Online sports betting is not yet active in Florida. This page will be updated with the latest promos, news and odds once Florida sportsbooks launch.
As sports betting continues to grow across the United States, the competition between sportsbooks will continue to heat up. There are only so many sports bettors like you out there, and that makes you a valuable customer to each and every book.
One of the tactics sportsbooks use to bring in new bettors is to offer up “bonuses” for new accounts, as well as some for existing account holders.
What bonuses are available to you in Florida, and what are the best? We’ve assembled this guide to give you just that information. Please read on to learn more about Florida sports betting bonuses.
Best Florida sportsbooks for online bonuses and promotions
When it comes to betting on sports in Florida, the absolute best way to enjoy the hobby is through legal and regulated online sportsbooks.
Those sportsbooks are able to offer up a variety of bonuses. These can range from bonus bets to deposit matches to odds boosts, sign up bonuses and more. Below we’ve assembled a short list of some of the more common bonuses you’ll find in Florida. Further down the page, you’ll find our favorite sportsbooks and the bonuses they offer.
Types of online sports betting bonuses
- Match bonuses: As you might have gleaned from the name, this bonus is tied to a deposit you make into your account that the sportsbook matches dollar for dollar. If it’s a 100 percent matching bonus and you deposit $200, then your account would hold $400. You can’t just turn around and withdraw that money, of course, as every sportsbook has its own playthrough requirements. You can find those in the terms and conditions.
- Deposit bonuses: Much like the above-mentioned match, this bonus type requires you to put money into your account. That triggers the bonus. Unlike the match type, these deposit bonuses are rarely ever going to match 100 percent of your deposit. Typically you’ll see bonuses that offer between 15 percent and 50 percent of your deposit. That amount is typically capped. Again, this money won’t just become yours: you’ll have to meet some requirements to eventually withdraw it.
- Bonus bet bonuses: This is a pretty popular reward from sportsbooks. It’s exactly what it sounds like. You make a wager, and if you win, you get the money. If you lose, then you’re going to be just fine, as you didn’t lose any cash thanks to the bonus bet. These typically have a fixed amount you can wager to qualify for the bonus bet. If you win, you won’t get the original comped bet back as a part of your winnings.
- No deposit bonus: These are rare to come across, but they are very popular. Basically, you don’t have to make a deposit, but the sportsbook will put a certain amount of money into your account. These often have very high playthrough requirements, which can be found in the terms and conditions of the bonus.
- Odds boost: These are bets offered at a better price—or better odds—than normal. A lot of the better sportsbooks in Florida will be offering various types of odds boosts nearly every day, giving you a reason to stop in and make a few bets instead of wagering your money with a competitor.
Bonus bet offers
When a sportsbook offers you free money, you may wonder whether it’s some kind of trick. Will they actually do that? While it’s not as cut and dry as it may sound, the short answer is yes, they will.
A bonus bet is a chance to place a bonus wager. If you win, you get the money. If you lose, then you’ve got nothing to worry about. You didn’t lose any money.
However, if you do win, unlike a regular bet, you won’t get your original wager back with the winnings. In a normal wager, if you bet $50 and you win $100, for example, then the payout would be $150. With a bonus sports bet, if you wager $50 and you win $100, you’d get $100 in the payout because you never actually risked any money to be returned to you.
Best sportsbooks for bonus bets in FL
It’s a name well known in the gambling world, but there’s a good reason for it. Caesars Sportsbook knows how to treat customers with some enticing offers. When you sign up, you get a whopping $1,000 bonus bet.
FanDuel Sportsbook also gets our vote on this particular bonus thanks to the bonus bet it offers new account holders up to $200 — considerably more than its competitors.
Also worth mentioning in this category would be the Hard Rock Sportsbook, which offers up a $100 bonus bet to new account holders.
First deposit bonus
If you’re looking to get the most out of your initial deposit into a new account, look for a sportsbook in Florida that offers up a deposit bonus. These might include a match deposit, which is the most preferable. Or it could be a percentage-based bonus where the sportsbook will match up to a certain percent of your initial deposit.
Best sportsbook for deposit bonuses in FL
Once the leading company in the world of daily fantasy sports, DraftKings has proved a smash hit in its larger sports betting venture. Its website is easy to navigate and with top-notch customer service. DraftKings Sportsbook also offers a nice deposit bonus. DraftKings Sportsbook offers new customers a 20% deposit bonus up to $1,000. This is a great bonus, especially when combined with their bonus bet offer of $50.
Odds boost offers
An odds boost is an incentive sportsbooks offer to attract your wager. The book offers up better odds on betting opportunities than normal. These often are associated with the most popular sports, as well as special events like betting on the NBA Playoffs or the World Series. The majority of the most popular sportsbooks will offer up several different odds boosts each day.
Best sportsbook for odds boosts in FL
DraftKings Sportsbook also gets our vote for the best sportsbook for odds boosts. They offer daily odds boosts, in addition to an outstanding sign up bonus. Odds boosts are a great way to get better sportsbook betting odds on wagers.
You can find such examples as Jimmy Butler’s odds to score 25+ points & the Heat to win. The original odds were set at +315 and then boosted to +380. That’s a solid difference for someone who was already going to make that wager. Don’t be shy about shopping around for the best odds boosts each day, though.
Special event bonuses & sports promos
Special events bring in a lot of attention, so sportsbooks take note while trying to draw in new customers. Sportsbook bonuses are often focused on the most recognizable special events, such as betting on the Super Bowl or betting on the Stanley Cup.
These bonuses can range from parlay insurance (more on that below) to a bonus bet if you make a minimum wager on the Wimbledon tennis tournament, or perhaps an offer to get credit to your account every time a particular player scores in an NBA playoff game. These bonuses can be just about anything. Make sure to do some shopping around to find the ones that best suit you.
Best sportsbook for special events
BetMGM has been a player in the gambling scene for a very long time. Its online sportsbook has proven one of the most popular in the country. One of the reasons for that is the eclectic array of special event bonuses. If there is a large event upcoming, or if we’re in the middle of the playoffs, you’re going to want to check out the BetMGM Sportsbook.
Parlay insurance
Nothing is quite as devastating as having a great run on your parlay only to have one outcome fail. Then, of course, you lose the entire bet. That’s where parlay insurance comes into play.
In short, you make your picks and place your bet, and if all of the legs of that parlay win except for one, you will get a refund up to a certain amount. For example, if you wager $25 on your parlay on four NFL games and only three of them win, then you’d get your $25 back in the form of account credit. You can’t withdraw it, but you’ll still have it for future wagers.
Best sportsbook for parlay insurance
FanDuel has carved out a nice little place in the hearts of bettors who enjoy risking parlays. It offers up parlay insurance for various sports and a refund up to a particular amount. Each will have its own requirements, such as the odds for each leg and a minimum number of legs. Thus, make sure you read through them all before participating.
How to clear your sportsbook bonus
Nearly every bonus at a legal and regulated online or mobile sportsbook in Florida is going to come with requirements to cash out with your winnings. These requirements are often referred to as “playthroughs” or “rollovers.”
In short, the bonus will carry a strict set of rules before associated money is actually withdrawable. Some of those requirements can be difficult to understand and very difficult to meet.
Let’s take a look at a deposit bonus that offers you a 50 percent bonus on your first deposit. In the terms and conditions, you see there is a requirement of a 5x rollover. When you deposit your $250 and get your bet, you’ll have $375 in your account, but in order for you to withdraw your bonus money, you will need to wager a total of that amount five times.
You don’t have to make five bets worth $375 each time. You have to make wagers—multiple is completely fine and expected—that total $375 and do that five times over. When all is said and done, you have to have wagered $1,875 in bets in order to make the $125 deposit bonus withdrawable as cash.
Not all bonuses are going to have such steep requirements, but it’s important to make sure you read through the terms and conditions of any bonus before accepting it and depositing your money. Look for things like how many rollovers, or playthroughs, are required. What’s more, is there a time limit for reaching that requirement?
Shopping bonus offers
First and foremost, please shop around before you settle on making an account with any online sportsbook. You will want to verify that the sportsbook is legal and regulated within the state of Florida. (Any reputable sportsbook can be found right here on our website.) Then, start comparing bonus offers.
Are you looking to get your feet wet by making a wager with the least amount of liability to your pocket book? Then, you should be hunting for a bonus bet. Sure, the money returned to you if you lose is in the form of credit at the sportsbook, but at least you’ll still be able to continue making wagers even if you lose that first bonus bet.
If you’re more interested in maximizing your funds, look for match or deposit bonuses. These will put additional funds into your account based on how much you deposit initially and what the sportsbook bonus is offering. Keep in mind you’ll need to satisfy certain requirements in order to make your bonus money withdrawable. Again, read through the terms and conditions before you deposit any money.
Ultimately, your situation may vary. You might want to bulk up your bankroll in your account, or you might want to make a wager on a team that you have a good feeling about but just aren’t sure if they’ll actually pull off that impressive upset, so you go for a bonus bet.
Whatever you do, always make sure you’re using legal online sportsbooks. Be mindful of your bankroll and managing your money. And we’ll say it once more: shop around to find the absolute best bonuses available.