Jacksonville is home to over 1 million residents, many of whom are avid sports fans and bettors. The Jacksonville Jaguars are the pride of the city and the only top level pro sports team in region.
Jacksonville was a hotbed for greyhound racing in Florida before voters elected to end greyhound racing in the state in 2020. The BestBet locations in Jacksonville and the surrounding area used to offer live greyhound racing throughout the week, but now only just offer live poker and off-track betting.
If you reside in Jacksonville and want to bet on a sporting event your options are to bet through Hard Rock Bet, the only regulated betting app in Florida, or through an offshore betting site that accepts bettors from the United States.
Is Sports Betting Legal in Jacksonville?
Yes, the gaming compact between the Seminole Tribe and Florida State, which was signed in 2021 was upheld in the Court of Appeals, which allowed the Seminole Tribe to relaunch Hard Rock Bet in Florida in December of 2023. The Seminole Tribe has exclusive rights to the regulated betting industry in Florida, so Hard Rock Bet is the only regulated betting app available to Florida residents.
That said, there is no law against Jacksonville residents placing bets through offshore betting sites, such as the two that I have outlined below, so betting offshore is another option for Jacksonville bettors. These sportsbooks are licensed and regulated outside of the USA, which means they are not under the jurisdiction of the United States and as such they are able to accept American bettors.
Bovada.lv, our top rated sportsbook, actually only accepts players from the USA. This allows them to fully customize their offerings to cater to the needs and wants of the American sports bettor.
Best Betting Sites for Jacksonville Residents
| Sportsbook | Bonus | Visit |
|---|---|---|
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100% up to $250 | Visit |
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50% up to $250 in Free Bets | Visit |
Bovada and BetOnline are our two top rated sportsbooks for Jacksonville residents. Both of these sites are very popular among American bettors and both offer a safe and secure platform from which to place your online sports wagers.
Offline Sports Betting in Jacksonville
As I mentioned above the Seminole Tribe has exclusive rights to all forms of casino and sports gambling in the state. The Seminole Tribe has six casinos in Florida, all of which now offer sports betting, but none of these casinos are near Jacksonville.
The Seminole Tribe does not have a monopoly on horse race betting and Jacksonville has some of the best simlucast betting locations in Florida. There are three BestBet locations in the city (and surrounding area) that offer simulcast wagering on horses. BestBet also has a card room at all three locations for those of you who enjoy playing poker and other card games.
BestBet
BestBet Jacksonville is the primary simulcast and poker room location in the city. They offer three locations. One in the heart of Jacksonville, another in Orange Park, and a third in St. Augustine. You can see the three locations in the map below.
You are able to wager on horse races and greyhound races from across the country at the BestBet locations. The locations used to offer live greyhound racing, but Florida voters elected to end live greyhound racing in the state in 2018, and greyhound racing ended at all locations in 2020.
**I should note that you are not able to wager on sports at the track.
Major Sports Teams in Jacksonville
- Jacksonville Jaguars (NFL – Football)