The MGM brand is synonymous with casino gaming worldwide, with the MGM Grand in Las Vegas being one of the most revered casino resorts on the planet.
Gamers can take their seats at hundreds of slots or try to beat the dealer at the blackjack, baccarat or roulette tables. There’s a live sportsbook with more than 70 big screens, and patrons can even enjoy live entertainment from the likes of Cirque du Soleil and The Eagles, or catch a live boxing bout featuring Tyson Fury, Manny Pacquaio and many others who have graced the stage.
Like many of their peers, MGM have now made the move online with their website and app, which are currently available to bettors in New Jersey and Nevada – presumably with more jurisdictions to be added soon.
They aim to provide a best-in-class betting experience… but do they deliver?
One of the best things about BetMGM that becomes obvious right off the bat is the simplistic approach they have taken with both their website and app.
Some might find that a turn-off, but it makes the process of finding your bets – and placing them – so much quicker and easier.
The welcome bonus is a unique offering that you won’t find many other places: it is a completely risk-free bet worth up to $500.
Many sportsbooks offer enhanced odds wagers and 'boosted' parlays, but there’s something different about those available at BetMGM: they actually have a chance of landing! There are no ridiculous selections that haven’t a chance whatsoever, and so their boosted parlays really are worth following.
We’ve already mentioned the simplicity of BetMGM’s product offering, and that is most in evidence with the desktop experience.
It’s as easy as this: all of the main sports are listed at the top of the homepage, either individually or under the A-Z heading.
Then you will see a range of betting options, with upcoming events listed with their moneyline, point spreads and totals clearly displayed. Game and player props can be accessed from the same screen, with more niche wagering options just a couple of clicks away.
If you prefer live wagering, that is given its own dedicated section of the website. All of the top sports are covered, with betting market offered for events all over the globe. That means that whatever the time or day of the week, you will be able to place a wager or two.
There are two different apps available from BetMGM: one for bettors in Nevada and one for those in New Jersey.
These are, in essence, the same, with stacks of sports and betting markets available in a sleek, easy-to-use application. Again, the emphasis is on quick bet finding and placement.
Wherever you are, no matter what you are doing, you can place your single bets, parlays, round robins and teasers with a few touches of your smartphone or tablet’s screen. Should you need any inspiration, you can check out the trend cloud page to see where the hottest wagers lie.
The BetMGM app can be downloaded from both the App and Play Stores, respectively, so you can place your first wager in seconds.
It could be said that the list of sports available to wager on at BetMGM is not the most exhaustive compared with other sportsbooks.
There’s no horse racing, for starters, and other sports which are popular with European and Asian crowds – think cricket, darts and snooker – are noticeable by their absence.
But there’s outstanding coverage of football, baseball, hockey and basketball – including college and pro fixtures, while all of the key tours in golf and tennis are catered for.
Soccer fans can wager on the MLS as well as all of the key European and international tournaments, while boxing and MMA enthusiasts will enjoy a wide range of betting markets to cater for all the knockout events from around the world.
This is another area where BetMGM perhaps lack the magic of some of their competitors.
For example, with other sportsbooks, you can enjoy live streaming on your phone, tablet or computer of some of the best sporting action around. At the time of writing, that’s an option not available with BetMGM.
And like we say, you might expect a website and app with the MGM branding attached to it to offer something that is game-changing and unique. Neither does, and in fact, there is almost an old-fashioned feel to their products.
For some, that simplicity will be a plus; for bettors who have other sportsbook apps on their devices, it will feel like stepping back in time.
But there are plenty of reasons to recommend BetMGM too. If you are a frequent visitor to their casino resorts or plan on being a regular bettor, the iRewards scheme is a fantastic way to earn free bets and cash prizes simply for betting.
And we also welcome the appearance of cashout, which enables bettors to lock in their profit without having to wait for an event to finish.