The Sunshine State offers players a horse betting experience that is out of this world. With online horse wagering, world-class venues, and fantastic gameplay, bettors already know what state to head to.
To qualify for the Promotion, sign up for a new TVG account using any of the following promo codes: RISKFREE300 between 4/19/21 and 12/31/21. Full T&C apply.
Create new Primary T&C Create your new wagering account with TwinSpires.com and earn a $200 sign up bonus! Must use promo code on registration to be eligible. Valid for one use per household. $200 bonus cash will be credited in increments of $100 for every $400 wagered. To earn the full $200 bonus players must wager $800 within 30 days of creating a TwinSpires account. Completed wagers mean that the race has run and the results are official. This sign up offer cannot be combined with any other registration bonus offer. Certain exclusions apply.
Earn 10% bonus cash back for every eligible dollar wagered for the first 30 days after signup. If a player wagers $5,000 over the 30 day period, they will receive the maximum $500 bonus cash back. Must be of legal age in the relevant jurisdiction to open a wagering account. Full T&C Apply.
However, the question of how legal or illegal Florida Online Horse Betting is in Florida is inevitable. Seemingly, the answer depends on the gambling activity that is in question. While Greyhound wagering, Florida online horse betting, and daily fantasy sports betting are allowed in the Sunshine State, some forms of online gambling platforms like Florida online casinos and Florida sports betting are not permitted under the laws of the state.
Recent Changes
However, 2021 has seen Florida take a move towards permitting Florida online horse betting and general sports betting (state-regulated). This is especially so given deliberate effort from the State senator, Jeff Brandes. Jeff filed the Senate Bill 392, which sought to ‘authorize specific people to place bets on sporting events given certain circumstances’.
The Bill proposed that the Department of Lottery would set all the online sports wagering rules, handle licensing, and regulate the betting activities. Voters in Florida will determine how the future online sports wagering implementation will go, with the only requirement needed for the bill to become law being a 60% majority pass.
Potential Revenue
The huge potential revenue brought about by sports wagering has not been unnoticed. Florida’s lawmakers have their eyes open to the likes of Pennsylvania, which made more than $37 Million (tax revenue) in the first half of the year when they legalized online gambling. Florida poses quite a high sports wagering potential, being the country’s 4th largest state in the economy, with a $1.1 trillion GDP.
Florida Online Horse Betting Sites
Florida offers players quite an impressive array of sites from where they can indulge in fun horse race betting.
Below are just but a few of them:
- TVG Florida
- NYRA Bets
- FanDuel
- DRFBets
- Hollywood Races
- Twin Spires
- Xpressbet
Florida is home to many traditional racetracks and racinos. Providers like TwinSpires and TVG have been running their operations in the state for years, presenting bettors here with an option for online gameplay as well.
Florida Horse Race Tracks
Florida is a renowned player in thoroughbred racing as well as breeding, and it has 5 main racetracks:
- Gulfstream Park
- Florida Quarter Horse Races
- Tampa Bay Downs offering thoroughbred racing
- Hialeah Park hosting quarter horse racing
- Pompano Park staging harness racing
In addition to race tracks, Florida is home to a state lottery, tribal casinos, and Jai-Alai.
Gulfstream Park Florida (Hallandale)
Gulfstream Park is a U.S. favorite, having Established itself as a true horse racing jewel. Every year, the venue hosts Florida Derby (Grade 1) an annual event that is held ahead of the Kentucky Derby in preparation. The park also hosts Pegasus World Cup (Grade 1), North America’s richest race boasting a $9mil purse.
Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar, Florida
Tampa Bay Downs is a thoroughbred horse racing course that has been in existence since 1926 (operating as Tampa Downs), offering players a fantastic horse betting experience. This course has gone through numerous name changes while overcoming a series of difficult years to get to the place it is today. This makes an ideal venue for US players looking for something a bit more laid back, giving off the local and friendly vibe as opposed to a luxurious aura.
Florida Quarter Horse Races
For the ultimate Florida horse racing experience, head to Florida Quarter Horse Races. This is where players get to watch horses from different locations across the state and even place their wagers on them. Different from other Florida racetracks, the races here are usually held on real dirt, giving visitors that cowboy touch.
Florida Horse Racing Events
As if to match the thrill that Florida horse racing venues bring, Florida hosts some of the best racing events in the country all year round.
Below are some of the most exciting events to look out for:
Curling Florida Derby
Florida Derby is a real spectacle, both off and on the track, bringing together the entire horse racing community. Lasting for a whole week, visitors get a chance to run shoulders with celebrities and leading horse owners, jockeys, and trainers. Curlin Florida showcases some of the best jockeys and horses in the world, all in competition to emerge as the ‘Florida Derby’ winner!
Florida Oaks
Every year in mid-march, Tampa Bay Downs hosts Florida Oaks, a flat thoroughbred horse race meant for 3-year-old fillies. The event is a Grade III one, ran for 8.5 furlongs. The purse here is $200,000.
Gulfstream Park Oaks
The Gulfstream Oaks is held every March down at the Gulfstream Park in Florida’s Hallandale Beach. Welcoming fillies (3-year-olds) willing to compete on real dirt, the Grade II event has a $250,000 purse. This race is held in preparation for the Triple Tiara in thoroughbred racing, including the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, Kentucky Oaks, and Mother Goose Stakes.
Pegasus World Cup
Unlike the two events above, this one here features horses aged 4 and older. The race was previously held for one and a half miles, until 1965 when it started being run for 1 and 1/8 miles.
Tampa Bay Derby
This Grade II horse racing festival has been around since 2011, welcoming fellies (aged 3) willing to run 8.5 miles. Since its launch, it has gained so much popularity, being listed among the prep events for the Kentucky Derby.
