I’m your newly minted Ante Up Michigan Ambassador. Born and raised in the Motor City, I play no-limit hold’em cash games for food and tournaments for fun. We have a vibrant poker scene in the Great Lakes State. Among the casinos, charity rooms and home games, there is plenty of poker action. My primary focus every month will be on the following five casino poker rooms in three regions of Michigan:
Soaring Eagle, Mt. Pleasant: Soaring Eagle is home to two annual Heartland Poker Tour events. In addition to NLHE (and being the only casino here to offer a $400 max buy-in to the $1-$2 game) Soaring Eagle offers Omaha, stud, razz, pineapple and crazy pineapple. Visit soaringeaglecasino.com or call (989) 775-5198.
Firekeepers, Battle Creek: Snap. Crackle. Pop. Battle Creek is home to Kellogg’s cereal. … and Firekeepers Casino, the only poker room in the area. This spaciously modern room with 12 tables is the only World Series of Poker satellite location in Michigan. Firekeepers offers a range of cash games (hold’em, stud and Omaha) and a regular tournament schedule. I live half-way between Battle Creek and downtown Detroit. It’s always a coin-flip between heading west to Firekeepers and east to Motown. Learn more at firekeeperscasino.com or call (269) 660-5631.
Greektown, Detroit: They say the eyes are windows to the soul. How about a poker room with soul and windows? Meet Greektown Casino, one of the few poker rooms with windows to the outside world. It overlooks Monroe Street, the heart of Greektown with the best Greek restaurants in town. Greektown Casino, which has 13 tables, offers hold’em cash games and tournaments (the best daily events around).
Check out greektowncasino.com or call (313) 223-2999.
MGM Grand, Detroit: Take the elevator to the third floor and you’ll find the only poker room in a Michigan casino completely isolated from slot machines and table games. It’s no wonder Hollywood movie stars like to play poker at MGM when they’re in town. This room is quiet, classy and spacious.
An added benefit to playing here is you don’t have to go far for good food. The poker room shares the third floor with the Ignite Sushi Bar and Lounge. Some of the best sushi in Detroit is just several steps (or staggers, depending on the time of night) away from the poker table.
Learn more at mgmgranddetroit.com or call (313) 465-1070.
MotorCity, Detroit: Did you know Wonder Bread was once baked in Detroit by Wagner Baking Co.? Today, they still make bread at the facility that housed this famous bakery. This historic building is now home to MotorCity Casino. All you can eat, baby. MotorCity is one of the toughest poker rooms in the country. If you want action, this is the place to be. You also might find yourself seated at a table with an NFL star, MLB player or Olympic gold-medalist. MotorCity attracts professional athletes and professional poker players, alike.
Visit motorcitycasino.com or call (313) 237-6735.
— Sammy Wynn is Ante Up’s Michigan Ambassador. Contact him by email at anteup@sammywynn.com or through his website at motorcityrounder.com.
