Florida Sports Betting Handle Could Hit $18B in 2025

For the most part, the amount of money generated by Florida sports betting remains a public mystery. The Sunshine State has an exclusive gaming compact with the Seminole Tribe, and tribal nations are neither required nor do they tend to release reports the way gaming commissions will elsewhere.

Over time, though, we have received hints that Florida sports betting revenue is higher than many expected, particularly when you factor in that operations were shuddered for years after the initial launch due to ongoing litigation. And yet, even with that evidence, it was tough to ballpark the amount of money being wagered in The Sunshine State.

Until now, that is.

The crypto casino Gamdom recently analyzed historical data in an attempt to project how much residents of each state would bet on sports during the 2025 calendar year. This essentially means they are attempting to forecast yearly handles.

For those who may not be familiar with the term, a “sports betting handle” is simply the total amount of money bet on sports, period. It does not factor in won or lost wagers, and it is not a substitute for revenue. It is strictly how much is spent on sports betting in the United States before factoring in the outcome of those wagers.

Some of the figures provided for each state are staggering. And this includes how much Florida sports betting is expected to be done for this year.

Florida Sports Betting Handle Projected to Hit $18 Billion in 2025

Ed Dean of Florida Daily studied the reports released by Gamdom. Here is what he found:

“A new study has revealed the states that are forecast to wager the most money in sports bets in 2025. The research, conducted by crypto casino Gamdom, analyzed Covers’ historical data to reveal the forecast sports betting-spend per person in all legal states for this year. Top of the list was Nevada, followed by New York at number 2. In third Arizona, fourth New Jersey and Massachusetts at number five. Florida ranks 16th among states with the highest forecasted sports betting-spend per person for 2025, with $778 predicted per resident. The forecast is that Floridians will bet over $18 billion this year.”

The Florida sports betting spend per person seems relatively low at first blush. The Sunshine State is the third most densely populated place in the country. You’d expect that number to be higher.

Then again, the size of the population can work against Florida. It is easier for a smaller number of people to wager larger dollar amounts on average than it is for a much bigger group to do the same. And while a premier market like New York appears in second place, the fact that Nevada, the 31st most populated state in the U.S., leads the pack says it all.

Regardless, the $18 billion handle is absurd. It speaks to the level of interest in betting on sports in Florida among the general population.

The Sunshine State Seems on Pace for the Second Largest Handle

Just to put the significance of these projections in context, only one state cleared an $18 billion sports betting handle during the 2024 calendar year. Quite predictably, it was the New York sports betting market. As it turns out, The Empire State took in over $22 billion in bets during that 12-month period. And for what it’s worth, they are on pace to shatter that number now. With five months worth of handle reports in the books, sports betting in New York is projected to exceed a $27 billion handle.

So while per-person spending for Florida sports betting isn’t particularly high relative to the rest of the country, the total amount of bets being placed is through the roof. Granted, this is what you would expect from a flagship market. But it’s nevertheless impressive that The Sunshine State is generating this amount of interest while having only one provider of sports betting in the area (The Seminole Tribe).

Online Sports Betting in Florida is No Doubt Inflating Projections

This $18 billion projection speaks to the significance of Florida’s online sports betting laws. There is no way they’d be in line for the second-biggest handle without it.

Technically speaking, online sports betting isn’t legal in Florida. However, the Florida sports betting app operated by the Seminole Tribe, in partnership with Hard Rock Bet, has effectively changed the game.

The Seminole Tribe’s gaming compact stipulates wagering must take place on tribal property. This ostensibly means customers must visit one of their casinos to place bets. But the tribe has (so far) successfully argued that their Florida sports betting app is an extension of tribal property, because that is where the servers operating them are located.

Though this interpretation has received legal push-back, including a current lawsuit, the Seminole Tribe is currently allowed to offer sports betting to anyone of legal age in the state—no matter where they are. That is an absolute monstrous element to this projection. If Floridians needed to physically visit a sportsbook to place their bets, the $18 billion handle would be a pipe dream. Instead, residents are presently allowed to bet on sports from their mobile devices anywhere inside the state. That exponentially expands the scope of operations, and it’s why an $18 billion handle is possible despite Florida having only one legal sports betting operator.

Take a look at this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can find one that works for all of your sports betting needs: