Is Sports Betting Legal in Florida?
Yes, betting on sports is legal in Florida.
Yes, offshore sportsbooks accept players from Florida.
What sports betting apps are legal in Florida?
Florida bettors can bet with Hard Rock Bet, as well as trusted offshore sportsbooks such as Bovada and BetOnline which have 20+ year track records.
Trusted sports betting apps for players in Florida
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How to Bet on Sports in Florida
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1 Pick Your SportsbooksChoose an offshore sportsbook you prefer, such as BetOnline. Register by clicking “Join” and complete the simple form.
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2 Claim a BonusSelect from available promotions and deposit match offers. It’s recommended to use crypto if available since generally speaking welcome bonuses are larger if using crypto.
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3 Deposit FundsFind the cashier, pick your payment method—credit cards, wire transfers, or crypto—and confirm your deposit.
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4 Place a BetPick your sport—NFL, NBA, NHL, or more—and add bets to your slip. Enter your stake, then confirm your wager.
Florida Sports Betting Updates
Florida’s gambling landscape has seen a series of significant events and decisions over the years, shaping the state’s approach to various forms of betting and gaming. This timeline chronicles key milestones in Florida’s gambling history:
Hard Rock Bet leads Florida sports betting, but CEO Jim Allen hints at possible partnerships with FanDuel or DraftKings. A partnership between Hard Rock Bet and Duffy’s Sports Grill was announced. After nearly four years of legal battles, Florida adversaries reached a deal, ending litigation and adding Battle Court Jai Alai, LLC, an affiliate of West Flagler Associates, to Hard Rock’s sports betting lineup.
Supreme Court declines Florida sports betting case, leaving Seminole Tribe’s exclusive rights intact. The court upheld the Tribe’s gaming agreement with Florida because it was acceptable under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
The Department of Justice argues that the Florida sports betting case by WFA does not warrant Supreme Court review. The future of West Flagler Associates’ challenge to Florida’s gaming agreement with the Seminole Tribe lies with the Supreme Court, pending their decision to review the case.
U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar requests another extension from the Supreme Court on the Florida Seminole Tribe gaming compact case, delaying resolution to October 2024.
A bill that would increase penalties for unregulated gaming is passed by a House Committee.
Supreme Court grants extension in Florida online sports betting lawsuit regarding Seminole gaming compact.
A bill introduced in the Florida Senate would allow gambling permits to be relocated. A separate bill to regulate Fantasy Sports is introduced in the House of Representatives.
Hard Rock casinos in Florida start to offer mobile sports betting and expand their gaming menu.
West Flagler Associates petitioned the Florida Supreme Court to prevent the Seminole Tribe from relaunching sports betting in Florida; however, the U.S. Court of Appeals, DC Circuit, denied West Flagler Associates’ request for a stay on the relaunch of legal wagering in Florida.
The Seminole Tribe of Florida and Seminole Hard Rock announced plans to launch retail sports betting, craps, and roulette at all six Seminole Casinos in December, with in-person sports betting starting on December 7 at three casinos in South Florida. A motion to suspend the launch is rejected by the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court granted West Flagler Associates a temporary stay against the relaunch of sports betting in Florida. West Flagler is preparing a writ of certiorari to the Supreme Court to resolve the ongoing dispute since 2021.
The Orlando Sentinel reported that owners of two Florida pari-mutuels plan to ask the U.S. Supreme Court about the legality of a deal giving the Seminole Tribe control of sports betting in the state.
The start of the football season in Florida saw no sports betting as the matter was still in federal court. The odds shifted in favor of the Seminole Tribe when an appellate court panel reversed an earlier ruling.
A lawsuit challenging sports betting in Florida may not resolve by the NFL season start, delaying betting options for fans, according to an Axios report.
A significant date for Florida sports betting was reported by CBS12news, with West Flagler deciding whether to file for a rehearing or appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Hard Rock Sportsbook announced its name change to Hard Rock Bet, with the possibility of accepting bets in Florida by late August after a favorable U.S. Court of Appeals ruling.
West Flagler Associates filed for a rehearing after a defeat in the sports betting case against the Department of the Interior, as per the US Court of Appeals, DC Circuit.
Axios quoted Bob Jarvis, expecting the Seminole Tribe to relaunch its online sportsbook before the college football season and anticipating a state lawsuit that could affect sports betting.
The United States Supreme Court issued a two-page decision denying West Flagler’s stay request and vacating the administrative hold placed by Chief Justice John Roberts.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled in favor of Florida’s tribal-state gaming compact, possibly allowing sports betting to resume on the Seminole Tribe’s app, as Florida Politics reported.
The D.C. Circuit began hearing arguments to overturn the decision from 2021.
An initiative to get sports betting on the 2022 midterm ballot fails. The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit orders a hearing regarding this matter, in July.
A ballot measure requiring voter approval for any future expansion of casino gambling in Florida, including sports betting, is approved by voters.
Measures to regulate and allow slot machines in six Florida counties are approved by voters.
The U.S. Supreme Court overturns a federal law banning sports betting, opening the door for states to legalize and regulate it.
A bill to legalize sports betting in Florida is introduced in the state legislature but fails to pass.
A ballot measure to expand casino gambling in Florida is rejected by voters.
A ballot measure to expand casino gambling in Florida, including sports betting, is rejected by voters.
The Seminole Tribe of Florida enters into a compact with the state to operate blackjack and other table games at their casinos and share revenue with the state.
Florida voters approve a ballot measure to allow slot machines at existing pari-mutuel facilities in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
As the legal landscape continues to evolve, Florida’s gambling industry is poised for further changes, with future events likely to shape the state’s approach to gaming and betting activities.
What sports betting apps are legal in Florida?
If you need more information to decide on the sports betting mobile app in Florida that will pique your interest, below is an in-depth breakdown of the top 5 FL sports betting apps. These apps impress in different ways, including offering quality payment methods, responsive customer service and generous sports betting bonuses. You can use them all safely and legally in the Sunshine State.
- Best reduced juice lines at -105
- Quick and reliable payouts
- Competitive reduced juice odds at -108
- Comprehensive live betting options
- Excellent rewards program
- Impressive depth of betting markets
Nowadays Bovada is best known for their superior mobile app and large variety of political and entertainment bets. Bovada’s bonuses and aggressive rewards program remains among the best.
- An intuitive, user-friendly mobile interface
- An expansive range of betting markets
- Opinionated Lines
- Broad range of bonus offers
- High betting limits
- Renowned loyalty program
- Variety of promotions
- Excellent customer service department
How We Rank the Best Florida Sportsbooks
When comparing online sports betting sites, there are a few key things to look for to make sure you have a good experience. Here’s a quick rundown of what to keep in mind, from mobile apps to customer support.
Betting Experience
The user experience is everything when it comes to sports betting. We want to be able to easily build parlays and swap out picks for those in other markets, hassle-free. We like a site that cares about being aesthetically pleasing and making it easy to find the leagues and games we want to bet on.
Mobile Apps
A good native sports betting app will be easy to install, have a sharp design and run lag-free. Since we will be using it so much to place sports bets, we want to be able to quickly deposit money and build our bet slips for wagering on the fly or in live markets.
The best apps will make it easy to find the team, sports or specific event you’d like, providing a seamless mobile wagering experience.
A good app should resemble the mobile web design to give the user a sense of familiarity no matter where they choose to do their mobile wagering with that company.
Bonuses & Regular Promotions
Bonuses are a significant edge to sports betting apps finding and expanding their customer base. Not only do we look at welcome bonuses that are the biggest, but we also want to see apps that offer other bonuses for loyal customers and other sports betting deals.
Beyond the size of the bonus, you have to look at how valuable it is to the customer. Does it have a quick expiration date? What is the wagering requirement to turn that bonus into real, withdrawable funds? What is the minimum deposit to get a bonus? These are all factors we consider for bonuses.
Live Betting & Streaming
With people living on their phones and mobile devices these days, live betting is a huge deal and sports are at the forefront of that. Do you want to bet if the next pass will be complete? You can do that on most sportsbooks, but some are better than others at live-betting options.
Some will even show you graphical representations of which team has the ball and what the current situation is in a compact and easy-to-read interface.
Any site not doing live betting for sports is missing out on a lot of action in the online sports betting market. Also, books that add live streaming are going to take a big advantage in this market going forward as betting grows across the United States.
Banking Options
Few things are more important than an online sportsbook with great banking options. You want a wide variety of options for deposits and withdrawals and you want to be assured the payouts will be done in a safe, timely manner. Getting a withdrawal with ease is crucial to the online gambling experience, but not all sites are equal in this department.
Read up on how long certain methods take to get your winnings to you and see reviews from real customers about past troubles with getting their winnings in their personal accounts.
Customer Service
Sometimes you just need help or maybe to dispute a bet’s outcome. Sports betting sites understand that a strong customer support team is crucial to the user experience. The best ones will offer 24/7 support with a variety of ways to communicate from online forms to email to phone calls and even video chat.
Licensing & Security
Players always want to feel that they are safe and secure while using an online sportsbook, especially one that is operated offshore. You should always look into the sportsbooks’ licensing status and security features to see if you can find proof that they are a trusted, legitimate company that you will be comfortable sharing your personal information with for payouts.
Betting Options in Florida
For many years, sports bettors were limited to the standard bets of moneylines, point spreads and totals. But with more offshore betting sites joining the betting market and offering unique parlay options, live bets and alternate lines, you can find a deep selection of choices to add to your bet slip every day. Some of those choices can include:
- Game props
- Player props
- Alternate lines
- Parlays
- Same Game Parlays
- Round robins
- Teasers
- Pleasers
- Futures
- Live Betting
- Progressive parlays
- Reverse bets
- If bets
Mastering these types of bets can help you optimize your wagers and increase your chances of winning.
Types of Florida Mobile Betting Bonuses
Competition in the FL sports betting market is fierce. Sportsbooks use generous bonuses to one-up each other and seize more of the Sunshine State market share. Some sites are better than others in the bonuses they offer, both in size and variety. Below are some examples of the types of bonuses and promotions you can expect online sportsbooks to offer you.
A lot of types of bonuses, such as a deposit bonus or reload bonus, bonus credits and more without you even having to enter a promo code.
Welcome Bonuses
Welcome, would you like a lot of bonus money for joining and making an initial deposit? That is essentially the pitch given by online casinos and sportsbooks at new customer accounts. Some Florida sports betting sites will call this type of bonus a deposit bonus.
They want to sweeten the deal right away by offering a 100% match of your first deposit. Sometimes you could even get 200% or more up to a limit of thousands of dollars depending on the site and your deposit method. Crypto tends to earn more in welcome bonuses. But these are a great way to get started with a hefty bankroll in bonus funds before you’ve even made your first wager.
Existing Customer Promotions
Traditionally, the most profitable bonus a user gets is the welcome bonus from joining an online sportsbook. However, the best online betting sites know that they need to build up loyalty and offer bettors a reason to keep coming back. That usually comes in the form of bonus credits or bonus funds. This is why other promotions and bonuses are necessary and any great online sportsbook is going to offer those too with a wide range of offers to keep you coming back for more.
Enhanced (juiced) odds, reload bonuses, deposit matches, promotional offers and risk-free bets are some of the ways these legal sports betting sites will get you to continue using them in Florida.
No-Deposit Bonuses
A no-deposit bonus is a rarity, but that is why they are one of the most sought-after betting bonuses in the industry. While most sports betting websites will offer what is called a deposit bonus, where they match your deposit, a no-deposit bonus means the site will give you those funds without requiring a minimum deposit.
These offers are usually in the form of bonus funds or popular at sportsbooks, a free bet that is risk-free to the player. Sometimes, you can even get in on popular wagers without having to put money in with this type of bonus.
Free Bets
Free bets are growing popular with betting apps and online sports betting sites. Think of them as a bonus that allows you to make a risk-free bet using the site’s money. Some free bet bonuses will require you to make a deposit first, which makes them different from no-deposit bonuses where you don’t have to put up any of your own money.
Just be mindful of free bets, because when you win a bet placed with these types of bonus credits, you will only receive the winnings but none of the original stake.
Popular Teams to Bet on in Florida
Florida is a sports hub with a variety of professional and college teams, attracting fans and bettors alike. The state’s warm climate and diverse population contribute to a vibrant sports culture. Here are the most popular teams in Florida:
- Miami Dolphins & Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL): Football is hugely popular in Florida. The Miami Dolphins, with a long history and loyal fan base, are a top team in the state. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, known for their recent Super Bowl victory, also have a significant following.
- Jacksonville Jaguars (NFL): The Jaguars, based in Jacksonville, add to Florida’s NFL presence. While the team has had ups and downs, it still draws considerable support, especially in northern Florida.
- Miami Heat & Orlando Magic (NBA): Basketball fans in Florida often cheer for the Miami Heat, known for their championship wins and strong roster. The Orlando Magic, based in central Florida, have a dedicated fan base and provide thrilling games.
- Tampa Bay Rays & Miami Marlins (MLB): In Major League Baseball, the Tampa Bay Rays have been a competitive team, frequently making playoff appearances. The Miami Marlins also have a strong following, especially in South Florida.
- Tampa Bay Lightning & Florida Panthers (NHL): Hockey might not be the first sport associated with Florida, but the Tampa Bay Lightning have made a name for themselves with multiple Stanley Cup wins. The Florida Panthers, based in the Miami area, also attract a loyal fan base.
- Orlando City SC & Inter Miami CF (MLS): Soccer is growing in popularity in Florida, with Orlando City SC and Inter Miami CF leading the way. Both Major League Soccer teams have passionate supporters and offer exciting matches.
- Florida Gators (NCAA): The University of Florida Gators, based in Gainesville, are a powerhouse in college sports, particularly in football and basketball. The Gators have a large and passionate fan base across the state.
- Florida State Seminoles (NCAA): The Florida State University Seminoles are another major college team, known for their strong football program. The Seminoles have a rich history and are a favorite for college sports betting.
- Miami Hurricanes (NCAA): The University of Miami Hurricanes are a storied program, especially in football. The Hurricanes have a strong following in South Florida and beyond.
- UCF Knights (NCAA): The University of Central Florida Knights have gained recognition for their football and basketball programs. The Knights have a growing fan base and are increasingly popular among college sports bettors.
Florida’s diverse sports scene offers something for every fan, from the excitement of professional leagues to the passion of college athletics. Whether you’re into football, basketball, baseball, hockey or soccer, Florida provides plenty of opportunities to enjoy and bet on your favorite teams.
Online Sports Betting Banking Methods in Florida
Online sportsbooks offer a variety of banking options to make deposits and withdrawals quick and convenient. Popular methods include credit and debit cards like Visa and MasterCard. These are widely accepted for deposits and provide a simple way to fund your account.
Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum are a favorite among bettors. They offer fast transactions with low fees and added privacy. Many sportsbooks provide bigger bonuses for crypto deposits, making them an appealing option.
For those who prefer e-wallets, platforms like PayPal and Skrill offer secure and efficient payments. They are a great choice for players looking for quick processing times and easy account management.
Bank wires and e-checks are also available, especially for bettors handling larger transactions. With so many options, players can choose the method that best fits their needs for speed and security.
Conclusion
Florida sports fans have access to top-tier betting options with trusted offshore sportsbooks like BetOnline, Bovada and BookMaker. These sites offer more betting markets, better odds, and larger bonuses than what’s typically available with local sportsbooks.
Features like live betting, fast crypto payouts and coverage of both major leagues and niche sports make offshore sportsbooks the best choice. For Floridians who want a safe and reliable way to bet, offshore sites provide everything needed for a smooth and enjoyable experience.
Florida Betting Sites FAQs
What betting site can I use in Florida?
Many Florida players turn to top-tier international sportsbooks like BetOnline, Bovada and BookMaker, where they find sharp lines, reduced juice on key bets and access to early odds across major sports. These sites also offer fast crypto payouts and access to exclusive promotions.
What is the best betting app for Florida?
The best betting app for Florida is BetOnline. It offers competitive odds, generous bonuses and a seamless mobile experience, with features like live betting and crypto-friendly payments that make it the top choice for Florida sports fans.
Can you bet online in Florida?
Yes, and many Floridians prefer international sportsbooks for features like early line access, high-limit bets and unique parlay options. With player perks, loyalty rewards and convenient payment options, these sites cater to bettors looking for more ways to win across a variety of sports.
Can I use DraftKings in Florida?
DraftKings Sportsbook isn’t available in Florida, though residents can access its daily fantasy sports contests. For traditional sports betting, many Floridians turn to well-established international sportsbooks offering a range of betting markets, unique bonuses and flexible payment options, including crypto.
Can I use BetOnline in Florida?
Yes, BetOnline is available to Florida residents as a trusted online betting site. Known for its extensive sports markets, live betting options, high-quality customer support and secure crypto payments, BetOnline provides a top-tier betting experience.
Is the Caesars app legal in Florida?
No, Florida is not one of the states where you can use the Caesars Sportsbook app. However, many of the offshore sportsbook operators listed in our review, such as Bovada and BetOnline, offer online sports gambling on any device.
Florida Betting Guides
For bettors who are looking for more ways to get in on the action, we recommend checking out the rest of our guides for the Sunshine State:
Florida Betting News
Seminoles and West Flagler Associates Come to an Agreement
After years of contentious courtroom battles regarding mobile sports betting in Florida, the two adversaries have found an agreeable solution to end all future litigation.
Hard Rock Chairman Hints at Online Sports Betting Partnerships in Florida
Hard Rock Bet dominates mobile sports betting in Florida, but a recent interview with CEO Jim Allen suggests they may partner with big players like
