This weekend brings some staple sporting events, like Super Bowl LX and the Winter Olympics.
Michigan legalized online gambling and sports betting in 2019. The American Gaming Association (AGA) estimates Americans will wager $1.76 billion legally on the Super Bowl this year.
Like any kind of gambling, sports betting is risky. Is there a way to do it safely?
To explore additional responsible gaming resources, visit michigan.gov/mgcb and dontregretthebet.org. Those seeking guidance can also call 888-223-3044 to speak with an MGCB Responsible Gaming Section representative.
If you or someone you know may have a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) or visit 800gambler.org.
Henry Williams, executive director of the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB), said there is.
He said gamblers should set a budget, use licensed operators (listed here), understand the game, and leverage responsible gaming tools, like self exclusion or the disassociated persons list.
“Enjoy the thrill of the game, but do it safely,” Williams said. “By sticking with regulated operators, Michigan bettors can protect their money, their data, and themselves while keeping Super Bowl Sunday fun and worry-free.”
The AGA says prediction market companies, like Kalshi or Robinhood, are “confusing consumers” by advertising sports betting as an “investment,” rather than “entertainment.”
This underscores “concerns about how these products are marketed and the lack of responsible gaming tools.”
The association reports that people betting on sports “event contracts” through these prediction markets are more likely to frame their trading as an investment, compared to users of “sportsbooks” like DraftKings or Fanduel. .
While sports betting is financially lucrative for states, with Michigan reporting $624.6 million in taxes and payments to the state from online gambling in 2025, a recent University of Michigan and Rice University study found legalizing sports betting comes with a rise in violent crime.
Researchers found significant increases in crime during and immediately following professional sports games, especially when betting outcomes defied odds, like when underdogs win. Wenche Wang, a former assistant professor at U of M who led the study, says there could be more risk in states with legalized betting.
“It is also worth noting that aggression may not stem solely from financial stress, as often observed in other forms of betting,” Wang said. “We find recent evidence of increased crime associated with stressful games, such as those with close or tied scores throughout, as well as games that extend into overtime.”
Both the Super Bowl and Winter Olympics can be streamed on Peacock or watched live on NBC. Kick off for the Super Bowl is 6:30 p.m. EST Sunday, February 8 and the opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics will be live streamed Friday, February 6 at 2 p.m. EST and rebroadcast for primetime at 8 p.m.
