Sports betting is surging in popularity across the US in the last few years, but due to state legislations, and the fact that there are no overall Federal laws, where these sites are accessible remains a contentious subject.
This begs the question, is there an online sportsbook in Florida, and what options for sports betting on FL teams like the Orlando Magic and Miami Dolphins do residents of the Sunshine State have? I explore these subjects while also offering some viable social sportsbook alternatives in the below guide.
Open betr
The history and legal status of sports betting in Florida is incredibly convoluted and there have been a number of changes in recent years. Currently, there is only one online sportsbook in Florida - Hard Rock Bet which serves as the official sponsor of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
This is because currently, sports betting is exclusively controlled by the Native American Seminole Tribe until 2051 which effectively prevents any other enterprises from owning and operating their own real money sports betting sites.
However, this law could change again as there is great protest against one group of people having an effective monopoly on an entire industry.
Recent changes to sports betting regulations in Florida include:
Essentially, the Seminole Tribe has a contract with the state of Florida which gives them exclusive rights to own and operate sports betting sites. This is why there is only one real money Florida betting app.
Because of this limited availability, many Florida residents are looking for alternatives and one of the best solutions is social sportsbooks. These are completely legal in Florida and instead of real money, players make social picks using virtual currencies.
The premium virtual currency which is usually called Sweeps Coins can be redeemed for cash prizes after meeting a site’s playthrough and eligibility criteria.
| Virtual Currency | How to obtain | Redeemable for prizes? |
|---|---|---|
| Gold Coins | Through free bonus offers and promotions as well as GC bundle purchases | No, GC can only be used to place sports picks for fun |
| Sweeps Coins | Only available through free promotions or as an added bonus when purchasing a GC package | Yes, SC can be redeemed after a site’s playthrough and eligibility criteria have been met |
If you are looking for a sportsbook in Georgia or Florida, I’ve picked out 5 top social sportsbooks that serve as the best alternatives.
Onyx Odds is a superb social sportsbook that manages to tick a lot of the right boxes. For starters, you’ll find that this has been designed with mobile social bettors in mind, making it an ideal choice for those who like full accessibility on the go.
Of course, once you’ve signed up, that’s when you’ll really see the perks.
From here, you’ll find ongoing social media giveaways and the opportunity to submit postal requests. Sports are well covered, offering pre-match and live social betting markets, including moneylines, spreads, and parlays.
Plus, for those who want to play with a promotional element involved, a minimum limit of 20 Onyx Cash is enough to complete prize redemptions.
I’ve seen many people asking, is Fliff legal in Florida and the answer is yes! Fliff is one of the best social sportsbooks and if you use the BILFLIFF code when you create a new account, you'll get 1,000 Fliff Coins and 1 Fliff Cash to start making social picks with.
Fliff has a superb range of social markets and I particularly enjoy the NBA coverage here as you can make a decent range of social props picks on team and player stats.
Legendz is another multi-use site for Florida residents that offers both sweepstakes casino games and social sports picks. Whether you're a sports or casino customer, you can get 500 Gold Coins and 3 Sweeps Coins when you make an account.
The social sportsbook section of the site has brilliant coverage for US pro and college leagues plus support for popular worldwide sports like soccer, tennis, golf, and boxing.
Kickr uses Bits and Bucks for its two currencies and new customers get 150,000 Bits and 4 Bucks when they create a new account. There is also a progressive login bonus that can give you between 0.10 to 1 Bucks.
They cover all the regular season games plus playoffs and special events like the NBA All-Star game. I like the range of social picks here as you can make moneyline, spread, line, and parlay picks on all supported events.
When it comes to Florida basketball betting from a “real money” point of view, Hard Rock is the only legal online sportsbook in the state. Here, there’s plenty of Miami Heat betting opportunities, including their Christmas Day showdown on the road against the Boston Celtics.

But the FL basketball betting doesn’t stop there, as I found several NBA futures betting opportunities, including the NBA Champion, conference champion, division champion, regular season wins, most regular season wins, a team to make the playoffs, and various player futures.
These all include the Heat, such as them being +3000 to win the NBA title or newcomer Giannis Antetokounmpo being +1000 to lead the NBA in scoring.

Speaking of Antetokounmpo, there are special markets dedicated to him, including single-game performances, season-long performances, and more.

Hard Rock also offers futures markets on the NCAA Men’s national championship, including odds for the Miami Hurricanes, who are +5000.
For example, Kalshi has some unique contracts, such as the NBA Finals MVP, the next team for players like Kyrie Irving, Bradley Beal, and Andrew Wiggins, and more.
Then, over at Polymarket, you’ll find contracts for similar things, including the NBA championship winner, conference winner, or even Steph Curry’s next team, where the Heat are listed as having a 1% chance.

DFS is another way to interact with the Heat and Hurricanes. However, since the NBA and NCAAB seasons aren’t happening at the time of this overview, there are no lineups or picks to be made, so they’re not a good option this early in the season.
These include sites like Sportzino. They’re not quite your traditional Florida basketball betting site; instead, you play using Gold Coins and/or Sweeps Coins instead of real money.
At Sportzino, I did find odds for their opening game of the season, taking on the Minnesota Timberwolves at home.

There are odds for other games, too, including their November 25 matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers and their November 27 road game against the New York Knicks.
Finally, there are also odds for their Christmas Day showdown against the Celtics, which we also saw at Hard Rock.
Overall, I’d say there’s no shortage of ways to wager, play, or trade on the Heat and Hurricanes. It all comes down to your overall preference.
As for how Hard Rock compares, there are certain contracts available at Polymarket and Kalshi that you’re unable to find at a sportsbook, but there’s still plenty of overlap, especially in the futures markets.
As it stands, there is only one true sportsbook in Florida which is operated by the Seminole Tribe. As they have exclusive rights for online sports betting in the state until at least 2051 I don’t expect any other sites to spring up.
This is why social sportsbooks serve as superb alternatives. Sites and apps like Onyx Odds, Thrillzz, Fliff, and Kickr allow Florida residents to make social picks on a huge variety of sports and matches including all major US pro competitions.
The premium currency can also usually be redeemed for cash prizes too which is a big plus. Why not give one or more of these social sportsbooks a try today and support your local FL teams?
Currently online sportsbook sites are controlled by the Seminole Tribe which means that although sports betting is legal, there are hardly any viable options for Florida residents.
Only a few - legal sportsbook Florida sites are only available from the Seminole Tribe as they have exclusive rights to sports betting in the state until 2051. Social sportsbooks like Fliff, Kickr, and Thrillzz offer viable alternatives.
Social sportsbooks are the best option in Florida with sites like Kickr, Onyx Odds, and Thrillzz all offering social sports picks on all major US leagues including the NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL.