Horse Betting In Florida For 2024
Florida horse racing is available to bettors through a few different types of venues. You have several racetracks sprinkled throughout the state at which you can participate in live horse race betting at a physical location. These tracks also often offer simulcast events that take place outside of Florida to place wagers on as well.
In addition, there are several legally licensed online racebooks that allow bets placed from Florida and the USA in general. This guide will provide you with insight into both online and offline options, as well as the legal status of horse race betting in the Sunshine State. Some of the Florida race tracks even support Florida poker betting and casino gambling.
Is Horse Betting in Florida Legal?
Yes, there are several opportunities to wager on your favorite race or horse. A little further down on this page, we have provided a short overview of popular brick-and-mortar race tracks in the state. Florida is said to be one of the equestrian capitals in the US horse race and show industries and has a lot of resources to support the industry and its participants. It is a venue that is highly respected by residents and travelers to the Sunshine State.
Is Online Horse Betting Legal in Florida?
Operating an online racebook within the state of Florida is not legal at this time. There are, however, no federal or state laws that prohibit FL bettors from engaging in online or mobile wagering at legally licensed and regulated online racebooks which are located outside of the USA.
We have provided a refined listing of the leading online racebook brands. Each of them has been extensively evaluated by our team of review specialists using our intense review process. We have effectively eliminated any low-quality brands and revealed the most reputable and reliable options for Florida bettors.
Legal Florida Online Horse Betting Sites (Top Sites To Bet On Horses In 2024)
| Rank | Site Name | Promotion | Category | USA | Play Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
#1 | Bovada Racebook | 50% Max $250 | Sports Betting | Play Now | |
#2 | Betonline Racebook | 50% Max $1,000 | Sports Betting | Play Now | |
#3 | Mybookie Racebook | 50% Max $1,000 | Sports Betting | Play Now | |
#4 | Betus Racebook | 150% Max $1,875 | Sports Betting | Play Now | |
#5 | Sportsbetting.ag | 50% Max $1,000 | Sports Betting | Play Now | |
#6 | Bookmaker Racebook | 20% Max $500 | Sports Betting | Play Now |
Florida Horse Betting Apps For 2024
Horse betting can be done at all of the Florida sportsbooks that are listed on this page using Apple and Android devices. Mobile Florida gambling does not require a download just to bet on horse racing on the go.
As long as your Android smartphone or tablet, iPad, or iPhone is connected to the Internet, it can pull up the latest horse racing odds from tracks all around the world. Use your mobile device to check out any of our recommended online FL racebooks to see what thoroughbred lines are posted.
Land-Based Horse Race Tracks in Florida
Hialeah Park
Horse racing in Florida wears many faces. Harness and thoroughbred races are offered live and through simulcast at five different venues throughout the Sunshine State, with the storied Hialeah Park racetrack In Miami to reopen for quarter horse racing in December of 2012.
Hialeah was first built in 1922 as the first Greyhound pari-mutuel track, and two years later, the Miami Jockey Club was established, with a horse racing track and grandstand built next to the greyhound dog track. One of the oldest horse racing tracks in the US, Hialeah was declared a United States National Landmark in 1988.
Pompano Park Racing, Casino, and Poker
Less than an hour north of Hialeah and also on the Atlantic coast, you will find Pompano Park and poker, a standard-bred harness racing track.
Offering one of the unique geographical advantages of horse racing in Florida, when the snow and ice of winter offer less than ideal racing conditions in the northern part of the US, horsemen head down to Pompano to what is affectionately referred to in the horse racing community as "The Winter Home of Harness Racing."
The track also offers slot machine gambling and live poker games, officially qualifying as a racino (race track/casino). Pompano Park offers live horse racing as well as simulcasting both thoroughbred and harness horse races from Canada and the United States, offering horse wagering opportunities 363 days per year.
Florida Casino lovers can enjoy over 1,500 slot machines, 38 live-action poker tables, and 6 restaurants.
Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino
In the central part of the state on the gulf beach-side, horse racing in Florida is offered at the Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino at Hallandale Beach, which opened in 1939.
Offering live racing from December through April, the track is one of the most important in America, hosting some of the richest races of the year. With an incredible 15 restaurants and a two-story casino, the racino at Gulfstream Park is open 365 days a year, with access to 850 slot machines, poker tables, and electronic table games.
Also located in Hallandale is the Mardi Gras Racetrack and Gaming Center, offering simulcast access to thoroughbred and harness racing. The racino facility offers a poker room, slots, and electronic table games as well.
Tampa Bay Downs
Also on the Gulf Coast is the important Tampa Bay Downs thoroughbred horse track. The track opened in 1926 as Tampa Downs and has also been named Sunshine Park and Florida Downs. Famous as the only thoroughbred racetrack on the west coast of Florida, 2011 saw the facility climb into the hierarchy of North American racetracks.
Visitors can also work on their swing at the Downs Golf Practice Facility, as well as play a couple of hands of cards at The Silks Poker Room. The Calder Race Course and Casino delivers horse racing in Florida in the thoroughbred form, offering both live and simulcast wagering. Offering a smoke-free casino experience, horse racing is augmented by more than 1,200 slot machines and a poker room.
Whether in the form of harness, thoroughbred or quarter horses, horse racing in Florida takes on many forms. Offered from Miami in the southeastern part of the state to Tampa on the West Coast, the six current horse racing venues offering live and simulcast wagering are always just a short trip away.
The beautiful Florida sunshine and beach atmosphere at many venues combine for a perfect day at the races, and all locations offer some combination of poker, slots, and table games for your Las Vegas-style casino enjoyment as well. You can learn more about the legal landscape in Florida surrounding gambling in our section dedicated to Florida betting laws.
Check out our Florida online sports betting section if you're a sports enthusiast who enjoys sweating a small bet on the games. We have also recently added a Florida lottery guide to assist players from inside and outside the state of Florida with playing the FL Lotto games online.