as the company is currently focused more on going live in Pennsylvania before the summer, it might not be too long of a wait.
WSOP is one of the largest and best-known brands in the poker world and the name behind the largest yearly tournament series taking place in Las Vegas and (as of late) online. The company will certainly want to establish a foothold in Michigan.
On this page, we bring answers and predictions for the launch of WSOP.com in Michigan. Some of the information is based off of what we know about the two rooms currently in operation, namely WSOP Nevada and WSOP NJ, and we will make sure to update the information here as we obtain it.
When will WSOP MI go live?
There is no definitive date for the launch of WSOP Michigan. The operator is currently divided between several fronts, putting a lot of effort towards the launch in Pennsylvania. A realistic timeframe would be a few months, but it is possible the operator moves the launch date up and surprises MI players. The operator seems set on launching before the end of 2021.
Do I have to be physically present in the state to access WSOP Michigan?
You need to be within the state borders to play for real money at WSOP MI. This is one feature that all US regulated sites have in common and there is no reason to think that things will be any different when WSOP.com launches in Michigan.
The operator uses geolocation to make sure players adhere to this rule, and trying to bypass it is grounds for having your account closed. Also worth noting is that the minimum age limit to legally play on WSOP.com is 21.
Will WSOP.com Michigan combine player pools with other states?
Creating interstate online poker compacts is currently work in progress, not just for WSOP but for poker operators in the US in general. WSOP.com aims to offer combined player pools at some point, but it is difficult to say when and if this will happen.
Right now, there is an ongoing battle with regards to the Wire Act interpretation and if it should apply to online poker. Things are currently looking good for poker players and operators, and if the trend continues, we will start to see more rooms combining their pools across states.
Since WSOP MI is set to launch later this year, it is not impossible that there will be more clarity on the matter by that time. So, in theory, the room might have combined pools from the get-go, although it is likelier that they will kick off catering to Michigan players only and potentially expanding later.
What kind of a welcome offer will there be for new players?
Looking at what the room offers at New Jersey and Nevada, players from Michigan are probably looking at a 100% welcome bonus up to the maximum of $1000.
Like most poker bonuses, you will not receive the full amount immediately, but you will need to unlock it by playing real money cash games and tournaments and gathering Action Player Points (APPs). The bonus is released as follows:
- The initial $10 releases at the rate of $1 for every 10 APPs
- You will unlock the next $50 by receiving $5 for every 50 APPs
- The rest of the bonus releases at the rate of $10 for every 100 APPs
The timeframe to release the bonus is usually 60 days, so there is plenty of time to do it. Action Player Points are awarded based on the rake generated, as follows:
- 2 APPs for $1 paid in cash games (based on contributed rake)
- 2 APPs for every $1 paid in tournament fees
Will there any other rewards offered by WSOP MI?
WSOP Michigan will very likely feature their simple but rather generous Poker Rewards program. Action Player Points that you gather by playing real money games can be used for more than just to unlock bonuses.
These points can be turned into real money when you convert them to WSOP Points. The number of WSOP Points you can get from your APPs depends on your loyalty level:
- Bronze: Achieve 200+ APPs in a month and get 4x WSOP Points’ multiplier.
- Silver: 750+ monthly points & 10x WSOP Points’ multiplier.
- Elite: Gather 1500+ APPs and enjoy 12.5x multiplier.
- Champions Club: Based on the yearly number of points. Achieve 20,000 or more and get to the maximum multiplier of 16x.
You can exchange WSOP Points for cash on your account. The process is very simple and you can redeem the points at the rate of $1 for 100 WSOP Points. The minimum number of points you can convert is 1000.
What deposit methods will be available for WSOP Michigan players?
WSOP offers a good variety of deposit options for the players in other states, and it is likely that Michigan players will have access to the same or at least very similar array of deposit methods, which includes:
- MasterCard, Visa, and Discover
- ACH
- PayNearMe
- In-person deposit at the cashier cage
Some of these options have been thoroughly tried and tested by players, and PayPal and ACH seem to be top picks. Of course, in-person deposits are always a good option if you happen to find yourself in the vicinity of the actual property.
Credit and debit cards are always touch-and-go in the US. Despite the fact the sites have licenses to offer online poker games, many banks still block gambling-related transactions by default, so there is no guarantee your card will work with WSOP MI.
Does WSOP have a land-based partner in Michigan?
WSOP still does not have a land-based partner casino in the state of Michigan, which is a crucial step in the process. Before they launch, they will either need to find a partner in the state or wait for interstate compacts to become available.
What cash games will WSOP MI offer?
The most popular game offered at WSOP.com is No Limit Hold’em, with stakes going up to $25/$50. Other available cash game tables include Pot Limit Omaha and Omaha 8, as well as some stud games.
The bulk of action happens at NLHE and PLO tables, though, and this trend is likely to keep at WSOP MI as well. If you prefer other variations, the action is usually scarce and mostly found at lower limits.
Will WSOP.com MI offer BLAST poker tournaments?
WSOP Michigan will likely offer BLAST games. These are four-handed sit and go tournaments featuring the hyper-turbo structure and offering a chance to fight for the prize that can go as high as 10,000x your buy-in.
This is an exciting format, not just because of the jackpot potential, but also because there is a timer set for every game. Once the time runs out, all players are forced to go all in every hand until there is just one player remaining holding all the chips.
Does WSOP offer any form of fast-fold poker?
There are no fast-fold tables of any sort currently available at WSOP.com. This may change by the time WSOP MI is ready to launch, but at this point in time, the room does not offer any quick fold variations.
Is WSOP.com software any good?
While there are better online platforms out there, WSOP.com has done a fine job with the desktop software. The company is not too keen on implementing regular updates, but the fact is that WSOP.com offers a nice design and a good range of options to personalize your playing experience.
There are a few different deck designs on offer and a solid selection of avatars to choose from. The actual play interface is fairly simple but it is clean and easy to use.
It is worth mentioning that WSOP.com and 888 are getting ready to roll out a brand new client called Poker 8. This should be a major improvement on the existing software.
The plan is to roll out Poker 8 in Pennsylvania first and then move to other states. Depending on when WSOP Michigan goes live, players might have the privilege to play on the new platform from day one.
Will I be able to play WSOP Michigan from my phone?
Right now, WSOP.com offers mobile apps for Android and iOS devices, so Michigan players wanting to play from their phones and tablets should experience no problems. The current app does come with certain limitations, though. For example, you can only play one table at any given moment.
This problem, as well as many other smaller issues, should go away with the launch of the Poker 8 platform, as it will cover the mobile segment as well.
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