A state that takes its sport very seriously, Florida is home to fun, sun, and some amazing sports teams. The prestige that comes with the Sunshine State and its famous team’s successes across various disciplines has also brought an uptick in sports betting.
The rise of iGaming platforms has made it far easier for locals to gain access to offshore betting markets for regions where online sports betting may not be allowed.
Offshore sites often cover all major US sports, and sometimes provide a wider variety of odds. For example, for the NBA, the bookmakers listed by “fairbettingsites.co.uk” currently have the Boston Celtics as favorites to win the championship, with many giving them +300 odds. Meanwhile, the same sites are giving the two Floridian teams far worse chances.
Despite the Miami Heat having a proud NBA legacy since they’ve won three NBA championships, their form this season sees them at odds of +3300. The Orlando Magic fare much worse at +15000
With that in mind, here are Florida’s best sports teams, and what often makes them a great option for punters, even if they’re not looking likely to win their championships overall this season.
Miami Heat
Easily the most iconic of all Florida sports teams, the Miami Heat has fans all over the world who enjoy watching and betting on their games. Pulling in some of the highest revenue figures for television rights, the team has had many legendary players. Chef among them are those like LeBron James and Dwayne Wade.
They entered the league as an expansion team in 1988 and have gone on to cement themselves as one of its finest. The Heat have so far won three NBA championships, one in 2006, and back-to-back wins in 2012 and 2013.
Miami Dolphins
The oldest non-university sports team in Florida, the Miami Dolphins have been around since 1965. After initially competing in the AFC, they later joined the NFL when the leagues amalgamated. One of their most amazing achievements came when they completed the 1972 season without any defeats. The Dolphins are still a solid bet today.
As far as trophies, they have a staggering amount. They’ve so far won two Super Bowls, 13 division titles, and five conference championships. They’re at around +2000 to win the title this year.
Miami Marlins
Established in 1993, this team has been a proud, albeit somewhat inconsistent baseball team ever since. While they are yet to win a division title, they have won two NL Pennants. Incredibly, they also managed to win the World Series twice. Both wins were during their first two playoff runs in 1997 and 2003.
Orlando City SC
Despite only being founded in 2010, Orlando City SC has experienced amazing growth since. With the advent of more global interest in European soccer, the FIFA World Cup, and many globally popular players joining the MLS, the league has seen huge spikes in popularity in recent years.
In 2013, the team brought in former Ballon D’Or winner, Kaká, from the famous Italian club, AC Milan. A legendary Brazilian player, he became the face of the club and raised its profile significantly. The team has since broken many records and charted higher than any other team in its second year.
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an MLB team that was founded in 1998. While they haven’t won a World Series yet, they have achieved two AL Pennants and five AL East Division titles. After taking a while to build a fanbase, they now have a loyal following who call themselves the “Rays Republic”. As a fun fact, the team has two official mascots, named Raymond and DJ Kitty.
Orlando Magic
As popular as the Miami Heat are, Florida also has another famous NBA team. The Orlando Magic may not be as globally famous as the Heat, but they are very popular domestically and are still a popular bet. With famous players like Shaquille O’Neal and Tracy McGrady having passed through their team, they have more than enough heritage in the state to keep being one of its most popular outfits.
Florida Gators
Incredibly, the Florida Gators, a college football team, have been around since 1906, making them one of the oldest teams in the state. They were established at the same time as the University of Florida. Their fans, known as the “Gator Nation”, have been supporting them since their inception and remain one of the most loyal fanbases around.
The University also has a Florida Gators basketball team. They’ve been pretty successful, having won two NCAA National Championships and four SEC Tournament Championships. The 2013-14 squad became the first team in SEC history to have an 18-0 regular season conference record.
Inter Miami (Honorable Mention)
Backed by star names like David Beckham, Inter Miami CF was established in 2018. They began playing in the Eastern Conference of the MLS. However, in 2023, the club made international headlines when it signed Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest soccer player in history (although Christiano Ronaldo fans will have something to say about that).
From the get-go, the current World Cup winner with Argentina, and record seven-time Ballon D’Or winner, showed why he’s so highly rated. He inspired the team to some amazing wins and scored 11 goals in just 14 appearances in the process. The little maestro has had a stunning impact on the team, which instantly became one of the most recognizable soccer clubs in the world just for having him.
Thanks to him, they managed to win their first trophy already, picking up the expanded 2023 Leagues Cup. Unfortunately, he’s currently injured, but once he’s back, there’s no telling how far the team can go since Messi is a serial winner.
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