Online Sports Betting Florida
Florida sports betting remains an elusive dream for proponents.
While discussions in most states take place in public legislative hearings, sports betting negotiations in Florida happen nearly entirely behind the scenes.
Any deal for sports betting in Florida must be worked out as part of a larger gambling compact between the state and the Seminole Tribe.
Online betting in Florida is also allowed in the form of daily fantasy sports and online racing betting. Online sports betting, casino games and poker are prohibited – but we are hopeful that will change soon. Where it gets confusing is understanding exactly when and where the various forms of gambling are legal in Florida. Florida Sports Betting At this time legalized sports wagering has not made its way to Florida. The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was overturned on May 14, 2018, allowing each state in the country to propose and create their own laws and regulations for sports betting. Florida Sports Betting At this time legalized sports wagering has not made its way to Florida. The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was overturned on May 14, 2018.
Over the past two legislative sessions, leaders of the legislature and the tribe discussed a deal to restart tribal gaming payments to the state in return for permitting sports betting and other concessions for tribal casinos.
The 2020 session adjourned in March without an agreement on FL sports betting. It’s possible — though unlikely — to be included in a special session later in the year.
The future of Florida sports betting
Sports betting in Florida certainly could happen in the future. It remains illegal to wager on sports in Florida, though, for the time being.
After a deal was not reached in 2019, the Seminoles announced that they would not make their annual gaming payment of approximately $330 million to the state in 2020.
A new compact needs to be reached to restart the payment. That adds some urgency for the state to act on a deal that includes Florida sports betting.
When will online sports betting launch in Florida?
There’s reason to believe that 2021 could be the year for legalization of sports betting in the Sunshine State. The earliest sports wagers could be taken in Florida is probably 2022.
That theoretically could include the ability to wager online via mobile sports betting apps in Florida.
Sen. Wilton Simpson has a good relationship with the Seminoles and is taking over as Senate President. He worked out a tentative agreement with the tribe in 2019 before Gov. Ron DeSantis refused to sign off on the deal.
However, DeSantis is poised to become more involved in the negotiations. He indicated that he wants to see a comprehensive gambling deal get done.
The 60-day legislative session begins in March and ends early in May. If everything finally comes together in Florida and the governor signs off on a compact, it would still need federal approval.
Online Sports Betting Florida Legal
Recent Florida sports betting news
Analysis: Does Florida Have Any Chance At Legalizing Sports Betting This Year?
A new year has brought with it a small (really, infinitely small) glimmer of hope that Florida will be able to get sports betting done during this year’s legislative session. Probably not, but still. As Legal Sports Report reported at the end of December, Jeff Brandes, a state Senator from the Pinellas area, has plans […] Read MoreThe best Florida sports betting sites offer a combination of attributes that set them apart from the pack. We evaluated all of the online sportsbooks serving FL and applied our in-depth ranking process.
This allows us to present you with a list of our top-rated sports betting sites for Florida, all of which have been thoroughly vetted and are completely legit on every level.
Rank | DE Betting Site | Exclusive Bonus | Get Started | |
---|---|---|---|---|
#1 | BetUS | 100% Up To$2,500 | Visit Site | Visit Site |
#2 | MyBookie | 50% Up To$1,000 | Visit Site | Visit Site |
#3 | BetNow | 100% Up To$1,000 | Visit Site | Visit Site |
#4 | Bovada Sports | 50% Up To$250 | Visit Site | Visit Site |
#5 | BetOnline Sports | 50% Up To$1,000 | Visit Site | Visit Site |
Betting on sports for real money is easier online than any of the alternative options. That’s only really true when you use the right online sportsbooks, though. If you pick the wrong option, you’re likely to have a negative online betting experience overall.
With a range of Florida sports betting sites to choose from, picking the wrong option is all too easy to do. Especially if you don’t particularly know what you’re looking for, or don’t have the time to do the in-depth research required to sort the quality sites from the bad ones.
The good news is that we’ve done the hard work for you. You can confidently join any of our recommendations knowing that we’ve hand-picked only the very best FL sports betting sites. How do we do this? We explain more about that further down this page.
Also on this page is a look at the betting options available at online sportsbooks in Florida, along with details of the benefits of betting online from the Sunshine State.
Each and every one of these recommended sites has been carefully selected based on the criteria that matters the most for online sports bettors.
There’s no doubt for us that these are legitimately the best Florida sports betting sites available right now. They’re all safe to use for real money sports betting, and provide an excellent online betting experience.
How We Rank Sports Betting Sites in Florida
You’re naturally going to wonder how we decided that these particular sites are the ones to use for online sports betting in Florida.
Bottom line, we know what we’re doing. Compiling our rankings is a team effort, and our team is made up of experienced online gamblers who know how to evaluate the most important factors.
Here are some of the main factors we look at for ranking the best FL sites for betting on sports online.
If you drive past a commercial location in your community and see construction, you know the ownership is making a significant investment. They’re not just renting out a space, throwing in some furnishings, and hanging a cheap sign outside.
Online Sports Betting In Florida
From the outset, you know that a business making a significant investment has every intention of staying for the long haul. On the surface, it may not be as easy to apply this approach to sports gambling sites, but if you know what to look for, there are definitely some telltale signs.
The online sportsbooks we recommend don’t operate in the shadows like internet mavericks. They’re all completely legitimate businesses, and they have physical presences in licensing jurisdictions.
Precise regulatory requirements vary depending on the country or territory issuing the gambling license, but there’s a general framework. Applicants must prove that they have the expertise to successfully operate an online gambling site. They’re carefully vetted and go through extensive background checks.
Operators are required to have safeguards for players in place. These would include state-of-the-art encrypting technology to protect sensitive information, along with warnings and information about the dangers of compulsive gambling.
Getting back to our original premise that was presented in the opening, the sites that we approve clearly make a very significant financial commitment from the outset.
Another facet that we weigh heavily is the longevity of the books that we’re considering for our list of the best Florida betting sites. When any company has been around for a significant amount of time, they’re likely offering a sound product or service that satisfies their customers on a consistent basis.
There are forums and message boards that revolve around just about any subject imaginable, and the online sports betting niche is no exception. We visit the ones that are the most highly respected, so we always keep a finger on the pulse of what people in-the-know are saying.
Our team members are passionate about sports betting in their own right, so they’re active participants. They’ve had experiences on many of the sites and are part of a network of like-minded colleagues. Information is shared often, and this gives us additional insight to go along with our own experience when we’re ranking gambling sites.
Focus on the Needs of American Players
Internet sports betting is popular all over the world, and there are website operators that accommodate customers on a global scale. Clearly, any site that accepts American players will be in the English language, but there are some other nuances to take into consideration.
There are deposit and withdrawal methods that are universal, like Visa and Mastercard. These options are available to American players and sports gamblers from other countries. This being stated, all of the other methods that are offered at the best sites for US players are carefully chosen.
It may go without saying, but currency is a factor as well. A site that in English could be centered around the utilization of the British pound, the Australian dollar, or the Euro. All of the best FL sportsbooks that have made our rankings are designed for people that use the US dollar.
On the subject of depositing and withdrawing, if you use Bitcoin as a currency for sports betting, the transactions are processed instantly at many of the sites.
As a discerning consumer, it’s justified and fully appropriate to have some concerns about the availability of customer service when you’re establishing a new business relationship on the internet.
This may be magnified a bit, as it applies to online gambling sites. Operators must make a strong statement to gain the confidence of their prospective clients. Trust is important when placing real money wagers online.
You can rest assured that you will be able to get in touch with a knowledgeable, empowered representative that has been trained to resolve issues quickly and efficiently. There’s always telephone support available, along with email and live chat functions.
It can be difficult to understand how to proceed if you’ve never experienced online sports betting websites. We examine the navigation at the sites we evaluate, so any operator we’re willing to recommend should make it easy to get around.
Most people are going to be interested in betting from their smartphones and tablets, and we keep this in mind as well. Every site that we’ve included seamlessly translates to all mobile environments.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of the factors we consider when ranking the best sports betting sites for FL. We’ve hopefully provided enough detail, though, to show just how diligent where are when deciding which online bookmakers and sportsbooks to recommend to our readers.
It perhaps goes without saying, but one of the other factors we look at is the various betting options available.
Betting Options at Online Sportsbooks in FL
The sites that we recommend put a spotlight on all of the most popular American sports. You will have no shortage of options when you make your first deposit and start to fully embrace the online wagering experience.
NFL football is the most popular sport in the United States, and football betting is huge. NCAA football is wildly popular in its own right. The books take a lot of action on college and pro contests throughout the regular campaign, and it all culminates with the bowls, the playoffs, and the championship games.
In-game wagering is another option. As the name would suggest, it allows you to bet on the game after it has started with adjusted odds that reflect the current situation at any given time. The live betting platform is one of the things we look at when ranking online betting sites.
A particular advantage of betting on football online at any of our recommended sites is the variety of prop bets available. There are all kinds of different possibilities, including total passing yards for each quarterback, interceptions thrown, yards gained by particular running backs, etc.
Many of the top sports betting sites offer dozens of props for each individual game.
NCAA and NBA Basketball
The sport of basketball is a staple at the best Florida betting sites.
NBA, as you’d imagine, is covered extensively. College basketball is, too, and the March Madness tournament in particular gets a lot of attention.
America’s pastime is well represented at all of our recommended FL betting sites, and there are some variances when it comes to betting options. There are straight bets and totals wagering on the moneyline, but there’s no true point spread. Parlay bets are taken, but there are no teasers because there are no point spreads.
There’s run line betting, which can be described as a hybrid with a fixed spread of sorts and an adjustable moneyline. All favorites are -1.5 runs, and the underdogs get 1.5 tallies. A moneyline is attached to each side that is set according to the statistical probability of the favorite winning.
They offer in-game betting and odds on futures, and there are some propositions at times, but they’re much more limited than the football props.
NHL Hockey
You can bet on hockey at online sportsbooks, and the betting options are identical to baseball.
This would include the “run line,” but as you might imagine, for hockey, it is called the “puck line.”
The “big four” are the primary money makers for betting sites in Florida and throughout the US, but their betting menus expand beyond these offerings. If you like to bet on mixed martial arts and boxing, they post odds on all of the major bouts.
NASCAR and IndyCar racing fans will find what they’re looking for at the top-rated Florida sportsbooks, and you can bet on tennis and golf tournaments, too. If you’re interested in soccer, you’ll find the virtual betting windows open for all of the big matchups throughout the year.
Benefits of Online Sports Betting in Florida
At the present time, there are no in-person sportsbooks in the state, but you can rest assured that illegal bookmakers have been raking it in for generations.
Online sportsbooks are a much better alternative. When you limit yourself to the sites that we vetted and approved, you can go forward with total confidence. This being stated, even if there WERE physical locations, online sports wagering offers many benefits that make it the far better choice.
The best thing about online betting sites is the simple fact that you have access from anywhere at any time. We’re talking 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. You can always get your real money wagers down on any sporting event that would be on the board in Las Vegas, and many that wouldn’t even be covered there.
People that live in some parts of the state don’t have easy access to any type of gambling at all, but many of them do enjoy playing games of chance with a little bit of skill mixed in. Online sports betting options change everything on this level, and many of the sites offer casino games as well. There are also dedicated online casinos in Florida.
You Control the Experience
We invoked the name of Sin City above, but even if you lived there, you may not want to travel to a casino or sportsbook. It can be very smoky and crowded, especially on busy sports days and evenings, and people can be rude or obnoxious.
When you embrace the best FL sports betting sites, you call the shots. In a very real sense, you carry your own sportsbook with you at all times. You can go to your favorite local bar and grill, sit among your friends, and watch your action in total comfort with your favorite food and drinks.
Nobody is going to walk up to you and hand you a nice stack of cash when you walk into a physical sportsbook for the first time. It’s a dog-eat-dog endeavor, and they’re in the business of extracting your money.
The dynamic is entirely different at trustworthy online sports betting sites that have passed our litmus tests. These sites offer generous sign-up bonuses that are based on the amount of your initial deposit. Maximum premiums can reach $1000 and sometimes even more.
There are also promotions offered on an ongoing basis, so the free money opportunities don’t end when you make your initial deposit. You also have the ability to step out of the box and open accounts at multiple different sports betting sites to take advantage of more than one bonus.
If you do this, you could shop for odds when you make your real money wagers. Since you have relationships with multiple different sites, you could place your wagers at the books that are offering the most favorable odds on any given game.
Does Florida Have Online Sports Betting
State-Regulated Legal Sports Betting in Florida
If you’re plugged into the sports betting world at all, you have heard about the Supreme Court decision that legalized sports betting on the federal level. This decision was handed down in May of 2018, and since then, any state has had the ability to offer regulated sports gaming.
A number of them acted quickly, and there are a few others that appear on the verge. Almost all of the state legislatures have expressed interest in the possibility of opening up this gambling avenue. Fortunately for sports betting enthusiasts in the Sunshine State, Florida lawmakers have a few proposed bills for 2020.
While the state has always displayed a conservative attitude on the matter, it’s possible things could change in the future. Check out our page on Florida gambling laws for the latest updates as and when they happen.
For now, there are at least the safe and trustworthy online sportsbooks we recommend. They’re just a few mouse clicks away for Floridians.
In summary, there are perfectly legitimate sports gaming operators on the internet. We’ve done the research and will gladly put our stamp of approval on the very best Florida sports betting sites above.
These sites are tailor-made for American players, and they make it easy to deposit and withdraw money in a timely fashion. The customer service is better than the average web-based business, and the sites show their appreciation by offering hefty sign-up bonuses and ongoing promotions.
All the major sports are on the betting board day after day, and they set lines on other sports like NASCAR and IndyCar racing, boxing and MMA, tennis, and golf. If you’re interested in the type of football that’s played in other countries, you can also place wagers on the international variety.
If you’re interested in betting on sports from Florida, these online betting sites are open for business. Now’s the time to choose a site from our approved list and enhance your enjoyment of the sports you love.