Since the beginning of the year, the sports betting landscape in the US has changed dramatically. The government has eased its stance on sports betting and licensed, regulated platforms have emerged to provide a safe and secure place for sports fans to place their bets. It’s a far cry from the early days of legalized sports betting in the US, where fans had to go to unregulated, underground bookmakers or the occasional sports bar to place a wager.
The gambling industry has shifted to the online realm, where sports betting apps can be downloaded from official app stores and used almost anywhere in the world. This has allowed for remote bettors to wager on their favorite teams and players from the comforts of home, and it has changed the way we as fans interact with our sports. Let’s take a quick look at the current status of sports betting apps in Florida, where fans can’t wait to get started betting on their hearts’ content.
Legalized Sports Betting
The 2018 sports betting legislation in Florida was a groundbreaking moment for the state and the sports industry as a whole. For the first time in over a decade, legal sports betting was made available in the Sunshine State. The legislation removed the 37-year prohibition on wagering on sports in the state. It also created a safe and secure environment for fans to place their bets, authorized the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to regulate and license online sportsbooks, and established a 12-month phase-in period for all sportsbooks to comply with state regulations. It’s clear that the industry and its customers have taken note of the changes made in Florida. In 2019, legal wagering on sports returned as a means of entertainment in the state.
What are the sports betting apps available in Florida?
Since the beginning of the year, the landscape of legal sports betting in Florida has changed dramatically. We now have apps from top-notch app stores like Google Play and the Apple App Store, as well as the option to place bets through online bookmakers, to choose from. Let’s take a quick look at the apps available in Florida, and where you can find them.
Bovada vs DraftKings
For decades, US sportsbooks avoided taking bets on the outcomes of sporting events because of the fear of rigging the games. This was compounded by the fact that the majority of the country’s betting markets were closed to outsiders, with state-regulated casinos monopolizing the industry. Now that betting on sports is legal, this has changed, with fans able to use any of the many available apps to place bets on their favorite teams and players. Bovada and DraftKings are the two biggest and longest-standing bookmaker operations in the Americas, with many customers located in or accessible from Florida.
BookMaker vs 888 Sport
The next big change in the Florida sports betting scene is the addition of BookMaker and 888 Sport to the list of legal apps. BookMaker is one of the biggest sports betting app stores globally, with over 300,000 apps available for download. Its primary focus is on offering safe and secure wagering on all major sporting events, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, and more. One of the distinguishing features of BookMaker is its customer support, which is available via phone or online chat 24/7. For sports fans looking to place a bet on their team or player, the options are numerous. Depending on where you are and how you want to bet, you may need to do some research to find the app that’s right for you.
888 Sport is one of the newer entrants in the sports betting app market, but it has established itself as a go-to source for US-based sports fans. The app offers a variety of wagering options, from simple fixed odds to more advanced markets, and you can choose your stakes from relatively low to high. All of the major sports are available to wager on, with over 100 different events you can place a bet on including the NFL, NBA, and NHL. And like its rival, BookMaker, 888 Sport provides customers with 24/7 live chat support, as well as an email and phone number in case you encounter any problems while using its app.
Best Sports Betting Apps
Whether you’re a seasoned sports gambler looking for a place to wager or you’re simply a sports enthusiast looking to place a bet on your favorite team, there are a number of legal betting apps catering to all types of sports fans. Here’s a short list of some of the best ones to consider trying out. Not all of them may be available in your state, but if you’re curious about what apps are available in your area, you can contact customer support via email or phone to ask.
Betting On Football
In 2012, the state of Florida passed legislation allowing for legal betting on all sporting events with the exception of professional golf and horse racing. Since then, the NFL has been the main focus of its betting operations, with over 70 apps available to place bets on the NFL mostly featuring simple betting strategies like total yardage, over/under, and match ups, as well as several featuring more complex options, like prop bets and money lines.
Basketball
Similarly, there are a number of legal betting apps for the NBA, with most of them following a simple strategy of offering either home or away bets with either a team or player as the subject of the wager. More sophisticated options like prop bets and money lines are also available for fans looking to wager on specific matchups or teams. There’s a good chance you may have access to an NBA app already on your phone, whether it’s the official one from the league or one of the many third-party alternatives developed by different app stores.
Hockey
Though the NHL is mainly focused on growing its global audience and expanding its reach to new markets, it has also legalized betting in the US, with several booksites now offering legal betting on regular season and playoff games. Like the other major sports, the NHL allows for both home and away wagering with either a team or player as the subject of the bet. And just like the other major sports, sophisticated bettors can find a variety of prop bets and money lines to choose from when placing a wager on an NHL game.
Cricket And T20 Cricket
One of the newest additions to the legal sports betting apps in Florida is the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, which saw the sport make a grand return to the state after a 12-year absence. Like the other major sports in Florida, betting on cricket is relatively simple, with a variety of betting options available, including over/under, 1X2 (yes/no), and head to head match-ups between international teams. However, if you’re looking to place a bet on a player rather than a team, you’ll need to make sure you’re in the right place. Though there are no restrictions on where you can place a cricket bet, the majority of the available apps feature betting exclusive to certain regions.
Gambling On Broadway
With the exception of boxing and wrestling, which are illegal in Florida, sports gambling has now been made legal on Broadway. This includes everything from betting on the Super Bowl to the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. There’s a good chance you may have heard of Hollywood Casino, which is the largest gambling venue in Florida and the fifth-largest in the United States. It features over 1,200 slot machines and 64 table games, including poker, roulette, and blackjack. Though most of the casino’s wagering options are on standard sports, it does also offer some unique attractions, including a 3D ice-skating rink and Hollywood Squares, a 1950s-themed video game that allows for interactive gaming and social sharing. Sports betting at Hollywood Casino is open to all Florida residents, and it offers excellent odds on all major sporting events, as well as the ability to bet on the Super Bowl, NCAA men’s basketball tournament, and more, through the venue’s official website, http://www.hollywoodcasino.com/wagering-on-sports/ .
Where Can I Bet In Florida?
There are several places you can bet in Florida, from horse racing to hockey, but perhaps the most popular place to bet is on sports. Due to the sport’s recent legalization, there are now dozens of options available to sports fans in the state. From the NFL to the NCAA, from basketball to baseball, and from hockey to softball, there’s a place for everyone. And with the ease of use and access to such great odds, it’s not hard to see why.