The best sweepstakes casino sites in the United States provide an exciting alternative to traditional online casino gambling, as players are able to scoop cash prizes without place a real money bet.
Sweepstakes casinos are safe and legal in all U.S. states (including DC) except Washington, so it's no surprise they're increasing in popularity by the day.
Our online sweepstakes guide highlights the top U.S. sweepstakes casinos, explains why they differ from social casinos, compares Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins, and much more.
Sweepstakes casinos share similarities with real money online casinos, allowing players to enjoy casino-style games like slots, progressive games, table games, and video poker.
So, what's the difference? The critical distinction is that sweepstakes casinos do not involve cash wagers like at a real money casino, and are therefore not considered fully-fledged gambling operations. You must use virtual currencies like Gold Coins or Sweeps Coins to play at an online sweepstakes casino, and the latter can subsequently be redeemed for cash prizes.
Covers Tip: Do not confuse sweepstakes casinos with social casinos. Both types of casino fundamentally operate in a similar fashion, but you cannot win real money prizes at a social casino. You are playing purely for entertainment.
Sweepstakes casinos are currently legal in all U.S. states except Washington. These websites operate within the law due to the sweepstakes model. Sweeps cash casinos do not involve real money gambling, which is the case with conventional online casinos.
Players use virtual currencies to play the wide variety of available games at sweepstakes casinos, making them permissible in most U.S. states.
If you're looking to wager real money in the U.S. or Canada, check out our Best Online Casinos in the US page and our Online Gambling Canada guide.
Given the number of online gaming sites, how do you choose the best U.S. sweepstakes casinos? Here are three of our top picks to get you started:
Pulsz is a fresh-themed online sweepstakes casino offering more than 200 unique slots and table games, some great cash prizes, and an excellent app — enabling you to enjoy the action on the go.
Read our Pulsz Casino review to learn more.
Gambino Slots is purely a social casino, meaning players cannot redeem cash prizes, but the platform is superb and offers exciting features like the daily Bonus Wheel. Gambino's VIP club rewards players who regularly play the hundreds of slots and table games available on the site with bonus G-Coins.
Check out our Gambino Slots review for further information.
There are more than 50 rewarding games on Fortune Coins, with special offers, great graphics, and an excellent mobile app for players to enjoy.
Get extra details in our Fortune Coins review.
Welcome bonus: | Up to 367,000 GC + 32.5 SC | 100,000 G-Coins + 200 free spins | Up to 1,270,000 GC + FREE 3,900 FC |
Cash prizes: | Yes ✅ | No ❌ | Yes ✅ |
Payout speed: | 0-5 days | N/A | 1-5 days |
States available: | 47 (ID, NV, and WA restricted) | 50 | 49 (WA restricted) |
Covers BetSmart Rating: | 3.8/5 ⭐️ | 4.2/5 ⭐️ | 3.8/5 ⭐️ |
Play online: | Play Now | Play Now | Play Now |
The main difference between sweeps casinos and real money online casinos is that the former uses virtual currency for wagering, while the latter uses real money. As such, sweeps casinos are not gambling sites, even though they host many of the same games you would find at a real money casino.
This distinction is why sweepstakes casinos are legal in most U.S. states, while online gambling sites are only legal in a handful of regions. If you reside in a state without legal online gaming, sweepstakes casinos could be a great option.
There are two types of virtual currencies to be aware of when preparing to play at online sweepstakes casinos — Gold Coins (GC) and Sweeps Coins (SC).
Gold Coins don’t hold any monetary value but are the required currency to enjoy the social aspect of the online sweepstakes experience. You can buy GC from the sweepstakes casino, and also receive this currency as a reward — for example, when you sign up for an account with the operator. Your GC funds are used to climb the social ladder on your chosen site.
You can only win more Gold Coins when you play casino-style games with Gold Coins.
Sweeps Coins, on the other hand, are the coins you need to use to play games for real prizes. You can acquire free SC by claiming a welcome bonus or participating in contests that online sweepstakes casinos regularly run on their social media platforms. You cannot buy Sweeps Coins.
You can only win more Sweeps Coins when you play casino-style games with Sweeps Coins.
At the end of your gaming experience, you can redeem your SC virtual coins for cash prizes or gift cards.
Sweepstakes casinos usually reward new players with free Gold Coins when they sign up, and often more coins are available through additional tasks like linking your social media profiles to your account.
This gives players a reasonable balance to get started with, but there is the option to top this virtual currency bankroll up through buying Gold Coin packages.
Gold Coin packages vary from casino to casino but are customarily sold in a range of amounts, with the larger packages costing more but offering better value for money. Additionally, these packages often feature extra Sweeps Coins which are not available to purchase individually.
Purchasing a Gold Coin package at an online sweepstakes casino is simple. Just follow these steps to get started:
Login to your chosen online sweepstakes casino and visit the coin purchase page.
Compare the different coin packages, considering your budget and current coin balance. Once you have selected your chosen coin package, click "buy" or "purchase".
Opt for the payment method that best suits your needs, and complete the required information. Confirm your purchase, completing any required verification steps.
Check your account balance to ensure your new coins are available. Start playing with your boosted virtual bankroll.
Sweepstakes casinos are constantly adding new and exciting titles to their sites, many of which players cannot find on other casino sites. Here are some of the most popular sweepstakes casino games you can play today:
This Egyptian-themed, 5-reel slot game features excellent graphics and offers a top prize of 7,500,000,000 GC.
Play 'Egyptian Dreams' at Pulsz Casino.
This Asian-themed slot uses a hold-and-win feature to boost your winning chances and is less volatile than some of its competitors. Players fight it out for the top prize of 30,798,000 Gold Coins.
Play 'Caishen Wealth' at McLuck.com.
This highly-volatile Megaways slot is a firm favorite with sweepstakes casino fans, with more than 200,000 ways to win and a top prize of 20,000,000 GC.
Play 'Great Rhino: Megaways' at Stake.us.
Getting started at a sweepstakes casino is easier than you might think. Do not jump into the world of social gaming blindly; follow these steps to get off on the right foot:
Your first job is to select a sweepstakes casino. Each site introduced here is safe and reliable, providing an enjoyable and secure online gaming experience.
Once you’ve chosen a sweepstakes casino, follow the prompts and submit your personal information to create an account. The registration process should only take a few minutes.
Most sweepstakes casinos offer bonuses to new players, so look for a promo code and enter it when prompted to claim your promotion. New-player offers include Gold Coins and bonus Sweeps Coins.
When you register an account, you will be awarded a specific number of Gold Coins for free. But should you wish to buy more, you can do so from your account using the payment method of your choice (the likes of Visa & PayPal are accepted). Most sweepstakes casinos will chip in a few SC when you buy GC.
With your account up and running, it’s time to dive into the games at your chosen sweepstake casino. Choosing from poker, baccarat, and a wide range of slots.
When you play games with Sweeps Coins, you can win more SC. Remember, you cannot win Sweeps Coins when playing with Gold Coins.
If you've won enough SC, you can redeem them for real cash prizes. Be mindful that most sweepstakes casinos require a minimum threshold before offering players the chance to redeem.
Sweepstakes casino games work just like real money online casino games — and you should take the same approach when playing. Pay close attention to Return to Player (RTP) percentage and game volatility, and use bonus Sweeps Coins to your advantage.
Ultimately, Sweeps Coins are your tickets to redeem real cash prizes. If you play a game with SC and retain some at the end of your gaming experience, you can exchange them for cash prizes before leaving the site.
Sweepstakes casinos offer players the chance to enjoy a broad spectrum of online games without the risks associated with gambling. That being said, winning significant amounts of money at sweepstakes casinos is difficult.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the pros and cons of this gaming model:
Sweepstakes casinos are online casinos that allow users to wager virtual currency on online casino games in an attempt to win real cash prizes.
The top U.S. sweepstakes casino betting sites are: Wow Vegas, Pulsz, High 5 Casino, Stake.us, Golden Hearts Games, BetRivers.net, Funzpoints, Fortune Coins, SweepSlots, and McLuck Casino.
Social casinos follow the same format as sweepstakes casinos, with players wagering virtual currency on online casino games. However, they are purely for fun and players cannot win real cash prizes.
Yes, sweepstakes casinos are legal and registered to operate in the U.S. Use this guide to find the best sweepstakes casinos to play now.
In most states, you must be 18 or older to play at an online sweepstakes casino.
While virtual currencies are used at sweepstakes casinos, you can redeem cash prizes when you accumulate a certain amount of Sweeps Coins.
Gold Coins are used for many of the social aspects of online sweepstakes casinos and don’t hold any monetary value.
You can use Sweeps Coins to play for prizes at a sweepstakes casino, as they can be redeemed for cash prizes and gift vouchers at the end of play.
All sweepstakes casinos use Sweeps Coins as virtual currency which players wager in order to win real cash prizes, although some casinos have their own branding for these coins. Pulsz, SweepSlots, Wow Vegas and High 5 Casino all use Sweeps Coins.
When you redeem your Sweeps Coins for cash prizes, expect to do so at a rate of $1 per Sweeps Coin.
You can win Sweeps Coins by playing certain games, activating bonuses on sweepstakes casinos, or as a bonus when purchasing Gold Coins via your account.
No. Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins do not mix. When you play with Gold Coins, you win more Gold Coins. Playing with Sweeps Coins can net you more Sweeps Coins.
Yes. Most sweepstakes casinos offer sign-up bonuses and ongoing promotions for players to enjoy.
Players can enjoy many games at sweepstakes casinos, including slots, table games, and video poker options.
No. Sweepstakes casinos are not considered gambling as players play for virtual currencies instead of real money.
Jeff has been reviewing sportsbooks and covering North American sports betting full-time since 2021. The former NHL prospects writer has crafted over 100 reviews and guides for the Covers community and has been sweating his own picks for over a decade.
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