Poker Games Available at Real Money Poker Sites
While some sites have over a half-dozen variants of the game, Michigan online poker sites tend to have a few popular games. Below is a list of the most popular variations of poker online, followed by the house rules that sites like Sportsbook and Sportsbook use.
- Players try to build the best 5-card hand using their two hole cards and five community cards. Most Michigan online poker sites host No-Limit, Pot-Limit, and Fixed-Limit versions of Texas Hold'em. No-Limit Texas Hold'em is the version of the game played in the WSOP Main Event.
- A popular game similar to Texas Hold'em but with four hole cards apiece. Also, the player's 5-card hand must contain exactly 2 hole cards and 3 community cards. Online poker in Michigan often has Omaha and Omaha Hi-Lo variants, where half of the pot goes to the lowest hand (using the "Eights or Better" rule).
- Seven-Card Stud: Seven-Card Stud is a game where players are dealt two hole cards and one upcard apiece to start. After a round of betting, they're dealt 3 upcards with a round of betting in-between. Finally, they receive a third upcard, which is followed by a round of betting. The 5 rounds of betting require extra patience and strategy.
- H.O.R.S.E.: HORSE mixed several types of poker, so a player must be skilled at many variants to win. The acronym H.O.R.S.E. stands for Hold'em, Omaha, Razz, Seven-Card Stud, and Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo, Eights or Better (E standing for "Eights"). Players can enjoy cash games or tournaments involving H.O.R.S.E.
House Rules for Online Poker in Michigan
Many US poker sites have special house rules that enhance the . These can be confusing for new players, so we offer a quick glossary of poker terms so you can choose the best game for you.
- Knockout Tournaments: Players receive bounties for knocking out an opponent. Knockout tournaments cater to aggressive players.
- Jackpot Sit & Go Event: Jackpot SNGs are three-player turbo events with buy-in ranges from $2 to $100. Called "hyper-turbo" events at some poker sites.
- Anonymous Tables: When the player sits down at the table, they are anonymous. Poker history software doesn't work. This mimics a live poker game, where you don't know the other players at the table.
- Quick Seat: When you enter the poker lobby, you're assigned to the next available table that qualifies for your needs.
- Zone Poker: Each new hand, the player is reassigned to the first table that's available. This allows you to see more hands of poker, instead of waiting for the other players when you fold.
Banking Options for Online Poker in Michigan
Michigan poker players can use the same payment methods they would use at other online merchants. not only trigger huge poker bonuses from the site but build up cashback and rewards from Visa and MasterCard as they do. Bitcoin, Litecoin, and other cryptocurrencies are the ultimate experience in speed, security, privacy, and transparency. Those who don't want to use credit cards or cryptos have options like Western Union, Person to Person, and bank wire transfers.
- The west's largest credit card network, Visa is accepted as a banking option at any legitimate US online poker site. Visa-branded cards work for deposits, while many sites accept Visa payouts.
- MasterCard is second only to Visa when it comes to acceptance at US online poker rooms. MasterCard-branded credit cards, , and prepaid cards work at most MI online poker sites.
- The world's first and most popular cryptocurrency. Bitcoin uses blockchain technology to provide world-class security and speed when making poker deposits.
- Litecoin: Litecoin launched in 2013 as a faster alternative to Bitcoin. Litecoin is four times faster than Bitcoin and is a popular choice.
- Ethereum: Ethereum is an altcoin that protects your deposits and payouts with blockchain technology. Outside of poker play, Ethereum also allows the use of smart contracts.
- Bitcoin Cash: Bitcoin Cash is an altcoin that stems from a hard fork of Bitcoin. Bitcoin Cash supporters claim their altcoin provides a better user experience than Bitcoin.
- Western Union: Founded in 1851, Western Union remains one of the most trusted bank wire services over 170 years later. Pay at a Western Union office and the cardroom receives payment.
- Person to Person: Person-to-Person wires cash to a person who collects deposits for the poker site. Use Western Union or MoneyGram for these payments. Speedpay is also available.
- Bank wire transfers move money directly from your bank account to the casino. These cost money but are highly secure.
- Bank Check: Send a payment or collect winnings with a bank check. These are secure, but cost a fee and take extra days to arrive.
Safety and Fairness at Michigan Online Poker Sites
Whether card players gamble in the regulated or unregulated online gaming market, safety and fairness are major concerns. If a player wins a big pot or a big tournament, they need to know that they'll receive their poker winnings in a timely fashion. If a site doesn't pay reliably or it doesn't protect payments with world-class encryption software, it's like the player never won the poker event. With that in mind, here are factors to consider when choosing a poker room according to fairness and security.
- Software Provider: Learn what software company provides support to the poker site. The provider not only determines the size of the player pool, but also determines gameplay, compatibility, and security.
- Licensing Agency: Determine what licensing body oversees a poker site. For the regulated market, it's the Michigan Gaming Control Board. For the unregulated market, it's an offshore agency, often based in Malta, Curacao, Kahnawake, or the Isle of Man.
- Third-Party Audits: Many sites have their games audited by third-party testers for fairness and safety. Technical Systems Testing (TST) is one such group. Also, the industry-led watch group eCOGRA audits sites on a monthly basis and gives their approval.
- Player Reviews: Read review sites and aggregated player complaint forums to learn what a poker site's reputation is. Do they pay quickly? Do they have one-sided terms and conditions? Is their player pool soft? Is their customer support friendly and helpful?
Live Poker Rooms in Michigan
In all, Michigan has 65 different live card rooms. Sixty percent are local card clubs, while the remaining poker rooms exist inside Michigan's commercial and tribal casinos. Those in Upper Michigan should keep an eye on 906 Poker Social in Marquette. It's closed temporarily but had a good reputation when it was open.
MI Online Poker Laws and Regulations
On December 20, 2019, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed into law the Lawful Internet Gaming Act (LIGA), making Michigan the sixth US state to have legal online gambling. LIGA was a combination of two Michigan lawmakers' bills. State Senator Mike Kowall long had championship SB 203, which would have legalized online poker and online casinos, along with land-based sports betting.
State Representative Brandt Iden backed HB 4926, which also proposed legal Internet poker and casino games, along with land-based Sportsbook bets. Since Kowall and Iden are Republicans and Gov. Whitmer is a Democrat, the Lawful Internet Gaming Act of 2019 represented bipartisan support for legal Michigan gambling expansion.
Due to a large number of Michigan land-based casinos and potential online poker operators — plus the troubles dealing with Covid in 2020 — the rollout for Michigan online poker took an extended period throughout 2020 and 2021. By the end of 2021, Michigan had licensed and registered online poker. Players still could play at offshore online cardrooms for bigger bonuses, but also had the option of playing in the regulated gaming industry.
Latest Michigan Poker Updates
On April 12, 2022, Michigan's online poker regulators agreed to join the Multi State Internet Gambling Association (MSIGA) — often known as the Interstate Poker Compact. In the future, Michigan poker sites will be able to share player liquidity with other US states, including New Jersey, Delaware, and Nevada. This should lead to more bet levels, bigger tournaments with more entrants, and bigger guaranteed jackpots.
The decision to join the Interstate Poker Compact had been anticipated for a year. On June 22nd of 2021, the US Department of Justice allowed a deadline to lapse that had implications for multi-state poker in the . The DOJ had the right to appeal a US District Court decision on UIGEA and the Wire Act which had gone against the US federal government. The court case stemmed from a lawsuit by the New Hampshire Lottery to sue the federal government over its ban on real money interstate online gambling.
A US District Court judge had ruled the federal government had no right to ban such gaming under the provisions of UIGEA — an assertion made by the Trump-era Department of Justice. The Biden DOJ appears to have chosen not to fight the case to the US Supreme Court.
How to Download Michigan Online Poker Software and Poker Apps
If you've never played at a MI online poker site, here is a how-to guide for new players. The sign-up and deposit process is easy, so you'll be gambling on your favorite poker game in a few short minutes.
- Choose Online Poker: Michigan Site: Read reviews of Michigan online poker sites. Choose one based on the games, software, bonuses, deposit methods, and reputation for safety and fairness.
- Sign Up for Player Account: Click on a link on the review page to go to a poker room's homepage. Click on "Sign Up" and go to the registration form. Enter you name, username, address, and email address.
- Make a Deposit: Visit the Cashier or Accounting page to make a deposit. Choose a banking method, input the amount you wish to deposit and confirm the payment. Input a bonus code if needed, and otherwise accept the welcome bonus.
- Join a Poker Game: Next, visit the poker lobby for a full list of cash games, sit-and-go events, and tournaments. Choose a game and confirm the choice. Remember to join any freerolls tournaments the site offers to newcomers.
- Play Poker Online: Enjoy your poker sessions. Be certain you read strategy tips before playing because poker contains many skill elements. Take frequent breaks. If you're new to poker, play for small stakes until you build up your skill level and bankroll.
- Cash Out Poker Winnings: Once you've satisfied the wagering requirements on your poker bonus, make a withdrawal request. Visit the cashier page again, choose a payment method, and wait for your payout. Remember that the first cashout often takes longer, due to verification needs.