Sweepstakes casinos have become increasingly popular across the U.S., offering players a way to enjoy casino-style games in a legal and accessible format - especially in states where real-money gambling is restricted.
These platforms use two types of virtual currency: Gold Coins for standard gameplay and Sweeps Coins (or Sweepstakes Cash) for promotional entries that can be redeemed for real prizes.
Chances are that you already know that sweepstakes casinos don’t actually feature any form of real money gambling. Instead, they let you play the casino games with virtual currencies that are usually called Sweepstakes Coins and Gold Coins. Let’s have a look at how these virtual currencies work:
Gold Coins are a kind of virtual currency that let you play casino games in a standard mode. This is where you are just playing for fun and don’t have the ability to redeem any prizes. Any Gold Coins won can only be used to play more casino games. You can either purchase Gold Coins as a package or get them for free through a special offer.
Sweepstakes Coins are the virtual currency that let you play in a sweepstakes mode. If you play through your Sweepstakes Coins and win back enough of the virtual currency, you may then redeem them for real-world prizes like cash and gift cards. Just note that you can only get Sweepstakes Coins for free via deals like a Pulsz promo code as they cannot be purchased.
So to clarify things, Gold Coins are used to play for fun, while Sweepstakes Coins can be used to redeem real-world prizes. Not only that, but you can only get Sweepstakes Coins for free, while Gold Coins can be purchased or given away via a special offer.
Virtual Currency | Can Be Purchased? | Redeemed for Prizes? | Common Use | Value Outside of Sweepstakes Casino |
---|---|---|---|---|
Gold Coins | Yes, as packages | No | Play for fun | None |
Sweepstakes Coins | No | Yes, providing playthrough requirements have been met | Play games in a sweepstakes mode | Usually redeemable at a rate of one Sweepstakes Coin for one US dollar |
Sweepstakes casinos are bigger than ever and they offer a fantastic alternative to regular online casinos. Here are the key reasons as to why everyone is signing up to these gaming sites:
Sweepstakes casinos are legally bound to let you enter their sweepstakes with no purchase necessary. This means that you should always be able to get lots of free Sweepstakes Coins both as a new and existing customer. Perfect for anyone who likes the idea of playing lots of casino games for free.
Because sweepstakes casinos don’t have any real money gambling, it means that they can legally operate in states that have banned regular online casinos. In order to legally operate, all sweepstakes casinos have to let you enter the sweepstakes with no purchase necessary, the games must be games of chance, and you won’t be able to make deposits either. Plus you will usually have to be at least 18 years old to use these sweeps casinos.
Don’t forget that sweeps casinos will also let you redeem your Sweepstakes Coins winnings for a variety of real world prizes. Such prizes can include everything from cash and gift cards to branded merchandise. Not bad considering that you can play all of these games for free.
It’s always interesting to see what kinds of Sweeps Coins bonuses you can get from these gaming sites. Here is just a quick overview of the deals that you could pick up:
The majority of sweeps casinos will have welcome offers like the Chumba Casino bonus that gives you free Sweeps Coins and Gold Coins to play with. Plus you might find some sites that have optional first purchase bonuses of select Gold Coins packages that can be great value.
It’s always interesting to see what kinds of deals sweepstakes casinos put on for existing customers. Alongside daily login bonuses like the Fortune Coins promo that gives you free credit just for logging into your account, you could get free credit by completing simple tasks on these sites' social media channels. This could involve something as simple as sharing a post or tagging a friend. Plus you could even pick up free virtual currencies just by getting a friend to sign up to the sweeps casino using your referral code.
Lots of sweeps casinos also have reward programs that give you a variety of benefits for the more time that you spend playing at their sites. So if you want to get anything from free virtual currencies to enhanced customer support, you’ll need to take advantage of these loyalty schemes.
The best approach to claiming either free Sweeps Cash or Sweeps Coins at a social casino is to have an active account with the brand. The account creation process is straightforward, and I’ll break it down below:
It’s always smart to check through the small print of each of these offers to see what you need to do to activate and use them. After all, some deals will require you to enter a specific promo code upon signing up, while others will be automatically activated. Get help from the sweeps casino’s customer care team if there is anything you need clarifying.
Each bonus put on by a sweepstakes casino will have its own requirements in terms of how you activate them. So here is a quick overview of what you’d normally be expected to do:
There are plenty of awesome sweeps casinos out there, but we think that some brands are definitely better than others. So below you will find three of the best sweepstakes casinos that will give you a superior way to play:
Feature | Stake.us | McLuck | WOW Vegas |
---|---|---|---|
Welcome bonus | 56 Stake Cash, 560,000 Gold Coins and 5% rakeback | First purchase offer: Get 30 Sweeps Coins free and 100,000 Gold Coins for $9.99 | 1,750,000 WOW Coins and 35 Sweepstakes Coins |
Mobile app | Android and iOS | Android and iOS | No |
Number of games | 1,400+ | 3,300+ | 2,100+ |
Unavailable states | Washington, New York, Connecticut, Nevada, Idaho, Kentucky, Michigan, Vermont, New Jersey, Delaware, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island | Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New York, Washington, West Virginia | Idaho, Nevada, Washington, Michigan, Montana and Connecticut |
Stake.us is a prominent social casino platform offering a diverse range of games and generous bonuses.
When you sign up with the promo code SPORTSGAMBLER, you can unlock the following benefits:
560,000 Gold Coins (GC): These are used for playing games in standard mode.
56 Stake Cash (SC): This currency allows you to play games in promotional mode, with the potential to redeem prizes.
5% Rakeback: Receive 5% back on your losses, providing additional value as you play.
Stake.us offers a wide variety of games to cater to different player preferences:
Slots: Enjoy popular titles like Sweet Bonanza, The Dog House, and Gates of Olympus.
Table Games: Play classics such as blackjack, roulette, and baccarat.
Live Dealer Games: Experience real-time gaming with live dealers for games like blackjack and roulette.
Instant Win Games: Try your luck with scratch cards and other quick-play games.
Video Poker: Engage in various video poker variants for a strategic gaming experience.
Stake Originals: Exclusive games developed by Stake.us, including Plinko, Mines, Crash, and Limbo.
McLuck is another brand to check out if you’re looking for free Sweeps Coins from sweepstakes casinos. The operator also has a welcome offer you can claim when you sign up. The bonus is a decent first purchase offer. Though not the most generous offer, the free SC can be redeemed for prizes after playing them through at least once.
Another reason I picked McLuck over some competitors is that it has dedicated mobile apps for Android and iOS devices. So you can enjoy their 3,300+ games on the go.
Last but not the least is WOW Vegas. The social casino is also dedicated to providing players with an exciting experience with over 2,100 games (including favourites like Sugar Rush and Buffalo King) and numerous bonuses.
The sweepstakes site offers new players a big welcome bonus to begin their journey with no purchase required. There are also other no-purchase offers, including daily login bonuses, loyalty rewards, and referral bonuses.
Each of the above sweeps casinos have been picked because each of them are good all-rounders for online gaming. However, it’s best to go in deep to compare these sites to think which one is best for your needs. Here are some things to consider:
Pretty much all sweeps casinos will have welcome offers for new customers. Check around to see who’ll give you free virtual currencies up front and who asks that you make an optional purchase to get a special first purchase bonus. For example, Stake.us and WOW Vegas have welcome offers with free virtual currencies, whereas McLuck has a first purchase bonus.
Don’t forget that different sweeps casinos have different requirements regarding how many Sweeps Coins you have to win before you can redeem a prize. Plus these sites have different playthrough requirements too. Here’s an overview of what you could expect at the three recommended sweeps casinos:
Sweeps Casino | Playthrough Requirements | Minimum Redemption Threshold |
---|---|---|
Stake.us | 3x | 75 Stake Cash |
McLuck | 1x | 10 Sweepstakes Coins |
WOW Vegas | 1x | 25 Sweepstakes Coins |
The cool thing is that each sweepstakes casino will have its own strengths and priorities. This means that there is plenty to be gained from searching around to find a site that’s right for you. For example:
Not only do all of these promos let you play thousands of casino games for free, but you can even redeem your Sweeps Coins for real prizes. Here are some pointers on how to do it:
Sweeps Coins are one of the virtual currencies used to play the casino games at sweepstakes casinos. If you play through your Sweeps Coins enough and win back enough of this virtual currency, you could redeem real-world prizes.
While each sweeps casino will work differently, you should usually just have to do the following to redeem prizes from your Sweeps Coins:
It’s important to note that you will only be able to redeem Sweeps Coins for prizes once you have verified your account. So best get this out of the way early on by providing the required photo ID and proof of address.
Remember that you will usually need to win back more Sweeps Coins to redeem a cash prize compared to other prizes like gift cards and branded merchandise. Plus it can be faster for the sweeps casino to redeem a gift card prize compared to the cash prize equivalent.
Getting Sweeps Coins for free is easy enough but it can be trickier to successfully use this kind of virtual currency. So here are some simple tips to consider:
You’ll want to win back enough Sweeps Coins to meet the minimum redemption threshold as fast as possible. The best way to do this is to find those games that pay out best. A quick bit of internet research will reveal each game’s return to player (RTP) and anything above 96% will be better than the industry average.
Perhaps the worst thing you can do is to blow all of your Sweeps Coins on one spin of the slot reels. Instead, set yourself a budget, play responsibly and use modest virtual stakes to make your bonus credit last a lot longer.
Make sure that you take advantage of regular deals like those daily login bonuses to ensure that you never run out of free Sweeps Coins. After all, you probably won’t want to be making too many of those optional Gold Coins purchases.
Social casinos provide users with free Sweeps Cash and Gold Coins to play diverse casino-style games without using their own funds. You can unlock these offers in various ways such as claiming a welcome offer like the High 5 Casino bonus, logging in daily or taking advantage of other promotions on the site.
Head to the banners on this page to check out our top recommendations for the best sweepstakes casinos where you can claim free Sweeps Coins today. However, while having fun, always remember to have responsible gaming practices to avoid potential issues.
You can get free Sweeps Cash (SC) by signing up at a sweepstakes casino that includes SC as part of its welcome bonus. Some casinos also offer SC through daily login rewards, social media promotions, email campaigns, and by mailing in a request without purchase - depending on their no-purchase entry policy.
Yes, under U.S. sweepstakes law, players must be allowed to obtain Sweeps Coins without making a purchase. Most casinos offer free SC via welcome bonuses or no-purchase methods like social media giveaways or mail-in entries. Be sure to read the site’s eligibility rules before claiming.
You can’t cash out Sweeps Coins directly, but if you play games using SC and meet the required playthrough, your winnings can be redeemed for real-world prizes or cash. Only SC (not Gold Coins) can be used for redemption, and minimum withdrawal thresholds usually apply.
Welcome bonuses with SC are one-time offers per user. However, daily login bonuses, social giveaways, and loyalty promotions can be claimed regularly, often every 24 hours. Some sites also run weekly or seasonal events offering bonus SC.
Yes, once you’ve earned enough SC and completed the minimum 1x playthrough requirement, you can redeem your Sweeps Cash balance for real rewards, such as digital gift cards, merchandise, or direct bank transfers. Always check the redemption terms before you start.