Caesars Sports Live in Michigan Following William Hill Rebrand

FanDuel, BetMGM and DraftKings have dominated MI sports betting and MI internet casino since those platforms went live in Michigan on Jan. 22.

On the sports betting side,DraftKings MI Sportsbook, FanDuel MI Sportsbook and BetMGM MI Sportsbook have combined for just over $1 billion of the state’s overall handle of $1.5 billion, making up 67% of the market. The three have also established themselves on the online casino side, totaling $347 million of the overall reported $483 million for 72% of the state’s overall gross receipts.

Caesars Sportsbook, which rebranded itself from the previous William Hill MI app, is hoping its well-known gaming brand can cut into the market in states like Michigan. The new app officially went live on Tuesday, allowing users to play on Caesars-branded casino games and sportsbook.

“We are excited to launch our new comprehensive marketing campaign for Caesars Sportsbook," Tom Reeg, CEO of Caesars Entertainment, said in a news release. “The rebranded and upgraded offerings for our Caesars Sportsbook will provide customized offers, flexible limits, a wide range of betting lines, and an intuitive user experience. Caesars Sportsbook also brings players into an empire of play where, win or lose, every wager gives them more through our award-winning Caesars Rewards.”

In addition to Michigan, the Caesars Sportsbook is live in Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, New Jersey, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. It is pending regulatory approval in Arizona, Maryland and Louisiana.

New Deals for Players in Michigan

Aesthetically, not much has changed from the William Hill app. The interface has remained the same except for the new Caesars name in the top left corner and the new banners highlighting the promotions and other deals for players in the state.

But one major change is how every bet, win or lose, earns a player Caesars Rewards. Each wager goes towards a player’s tier credits and rewards credits, which can be redeemed online or in-person at one of Caesars more than 50 destinations across 16 states. These can be used for free play, dining, getaways and specially curated sports and entertainment experiences.

Caesars is also touting its “hundreds of ways to wager,” offering flexing limits and numerous odds, in addition to a seamless user experience with safe and secure payment options.

"We understand that we need to be nimble, we need to give bettors what they want in terms of depth of odds and breadth of sports, and we need to make our app easy and fun to navigate,” Eric Hession, Co-President of Caesars Digital, said in a media release. “But beyond that, we want to treat every Caesars Sportsbook player like a Caesar. And that means generous offers and a way to earn through Caesars Rewards."

Players who register for the first time will be eligible for a free bet worth up to $5,000. This offer is for new players only.

William Hill’s Launch

William Hill gained market access to Michigan gamblers through its partnership with the Grand Traverse Bay band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. The tribe operates two land-based casinos: Turtle Creek Casino in Williamsburg and the Leelanau Sands facility in Peshawbestown.

William Hill failed to gain a large share of the sports betting market. Through June, the sportsbook managed just $38.3 million of the state’s $1.5 billion handle, making up only 2.6% of the market.

With a new rebrand and new promotions being held in hopes of bringing in new players, the new Caesars Sportsbook could receive a boost from rebranding to a popular gaming company.