The topic of legalizing sports betting is a hot topic in almost every single state across the country, and the biggest cities in those states are right at the heart of the discussion. Florida is one of the biggest states in the US, their decision on this matter could have a huge impact on the sports betting industry. The most populated city in the state of Florida is Miami, and the city is also home to a professional franchise in each of the four major sports. Let’s talk more about Miami sports betting.
Miami is an incredibly vibrant and cultural city, but sports is also one of the things that makes it one of the best cities in America. Sports fans in and around South Beach could enjoy sports even more if betting on sports became legal in their beloved city and state. Big cities all across the country are waiting for sports betting to become legal, and Miami is in that mix. Let’s take a look at the current sports betting scene in Miami as well as what it might look like in the future.
Status of Miami Sports Betting
The Supreme Court made a ruling in 2017 that lifted a federal ban on sports betting across the United States, and states are now allowed to come up with their own laws. New Jersey was quick to jump on board and legalize it in their state, and several other states have followed their lead. Florida is not one of those states, and they are in fact one one of the few states where legalized betting doesn’t seem to be imminent in the near future. The city of Miami might be dying to get sports betting legalized within the city, but the rest of the state of Florida seems content to keep it illegal. There currently isn’t even a discussion to legalize sports betting in the state of Florida, and residents of Miami will have to continue to wait to bet on sports.
The Seminole tribe might be more of a Tallahassee thing in Florida, but it has a direct effect on the city of Miami. The Seminole tribe runs the casino and gambling industry in Florida, and they have no desire to lose money to the sports betting industry. Disney is another major player in this in the state of Florida, and they don’t want to lose out on money in the entertainment industry either. Even though neither of these two entities are directly tied to the city of Miami, they play a huge role in making the decisions for the city and the state.
There currently isn’t a bill on the table or one set to come up for discussion in the Florida legislature. The earliest that the city of Miami could possibly see a change would be during the 2020 election cycle. There have been proposals to include the Seminole tribe in the discussions about legalizing sports betting, but so far that hasn’t been the case. The Seminole tribe pays the state of Florida over $350 million annually, and the state can’t afford to lose that money. It will be interesting to see how these talks progress as we get closer to elections in 2020.
Best Places To Bet in Miami
Fortunately, there are still ways for sports fans in Miami to bet on their favorite teams. While it is illegal for a sports book to operate within the state of Florida, there is no law against betting on sports using an offshore betting site. Sports fans in Miami can easily locate one of these offshore sportsbooks on the internet, and they can still get in on the action when their favorite teams are getting ready to play a game. So while fans can’t place bets in any of their professional sports stadiums currently, they can still quickly and easily make some bets.
If sports betting does become legal in the state of Florida, then there is no doubt that Gulfstream Park will be a hotspot for Miami sports betting fans. Gulfstream Park is the biggest and most prestigious horse racing tracks in the entire world, and it is currently legal to place bets on horses at their location. There is no doubt that they would be quick to add betting on other sports and attract a wave of sports bettors if and when it becomes legal in Florida.
Sports and Teams That Will Drive Betting in Miami
There aren’t many cities in the United States that have a professional sports team in each of the four major sports, but that is the case for Miami. Professional sports bring in a ton of revenue for whatever city they reside in, but the ability to bring in revenue from sports betting could be a game changer. There is no doubt that the four professional sports teams would help to bring excitement and drive Miami sports betting if the law ever gets passed.
The Florida Panthers don’t actually reside inside of Miami city limits, but they claim the city as their home. The Panthers are one of the worst teams in the NHL year after year, but they still have a solid fan base that could drive sports betting. The Miami Marlins are another team that has struggled to be competitive of late, but the ability to win money off of the Marlins could increase popularity and fan support.
The two biggest professional sports teams that will drive Miami sports betting are the Dolphins and the Heat. The NFL and NBA are two professional leagues that appear to be on board with sports betting, and there is no doubt that they would love to see Miami join them in this cause. The Heat have won an NBA Championship team in this decade, and the Dolphins have had terrific success throughout franchise history. And you can’t talk about Miami sports without mentioning the Hurricanes. College athletics aren’t as eager to join in on the Miami sports betting scene, but that won’t stop fans of “The U” if it ever becomes legal in the state of Florida.
