Sports Betting Florida Guide

Florida does not have any state-sanctioned sports betting operations currently. Without access to local Florida sports gambling venues, the residents of the Sunshine State who would like to bet on sports have had to turn to offshore sportsbooks all of which are available either on mobile or via web browsers.

Sports Gambling (Florida)

As it stands, no local retail sportsbooks are operating anywhere within the state’s borders. Anyone who wishes to bet on their favorite sports and teams will probably need to look elsewhere, at least for the foreseeable future. Many of the residents often choose to go to off-state venues to enjoy some regulated sports betting action.

Is Sports Betting Legal in Florida?

Sports gambling in Florida has not been legalized and is thus not regulated in the Sunshine State. Its lawmakers have been mulling overs sports betting legislation for quite some time now but those efforts are yet to bear any fruit due to a few hurdles that keep cropping up.

Florida Sportsbooks

As mentioned earlier, the state has no retail sportsbooks which means that if you are hellbent on sports wagering you will have to look elsewhere.

Online Sports Betting (Florida)

Similar to the case of retail sports betting, Florida does not have any state-sanctioned online sportsbooks at the moment. As the stakeholders continue to ponder over the issues, bettors in the state have turned to offshore sportsbooks for their betting needs.

Is Online Sports Betting Legal in Florida?

It is not legal for any sports betting operator to accept bets within the state as the activity is yet to be legalized and regulated. However, bettors in Florida do not need to worry about violating any of the state’s laws by placing bets with sportsbooks that are licensed outside the state’s borders. Using offshore sportsbooks is legal simply because these sites do not fall under the jurisdiction of Florida’s gaming laws.

How to Bet Online in Florida

To get started as a resident in Florida, online sports betting is a pretty straightforward process that just about anyone can follow. In a nutshell here are the simple steps that you will need to follow:

1. Find a sports betting site that has all the features that appeal to you.
2. Register an account with the online sportsbook you have chosen.
3. Add funds to the account using your preferred banking method.
4. Choose the sports and teams that you would like to bet on.
5. Review the odds, calculate the payouts and place your bets.

Florida Sports Betting Sites

Here is my list for the best betting sites Florida residents can currently enjoy:

1. BetOnline – Known for its massive catalog of the most popular sports betting markets and its outstanding reward schemes, this site has a very strong presence in Florida. Bettors in the state love it for the very competitive odds it offers as well as the convenient payment options it has integrated.

2. Bovada – Bettors in Florida love this site not just because of the simplicity of its offers but also because of its super competitive odds which are available for both professional and college sports. In addition to that, the site strives to make the experience better for its customers through incredible bonuses and some of the most lucrative promotions in the industry.

3. SportsBetting.ag – If variety is all that you are looking for, you will certainly love the outstanding range of bets and odds that are present here. In addition to the standard sportsbook features such as impressive bonuses, a decent number of payment options, and mobile compatibility, it also offers a special bet builder option that players can use to construct bets to make the experience more personal.

4. MyBookie – This site puts a lot of emphasis on delivering a robust sports betting experience. It achieves this through its fairly straightforward interface that makes exploring its massive catalog of sports markets and choosing bet types or odds a breeze. Moreover, its customers can always look forward to reaping tons of valuable rewards thanks to the site’s bonuses and promotions.

5. Pinnacle – Here you will find all the standard features of the top online sportsbooks but the standout feature will be Pinnacle’s high online betting limits that are made possible by its reduced margins or lines. Having the lowest margins in the industry means that the users can enjoy limitless betting possibilities which are unheard of in nearly all other sites.

Florida Sports Teams

The Sunshine State is home to several professional sports league teams and an equally decent number of collegiate sports teams. This makes it one of the most lucrative sports betting markets in the United States simply because of the colossal number of sports fans supporting each of the teams.

Florida Professional Sports Teams

If you are wondering which Florida teams you can bet on, here is a list of the state’s professional sports teams and the leagues they are a part of:

• Jacksonville Jaguars (NFL)
• Miami Dolphins (NFL)
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL)
• Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL)
• Florida Panthers (NHL)
• Miami Heat (NBA)
• Orlando Magic (NBA)
• Miami Marlins (MLB)
• Tampa Bay Rays (MLB)
• Orlando City FC

College Sports Teams

In addition to its professional sports teams, Florida is also home to multiple college sports teams. The state has one of the highest numbers of Division I schools in the country. Popular college teams here include:

• Florida Gators
• UCF Knights Football
• Miami Hurricanes
• Bethune-Cookman Wildcats
• Florida Atlantic Owls
• FIU Panthers
• Florida State Seminoles
• Florida A&M Rattlers
• South Florida Bulls
• Florida Gulf Coast Eagles
• Jacksonville Dolphins
• North Florida Ospreys

Mobile Sports Betting (Florida)

Mobile sports bettors in Florida also have access to the same sports betting experiences thanks to the existence of several optimized offshore mobile sportsbooks. Most of these apps are provided by reputable and offshore sports betting operators.

Here are the best betting apps in Florida for sports gambling:

• BetOnline Mobile Sportsbook
• Bovada Mobile Sportsbook
• SportsBetting.ag. Mobile
• MyBookie Mobile Sportsbook
• XBet Mobile Sportsbook
• Pinnacle Mobile Sportsbook (Update: no longer accepts Florida residents)

From this list, we recommend BetOnline or Bovada as the best sports betting app (Florida) worth downloading.

Horse Betting in Florida

Florida currently allows pari-mutuel betting for horse racing, harness horse racing, as well as quarter-horse racing – these same laws, also apply to greyhound racing. Horse race fans in the state can bet on the races are several authorized racebooks in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Alternatively, they can bet from wherever they are since online horse race betting is also legal in the state. The three available online racebooks are BetAmerica, TVG, and TwinSpires.

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