Michigan Online Gambling Reaches $355.7 Million in September

Michigan's commercial and tribal online operators reported $355.7 million in combined internet gaming and online sports betting gross receipts in September, marking a 5.4 percent increase from August. The figures were released by the Michigan Gaming Control Board.

Online casinos continued to generate the vast majority of the total revenue, while sports betting handles experienced a significant surge as the football season kicked off. Internet gaming gross receipts reached $300.2 million, and online sports betting gross receipts totaled $55.5 million. Combined adjusted gross receipts, which account for permitted deductions, came to $313.04 million.

Sportsbooks took in $544.8 million in wagers during September, representing a 64.9 percent increase compared to August's $330.5 million. However, adjusted sports betting receipts rose by only 2.9 percent, reflecting a drop in the hold percentage. Adjusted sports betting receipts equaled roughly 4.6 percent of the handle in September, down from about 7.3 percent in August.

When compared to September of the previous year, adjusted receipts showed strong growth across the board, rising 18.4 percent for internet gaming and 88.2 percent for sports betting. Operators contributed $62.4 million in taxes and payments to the state during the month, with internet gaming accounting for approximately 97 percent of that total.

In a separate development highlighting tensions at sporting events, four women participating in a demonstration at a National Women's Soccer League game between the Portland Thorns and their opponents at Providence Park were removed by stadium security. The group wore XX-XY Athletics shirts and held a sign reading "Save Women's Sports," drawing verbal and physical backlash from nearby spectators.

Following their ejection from the stadium, the women ordered a rideshare via Lyft, but the driver subsequently ordered them out of his vehicle after inquiring if they were "the ladies from the news." One of the passengers, Julie Lane, refused to leave the car on a dark corner of Portland until police arrived, though the driver departed before officers showed up. The driver later posted about the incident online, and Lyft subsequently deactivated Lane's account while stating that its safety team was reviewing the incident.

Meanwhile, fans of word and puzzle games have been engaging with the latest editions of New York Times offerings, including Connections: Sports Edition. The daily word game, produced in association with The Athletic, challenges players to group sports-related terms into distinct categories, ranging from classic video games to European soccer venues and famous athletes.