Florida sports betting and best DFS sites in 2026

Florida sports betting is legal with Hard Rock Bet, courtesy of a compact between the state and the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Years of legal battles were resolved in late 2023, and since then, residents and visitors of the state have been able to bet on sports.

For now, no other sports betting competition is allowed in the state and there seems to be little traction to expand beyond Hard Rock Bet. Additionally, there are six physical sports betting locations at Seminole Casinos around the state.

With Florida online betting limited to Hard Rock Bet, it has led to the rise of DFS sites in Florida. DFS currently operates in the state without a dedicated statutory or licensing framework. The lack of restrictions has led to a rise in the popularity of DFS sites in Florida. Additionally, Florida residents can make predictions on plenty of sports games with Kalshi promo code CBSSPORTS.

Daily Fantasy Sports options in Florida

Florida sports betting news and updates

• May 2018: The U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), eliminating the federal prohibition on state-authorized sports wagering and allowing each state to determine its own legal sports betting framework.

• November 2018: Florida voters approved Amendment 3, which requires any expansion of "casino gambling" in the state to be authorized by voter referendum rather than by the legislature. The Seminole Tribe supported the amendment, as it effectively reinforced tribal exclusivity over casino-style gaming.
• October 2019: Governor Ron DeSantis declined a proposed compact revision that would have expanded gaming to include sports betting at tribal casinos. The proposal also contemplated a revenue-sharing structure benefiting the Seminole Tribe in exchange for exclusivity, but the Governor rejected the terms.
• 2020: Two legislative bills to move Florida sports betting forward did not make it past the committee stage and failed early on in the process.
• April 2021: Governor DeSantis Governor Ron DeSantis and the Seminole Tribe agreed to and signed a new Tribal-State Gaming Compact, which authorized both retail and online sports betting under a Seminole-controlled model (subject to federal approval).
• May 2021: The Florida Legislature (House and Senate) approved the 30-year Tribal-State Gaming Compact during a special session, clearing the way for Seminole-controlled sports betting pending federal review.
• August 2021: The U.S. Department of the Interior allowed the Seminole Tribe's gaming compact with the State of Florida to take effect (including the provision authorizing statewide online sports betting via a tribal hub-and-spoke model).
• November-December 2021: The Seminole Tribe launched the Hard Rock Sportsbook app in Florida in early November. In December, a federal district court vacated the compact's online sports betting provisions, ruling that the structure violated the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), which resulted in the app being taken offline.
• August-October 2022: The Seminole Tribe and the U.S. Department of the Interior appealed the district court's ruling and sought to reinstate the compact, arguing that the agreement complied with IGRA and that the online wagering component was lawfully deemed to occur on tribal land.
• November 2023: After two years of litigation, the Hard Rock Bet app relaunched to existing users in November following the D.C. Circuit's ruling in favor of the compact. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to block the decision, and the app became fully available statewide to all eligible adults (21+) on December 7.
• 2024–2025: Hard Rock Bet continues to operate as the exclusive legal sports betting platform in Florida while state-level constitutional challenges remain pending. Opponents argue that online betting expansion requires voter approval under Amendment 3, but the compact remains in effect during the litigation. As of early 2026, no competing operators are permitted to offer online sports betting in the state.

What is DFS?

Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) is a platform where users compete for prizes by creating and submitting lineups of college/professional athletes for a single day/week of games. Unlike sports betting, where bettors are typically looking to predict the win/loss result of selected athletic competitions, DFS is solely focused on individual players and their achievements. Unlike season-long leagues, users can create entirely new teams/lineups regularly rather than managing mostly the same player roster over the course of the full season.

Can residents of Florida play on DFS sites/apps?

Florida does not currently have a statutory framework regulating Daily Fantasy Sports, and DFS operators continue to offer contests in the state in the absence of express legislation.

The most common forms of DFS include:

• 50/50 Contests – these are generally smaller competitions where half the pool are declared winners (to win close to double their entry fee) and half losers (to win $0). Users choose a roster via a salary cap set by the DFS operator. These contests are good options for lower-stakes players or those just starting out in DFS who might not be ready to tackle the larger contests. Other variations are double-ups and head-to-head, where users are competing against less competition to win nearly twice their entry fee.
  
  
• Tournaments – Choosing a salary cap roster to compete against potentially thousands (or more) of entries for larger prizes as compared to 50/50 contests. More experienced players can thrive and win significant prizes by succeeding in these tournaments.

• Head-to-Head Contests – A head-to-head (H2H) contest matches a single user against one opponent, with the higher score winning the entire prize pool. Each user drafts a lineup under the salary cap, and the contest pays out only to the winner. This is one of the most common low-variance DFS formats and is often used by new players and experienced "cash game" players alike.
  
  
• Pick'em Contests – Users select at least two (2) individual player performance outcomes from different games and predict whether each result will be higher or lower than the listed projection.
  
  
• Best Ball – draft a roster against other competitors similar to how season long fantasy leagues work. But instead of starting a lineup manually each week / period, the computer will choose the lineup based on the highest performing athletes during that time. Teams can advance through rounds, winning money along the way in an attempt to win the grand prize.

Breaking down our picks for some of the best DFS sites

Florida users have a number of DFS sites available for play in the state. Here are our DFS app recommendations:

Underdog

Underdog Fantasy offers the Underdog Fantasy promo code CBSSPORTS2. Once a new user registers in Florida, the welcome offer is Play $5 in Fantasy Entries, Get $50 in Fantasy Bonus Entries upon depositing. Though the site offers DFS Drafts, Best Ball, and Pick Em, they are known for having the biggest library of best ball contests across the major sports. For those users who most enjoy live drafting against opponents, Underdog Fantasy might be their best option. During the NFL season, contests include weekly Best Ball drafts and Pick'em challenges. Sign up for Underdog Fantasy here:

Sleeper

Using Sleeper Fantasy promo code CBSSPORTS, new users will receive a 100% deposit match in site credits up to $100. While known mostly as a website/app to host season-long leagues, Sleeper offers Sleeper Picks, PicksVS and Daily Draft as its most popular formats. The first two options are similar to sports betting prop parlays, where users are predicting over or under for between two and eight players' statistical outcomes. Daily Draft combines a live draft with best ball, where the highest scoring team that day / week / period is the winner. Sign up for Sleeper Fantasy here:

DraftKings Pick6

With no promo code required, bet $5 on any Pick6 contest and receive $50 in bonus picks. The objective for Pick6 is to choose 2-6 players and predict whether they'll record "more" or "less" than their projected stats. The more correct picks a user makes, the higher their potential payout. Available sports include: NBA, NFL, NHL, CBB, CFB, PGA, NASCAR, or UFC. Sign up for DraftKings Pick 6 here:

ParlayPlay

Using ParlayPlay promo code CBSSPORTS, ParlayPlay is offering new users a deposit match up to $100 in site credit plus a free $5 entry into a contest. Known as one of the newest DFS sites, the variety of offerings are more limited compared to others. But ParlayPlay still offers a variety of DFS contests, ranging from peer-to-peer play to season-long projection contests (which operate similar to futures bets on sportsbooks). Sign up for ParlayPlay now:

Boom Fantasy

The new customer offer for Boom Fantasy is different than the competitors, offering a No Sweat $100 entry with the Boom Fantasy promo code CBSSPORTS rather than a deposit match. These pick'em contests are different in that they offer multipliers for potential payouts, similar to profit boosts for sportsbooks. SquadRide is a unique game that lets users pick three players to combine to pass certain scoring milestones, with users getting paid out at each milestone. A sports bettor can look at this as most similar to laddering a player's statistical achievements but in parlay form. Sign up for Boom Fantasy here:

Florida sports teams to bet on

Sports betting may not be widespread in Florida or have many options, but you can still bet on Florida sports teams. As one of the states with the most professional teams, here are the Florida sports teams that can be bet on:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL) 

The Buccaneers have been one of the NFC South's more consistent teams in recent years, built around quarterback Baker Mayfield, who has developed into one of the conference's more productive passers since arriving in Tampa Bay. His skill positions are in flux heading into 2026 following Mike Evans' departure to San Francisco in free agency, but the receiving corps still features running back Bucky Irving and young pass-catchers Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan. Under head coach Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay remains a team to watch in a division it has dominated for much of the past decade.

Jacksonville Jaguars (NFL)

The Jaguars have emerged as a legitimate AFC contender under head coach Liam Coen, who transformed the franchise in his first season with a 13-win AFC South championship run. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence finally lived up to his enormous prospect billing, finishing as an MVP finalist. With Lawrence entering his prime alongside weapons like wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and a revamped roster, Jacksonville has real long-term upside in the AFC.

Miami Dolphins (NFL)

The Dolphins are in the early stages of a rebuild under new head coach Jeff Hafley, who was hired in January 2026 after Mike McDaniel's four-year tenure ended following back-to-back losing seasons. Miami has significant questions to answer at quarterback and at the skill positions, with Tua Tagovailoa's future with the team uncertain. Despite the volatility, the Dolphins have the cap flexibility and draft capital to reshape their roster quickly, making them an interesting team to monitor in the AFC East going forward.

Orlando Magic (NBA)

The Magic are one of the Eastern Conference's more intriguing young teams, built around forwards Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, two versatile, 6-foot-10 scorers who give Orlando a formidable frontcourt. The addition of guard Desmond Bane via trade has given the Magic a third scoring option and the perimeter shooting they've long lacked. When healthy, this trio has the ceiling of a legitimate playoff contender in the East. Injuries have been a recurring obstacle, but Orlando's core remains young, under contract, and improving.

Miami Heat (NBA)

deep playoff appearances that included an NBA Finals appearance in 2023. Longtime franchise cornerstones have aged or departed, and the organization is focused on restocking through the draft and development. Miami's culture of player development and competitiveness under the Pat Riley/Erik Spoelstra model has historically made it a destination that can reload quickly, but the Heat figure to be more of a work-in-progress over the near term.

Tampa Bay Rays (MLB)

The Rays' future rests on the bat of third baseman Junior Caminero, who slugged 45 home runs in 2025, one of the most impressive age-21 seasons in MLB history, and is already regarded as one of the game's elite young sluggers.

 The team returned to Tropicana Field for 2026 after spending the prior season displaced by Hurricane Milton damage, and is pursuing a new permanent ballpark in Tampa's Westshore District. Until the stadium situation is resolved and ownership can commit to payroll, Tampa Bay figures to remain a rebuilding club relying on player development and a thin margin for error in a competitive AL East.

Miami Marlins (MLB)

The Marlins are in a full youth movement under manager Clayton McCullough, with one of the youngest rosters in the NL. The organization has stockpiled young position players, including outfielder Jakob Marsee, catcher Agustín Ramírez, and infielders Xavier Edwards and Otto López, while banking on a rotation fronted by Sandy Alcantara and the developing Eury Pérez to keep games competitive.

The Marlins won't be mistaken for a contender in the short term, but their pipeline of prospects gives the franchise a credible long-term rebuild story, assuming ownership commits to spending when the window opens.

Florida Panthers (NHL)

South Florida's hockey team enters each season as one of the NHL's premier franchises. The Panthers are two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, having won back-to-back titles in 2024 and 2025, and continue to roll out one of the deepest rosters in the league. Their run of sustained excellence (appearing in three straight Stanley Cup Finals) makes them the benchmark in the Eastern Conference and a perennial title contender for as long as their core remains intact.

Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL)

The Lightning remain one of the NHL's most consistently elite franchises. Powered by superstar forward Nikita Kucherov, a two-time Art Ross Trophy winner and perennial MVP candidate, and backstopped by veteran goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay has been at or near the top of the Atlantic Division for over a decade under longtime head coach Jon Cooper. The Lightning are a safe bet to contend for a playoff spot and a deep postseason run in any given season.

Additionally, betting on college sports is legal in Florida. While the state boasts a number of college sports teams, its Power Four Conference schools include:

Florida Gators (SEC)

Florida fields two of the most compelling programs in college sports simultaneously. On the hardwood, the Gators are the defending national champions. Todd Golden led them to the 2025 NCAA title, the program's first since 2007, capping a run through one of the most difficult tournament brackets in recent memory.

On the football field, the program is in reset mode after firing Billy Napier midway through the 2025 season. New head coach Jon Sumrall arrived with a 42-11 record built at Troy and Tulane and brings a defensive-minded identity and aggressive recruiting approach to Gainesville. The Gators remain one of the SEC's most resource-rich programs. The question heading into 2026 is how quickly Sumrall can translate his smaller-school success to the sport's most competitive conference.

Florida State Seminoles (ACC)

Florida State is still working to rediscover the form that produced an undefeated ACC championship season in 2023. Back-to-back losing seasons in 2024 and 2025 have put the program in an uncomfortable position, but head coach Mike Norvell remains in place with a massive buyout protecting his tenure.

The 2023 peak, which controversially resulted in FSU being the first undefeated Power Four conference champion left out of the College Football Playoff, showed the ceiling is real. Whether Norvell can get the Seminoles back there consistently is the defining question in Tallahassee heading into 2026.

Miami Hurricanes (ACC)

The U is back. Mario Cristobal delivered Miami's most successful season in over two decades in 2025, as the Hurricanes went 13-3, made their first-ever College Football Playoff appearance, and advanced all the way to the national championship game before falling to Indiana. Back-to-back double-digit win seasons, a program-record 19 all-conference honorees, and a CFP semifinal run have validated Cristobal's rebuild. With elite recruiting, a rising defense, and the momentum of a near-championship season, Miami enters 2026 as one of college football's genuine contenders. 

Central Florida (UCF) Knights (Big 12)

UCF is in the early stages of life as a Power Four program, still adapting to the Big 12's weekly grind. Scott Frost returned for a second stint as head coach in 2025 (the same coach who led the program's legendary undefeated 2017 run) and showed incremental improvement in year one, going 5-7 after inheriting a 4-8 roster.

The talent gap between UCF and the conference's top teams is real, and closing it will take continued portal investment and development. But Frost's track record of building from scratch and the program's strong institutional support give the Knights a credible foundation to work from.

Responsible gaming in Florida

Here are several resources for problem gambling available within the state:

• National Problem Gambling Helpline:

Phone: 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537)

Text: 800GAM
Chat: 1800gamblerchat.org

• Florida Problem Gambling Helpline:
  Phone / Text: 1-800-ADMIT-IT (1-800-236-4848)
  Chat: gamblinghelp.org
  Email: fccg@gamblinghelp.org
  
  
• Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling:
  Phone: 1-888-236-4848
  Website: gamblinghelp.org
  

FAQ

Is sports betting legal in Florida?

Yes, but only on Hard Rock Bet. No other sportsbooks are currently allowed in the state.

Is in-person sports betting available in Florida?

Yes, at six casinos around the state: Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, Seminole Classic Casino Hollywood, Seminole Hotel Casino Immokalee, Seminole Brighten Bay Hotel & Casino, and Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa.

Can I play DFS in Florida?
Yes.  Florida does not currently have a statutory framework regulating Daily Fantasy Sports, and DFS operators continue to offer contests in the state in the absence of express legislation.

Can you use a DFS promo in Florida?

Yes, each of the major DFS sites generally has an introductory promo featuring either a deposit match or No Sweat first bet.

What are picks for some of the best DFS sites in Florida?
The DFS sites we like are Underdog, Sleeper, DraftKings, DraftKings Pick6, ParlayPlay, and Boom Fantasy.

How old do you have to be to play DFS?

You must be 21 or older to play DFS in Florida.