Legal Sports Betting For Florida Residents
Legal Florida sports betting sites are the only way to go because there is no way for you to bet on sports in person within the state of Florida. Instead of going to a potentially dangerous and illegal bookmaker, we recommend the online offshore sportsbooks on the Internet, as they are infinitely safer, generally carry better odds, and are totally legitimate. You will never have to worry getting in trouble, as Florida's state statutes do not cover legal sports betting.
Sites for legal Florida sports betting are easy to find once you know where to look. We will give you reviews of best legal Florida online sportsbooks that you can start using today. In addition, we will cover all of the federal laws that have influenced the sports betting industry and give you insight on the overall sports betting outlook in the state of Florida.
Online sportsbooks cover plenty of different sports and leagues across the United States. Florida ranks right up there in terms of teams that are located within the state. Whether it's football, baseball, basketball, hockey or several others, Florida sports team rank highly. There aren't any better legal sportsbooks to check out for Florida-based sports teams than the ones you'll read about just below.
Bovada is easily one of the safest gambling sites around. They provide one of the world's most secure sports betting sites, offering easy access to a wide range of bets. They cover every sport, both professional and collegiate, and this makes them one of the most diverse sports betting sites. With Bovada you can collect a 50% to $250 match bonus, which will start off your account with a solid bankroll. They have VISA credit and debit card deposits, Bitcoin, plus wire transfers as deposit methods. Bovada provides some of the most favorable odds, which is one of the main reasons we had come to their service. Safety is guaranteed with this sportsbook, which is why we have gone to Bovada above any other.
While we have long been fans of BetOnline, they have only recently become a major player in the sports betting industry. They are very strict about their lines, offering odds that are very similar to what you find in a Vegas based sportsbook. If you like bonuses, know that BetOnline has one of the best. This is a 50% match to $1,000, which is one of the largest out there. You just need to enter the promo code BOL1000 when you are making your first deposit at the cashier to receive the bonus. Bitcoin, VISA, wire and bank transfers are their deposit methods, each of which is simple to use. No significant sport has been left off their list, which is why they definitely a top choice for sports betting.
Florida is a state that is known for all the sports that they have and the thing about this state is that most of the teams are always good and contending for a championship. This goes for football, basketball, hockey, and other sports as well. MyBookie has all these sports for players to bet on and most of the time fans make a lot of money on these games as well. Features like mobile betting and live betting are there for most players to be able to win big on any bet they take. MyBookie has it all and Florida fans know that they can win big soon as they sign up for a MyBookie account.
How Federal Laws Impact Florida Sports Betting
Federal laws impact Florida sports betting from an operational standpoint. The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) made it illegal for all but four states – Nevada, Delaware, Oregon, and Montana – to have land-based sportsbooks. These states were excluded from PASPA due to their existing sports lotteries and sportsbooks. But it is important to not that PASPA is a thing of the past. In mid-2018, PASPA was overturned by the Supreme Court and now the states are free too decide whether or not they want to legalize sports betting. Florida has not enacted any laws or introduced any sports betting bills just yet, but that could change in the near future.
The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) is a federal law that is not specific to sports betting, but outlines how US gambling operators and payment processors must handle online gambling transactions. The UIGEA is essentially a banking restriction placed on certain financial institutions and does not pertain to casual bettors. The law only impacts Florida sports bettors by potentially making credit card deposits at online sportsbooks harder to process. That is why the best legal Florida sports betting sites work with a variety of payment processors. The number one way sportsbooks get around this legally is through using cryptocurrencies. Not only are cryptos safe and easy to use, they offer the fastest payouts and you are likely to get a couple of bonuses for using them.
The Federal Wire Act was enacted in 1961 but still impacts certain aspects of legal sports betting in Florida today. The law prohibits gambling businesses from using wire communication facilities to transmit interstate wagers and sporting information related to betting. In recent years, the law has been interpreted to include online sports betting, which is part of the reason why you will not find US-based online sportsbooks. The online offshore sportsbooks we often recommend to you is not beholden to this federal law, so you don’t have to worry about breaking federal laws when accessing these websites.
The legal sports betting age in Florida is 21 years or older. This coincides with the general gambling age across the US for most types of betting. When researching different online sportsbooks, you may notice that some sites take bettors as early as 18 years old. You should still abide by the legal betting age in Florida because it is state law. If you were to participate in underage gambling, you could face having your account suspended or terminated. Once you are 21, you can join the online sportsbook of your choosing to bet on your favorite sports.
Mobile sports betting is legal in Florida and it makes betting on sports even more convenient. You can take your sportsbook with you wherever you go, and you have nearly all of the same features at your fingertips. You can still bet on the Miami Heat, Tampa Bay Rays, or any of your other favorite teams. Mobile sportsbooks still take action on totals, point spreads, moneylines, parlays, teasers, and other exotic wager types. Most handheld devices are compatible, including iOS, Android, and Windows smartphones or tablets. There is no download required, just visit the sportsbook website from your device to use the mobile sports betting platform. All of the sites featured in our legal Florida online sportsbook reviews offer mobile sports betting to their players.
Bettors and prospective bettors might have questions about their legal Florida sports betting options. There are commonly asked questions that can be easily answered that we've come into contact with in our experience. In that light, we've put together some information that we think will be useful to anyone living in Florida and thinking about betting sports online.
Is Online Sports Betting Legal in Florida?
Residents of the Sunshine State have plenty of tribal gaming options to choose from, yet online sportsbook sites remain popular because there is no land-based sportsbook action. The convenience of online sports gambling outweighs the long road trip required for Floridians to hit legal US sportsbooks in any of the states have legalized sports betting. Floridians have some of the friendliest gaming laws in the country, with no laws prohibiting online sports betting for state residents. As long as you use a legal Florida sports betting site that is offshore, you can bet on any sporting event that you want.
Sports Betting Laws in Florida
No laws in the Florida penal code address sports betting specifically, and the state has never gone after an individual for placing wagers on sporting events. That means you should feel totally safe when betting on your favorite sports team or game. Florida sports betting laws may soon even allow play at state-regulated sportsbooks, thanks to nationwide changes in the attitude towards Internet wagering of all kinds.
What's The Legal Age To Bet On Sports In Florida?
One of the most important questions to answer when it comes to gambling is the legal age at which you are allowed to do so. For Florida, that legal age to bet online comes at the age of 21. You will find that many sites that accept players from the United States will have their own age requirement, and the majority of the time this requirement will be 18 years old. In this case, that 18 years old mandate doesn't have the bearing that the state law has. Bettors will need to be 21 years old to bet legally online in Florida.
Will I Go To Jail For Betting On Sports In Florida?
There has not been a single conviction for online gaming in Florida, thanks in part to the fact that online sports betting is not controlled by any Florida law. Florida is not on the shortlist of states with laws against online gambling on the books, and the federal government has indicated that they aren’t interested in prosecuting online sports bettors, only illegal providers of sportsbook action. If you live in the Sunshine State and are interested in legal Florida sports betting, you are free and clear to do so.
Is Online Sports Betting Safe For Florida Citizens?
As long as you aren't operating an illegal sportsbook, you can feel safe wagering on any sporting event you want. The sites that accept players from the U.S. will accept players from Florida. These sites are regulated by the industry and are very safe and secure. The top online sportsbooks have great reputations. If they were not safe, they would not be in operation.
What Are The Fees To Deposit And Withdraw?
The banking fees at online sportsbooks will vary by site, along with the processing times. The majority of online sports betting sites will not charge fees for deposits, or at least waive the fees for your first deposit. Credit card deposits may come with a small 4%-7% fee, while the fee for a bank wire will vary by the amount sent. When it comes to withdrawals, cashiers typically charge fees of between $25 and $50 for checks, and a fee of $26 to $101 for person-to-person transfers.
The only banking method for both deposits and withdrawals that is guaranteed to not incur any extra fees is bitcoin. Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency that has become the most secure and reliable way to bank at online sportsbooks. Deposits are nearly instant and payouts can be processed in less than 24 hours. You can also deposit and withdraw more with bitcoin than you can with the majority of banking options.
Will The State of Florida Ever Regulate Sports Betting?
It's hard to say, and the truth of the matter is that you never know. It's encouraging for those in favor of legalized and regulated sports betting, because other states have made the move to legalize other forms of popular gambling. Sports betting seems to the one thing that might be the most difficult hurdle, despite the fact that it is the most popular betting category. For Florida to regulate, there would have to be the passing of a federal law, or other states beginning to regulate as well, most likely.
You can bet on all of your favorite Florida teams when you use an online sportsbook. Whether you want to bet on the Florida State Seminoles or put money on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, legal Florida sports betting sites take action on both professional and collegiate teams. There are about 14 NCAA Division I schools in Florida and you will find betting odds on every team. In the world of professional sports, you will find that FL is home to NBA, MLB, NFL, and NHL teams, all of which have betting lines at the best online sportsbooks. Below you will find a list of the most popular teams to bet on in Florida.
College
- Florida State Seminoles
- Florida Gators
- Miami Hurricanes
- Central Florida Knights
- South Florida Bulls
- Florida Atlantic Owls
- Florida International Panthers
Professional
- Miami Marlins (MLB)
- Florida Panthers (NHL)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (NFL)
- Miami Dolphins (NFL)
- Miami Heat (NBA)
- Orlando Magic (NBA)
- Orlando City SC (MLS)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL)
- Tampa Bay Rays (MLB)
- Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL)