Florida Sports Betting – Is Sports Betting Legal In Florida?

Hard Rock Bet is the only sports betting site available in Florida.

To use Hard Rock Bet, start by downloading the app to your mobile device. You’ll need to enter some personal information to confirm your identity and verify your age and location.

Once your account is verified, make a deposit to add money to your account. Then you can start betting on any sport you want.

Registration is easy and only takes a few minutes. Once you’ve set up your account, you can wager on a wide variety of sports betting markets like moneylines, spreads, prop bets and parlays.

The only legal sports betting app in Florida is Hard Rock Bet. The platform is available on iOS and Android.

However, we also recommend top fantasy sports sites such as Thrive Fantasy, Parlay Play, Boom Fantasy and Underdog Fantasy for all your wagering needs.

Other online sports betting platforms licensed in other U.S. states are not allowed. Popular sports betting sites like FanDuel Sportsbook and DraftKings Sportsbook can’t be used in Florida.

The fantasy sports products from FanDuel and DraftKings are available in Florida, though.

Floridians visiting a different legal sports betting state can use other platforms.

The legal sports betting age in Florida is 21, which is true for most states with legal sports betting. If you’re under 21 and try to sign up for a sportsbook in Florida, you won’t be able to register. 

Sportsbooks confirm your age when you sign up by verifying your identity along with your date of birth. 

That age limit applies to in-person gambling as well, so you need to be 21 or older to bet at a retail sportsbook or enter a casino.

With major cities like Miami, Tampa Bay, Orlando and Jacksonville, Florida has an abundance of professional sports teams to root for and bet on.

• Miami Heat

Founded in 1988 as an NBA expansion franchise, the Heat have enjoyed considerable success over the last three decades. They rose to prominence during the 1990s under head coach Pat Riley, who guided the team to its first championship in 2006 behind Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal. 

With Riley serving as team president, Miami made four straight NBA Finals appearances from 2011 to 2014 after signing LeBron James and Chris Bosh, winning back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013. The Heat have remained successful since James’ departure in 2014, reaching the NBA Finals in 2020 and 2023.

• Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins are the oldest professional sports team in Florida. They were established in 1965 and played their first season in 1966.

After struggling initially, Miami dominated the NFL for much of the 1970s and 1980s under legendary coach Don Shula, who holds the NFL record for most coaching wins. The Dolphins went undefeated in 1972 en route to their first Super Bowl title, then repeated as champions the following year.

Miami struggled throughout much of the 2000s and has not won a championship since 1973. Its last Super Bowl appearance was during the 1984 season.

• Miami Marlins

Originally called the Florida Marlins, the state’s first MLB team was founded as an MLB expansion franchise in 1993. Known as “The Fish,” they quickly won their first World Series in 1997 before winning again in 2003, winning both of their Fall Classic appearances so far.

The last two decades have not been kind to the franchise, however, as the team consistently ranks near the bottom of the league in wins and payroll. The Marlins had a losing record every year during the 2010s and have made only two playoff appearances since their last championship.

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers were established in 1974 and played their first season in 1976. They were consistently mediocre for their first 20 years before rising to prominence in the late 1990s, winning their first Super Bowl appearance during the 2002 campaign.

Tampa Bay returned to relevance in 2020 after signing Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, who immediately won a championship during their first season in Florida. Brady spent the final three seasons of his career with the Bucs before retiring after the 2022 season.

• Tampa Bay Rays

Florida’s American League team debuted as an expansion franchise in 1998. After 10 straight losing seasons to begin their existence, the Rays shockingly won their division and made it all the way to the World Series in 2008, kicking off a new era for the franchise.

Despite low payrolls and poor attendance, Tampa Bay has consistently remained one of the most competitive teams in baseball. The Rays returned to the Fall Classic in 2020 but are still searching for their first championship.

• Orlando Magic

The Magic were established as an NBA expansion franchise in 1989 and have employed a number of star players over the years, including Shaquille O’Neal, Tracy McGrady, Penny Hardaway and Grant Hill. Orlando has never won an NBA championship, however, losing both of its appearances in 1995 and 2009.

• Jacksonville Jaguars

Founded in 1993, the Jaguars played their first NFL season in 1995. Jacksonville surprisingly made the playoffs in four of its first five seasons but has largely struggled since then, failing to ever appear in a Super Bowl. That could change soon, though, with former No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence under center for the foreseeable future. 

• Florida Panthers

The Panthers were founded as an expansion franchise in 1993 and are the southernmost team in the NHL. They set the record (since broken) for most points by an expansion franchise in their first season and made their first Stanley Cup Finals in 1996. 

After a prolonged down period, Florida enjoyed a resurgence in the early 2020s and made back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals in 2023 and 2024, finally winning their first championship in 2024.

• Tampa Bay Lightning

Founded in 1992, the Lightning are one of the most successful NHL franchises in recent history. Tampa Bay made five Stanley Cup Finals between 2004 and 2022, winning three times. That includes back-to-back championships in 2020 and 2021 followed by a third straight Finals appearance in 2022.

Florida also boasts a number of top collegiate sports programs.

• Florida State Seminoles

The Seminoles compete in the ACC and have won 11 team NCAA championships.

FSU’s football program has enjoyed abundant success over the past few decades, winning three national championships (1993, 1999 and 2013) while appearing in the title game three other times. The school has also produced three Heisman winners: Charlie Ward (1993), Chris Weinke (2000) and Jameis Winston (2013).

The Seminoles have done plenty of winning on the hardwood as well, racking up over 1,000 wins since their inaugural season in 1947-48. While they’ve never won the NCAA Tournament, they were runner-up in 1972 and are frequently in the tournament. Their best player was NBA Hall of Famer Dave Cowens.

• Miami Hurricanes

The Hurricanes are a sports powerhouse, especially on the gridiron. They’re a Power Five school in the ACC and have won five national championships, most recently in 2001. Miami has also produced two Heisman winners — Vinny Testaverde in 1986 and Gino Torretta in 1992.

The Hurricanes have had success on the court as well with over 1,000 wins. They haven’t won a national title yet but did make it all the way to the Final Four in 2023 after reaching the Elite Eight in 2022.

• Florida Gators

The Gators play in the SEC and have one of the most successful athletic programs in the country, winning 42 team NCAA championships across all sports.

In football, Florida has claimed three national championships (1996, 2006 and 2008). The school has also had three Heisman winners — Steve Spurrier in 1966, Danny Wuerffel in 1996 and Tim Tebow in 2007.

The Gators have over 1,500 wins in basketball and won back-to-back national titles in 2006 and 2007. They also finished runner-up in 2000 and have made five Final Four appearances.