LANSING- Millions of Americans are placing bets on the NCAA men's basketball tournament, either in office pools or online.

But in Michigan, betting on sports is illegal.

Two Detroit Democrats want to change that. Rep. LaMar Lemmons III and his father, Rep. LaMar Lemmons Jr., have introduced a bill that would allow for the creation of sports pools.

It would allow pools to accept wagers on almost all sporting events and set their own odds.

Lemmons III said the bill would make Detroit more competitive as a gaming destination with Las Vegas and Atlantic City.

"We're competing with one hand tied behind our backs," Lemmons III said. He said he didn't have an estimate on how much money Detroit casinos could make, but he called it "substantial."

The bill is before the House Government Operations Committee. Rep. Leon Drolet, its chair, has not scheduled it for a hearing.

"I'd personally support people's ability to do whatever they want with their own money as long as they're not hurting anybody else," said Drolet, R-Macomb Township. "Bills like this come up every year around March Madness, but haven't gone anywhere."

The State Police don't have the resources to investigate every single private office pool, said Lt. Brian Albright, adding that MSP has investigated several larger gambling pools that included non-sports betting.

Drolet said the bill should be expanded to include private office pools to "decriminalize what's happening in every office across Michigan."

But the odds are stacked against Lemmons III's bill.

Even if the Legislature and governor back it, each potential sports betting pool would need voter approval. Proposal 1, passed in 2004, requires that any new gaming operation be approved by both local and statewide referendums.

Legislators say that despite widespread public participation in office pools, this bill may get shuffled down the list in favor of any of the other 135 bills before the Government Operations Committee, including proposals dealing with eminent domain, higher education and zoning.

In other words, don't bet on it.