Top Sweepstakes Casinos with Cash Prizes & Free Slots 2023
US Player Accepted
What are Sweepstakes Casinos?
Although the gambling industry is growing in the US, only 4 states remain legal; Michigan, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Laws are quite restrictive and it is quite hard to play slots, poker, and other table games loved by everyone.
Sweepstakes are a fun alternative for iGaming enthusiasts in the US. Since there’s no need to use any real money, these avoid classic gambling rules as well as the laws connected to them. Because of this, they are completely legal across all states excluding Washington.
When you first sign in to these sweeps casinos, you will always get some sort of a welcome package consisting of a decent amount of Gold Coins (the currency you will use to play games) and Sweeps Coins ( the currency you will use to unlock games and you will also be able to redeem them for real prizes).
How do Sweepstakes Casinos Work?
Although the mechanics behind them sound quite complicated (unlike money casinos), sweepstakes casino games are very simple to play! Collect your free bonuses at sweepstakes casinos and compete with friends and family for the chance to win coins that you can redeem for real-world prizes! Let us fill you in with all the information there is to know about this fun style of social gaming!
How To Sign Up at a Sweepstakes Casino
To get started, users must sign up for an account with your sweepstakes casino of choice. Since sweepstakes and social casinos are completely legal and require no purchases to play, most times, you can link your social media accounts and forget about any extra steps.
This procedure is just as simple as signing to a traditional site, sometimes even easier.
If you just want to play entirely for free:
- You can either sign in using your Facebook account or create one from scratch by filling up your basic personal details.
- Be at least 18 or older.
If at some time, you are thinking about redeeming cash prizes, the casino will ask for more details.
- You will have to upload your ID showing you’re 21 or older
- And fill in your bank details.
- Some Sweepstakes might ask for more information.
What Are Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins?
Once this is all set up and your identity has been verified, you will usually be offered a good amount of on-site currency. These virtual currencies are usually divided into two:
Gold Coins – you earn them when you first sign up at a casino, or by buying Gold Coin packages. They have no monetary value, other than for playing purposes.
Sweeps Coins – you cannot buy these, you can only earn them through contests, buying Gold Coin Packages, and creating an account.
Although the name of these may vary depending on the casino you play at, usually, they function the same way.
Handling your Free Sweepstakes Coins and Winnings
These gold coins act as an in-game currency that can be used to play classic casino games. This includes slot games, jackpot slots video poker, table games such as blackjack, and other casino favorites.
Keep in mind that you will never need to spend money to play at sweepstakes casinos if you don’t want to. You can use your available free coins to learn how to play, practice, and even win jackpots of sweep coins. These will allow you to play more games, and eventually, even redeem for cash prizes.
Stay Active on Social Media
There’s a win-win going on with sweepstakes and social casinos. Simply by following their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, you will most probably find out about contests and tournaments where they give out huge prizes like there’s no tomorrow. So basically, if you play your cards right, and have a little patience, you can pretty much always play for free without the need of purchasing new Gold Coins packages.
Where Can I play at Sweepstakes Casinos?
Since there can be some doubts as to where you can play in the US, here’s a tab listing your available state!
| Delaware | Pennsylvania | New Jersey | Georgia | Connecticut |
| Massachusetts | Maryland | South Carolina | New Hampshire | Virginia |
| New York | North Carolina | Rhode Island | Vermont | Kentucky |
| Tennessee | Ohio | Louisiana | Indiana | Mississippi |
| Illinois | Alabama | Maine | Missouri | Arkansas |
| Michigan | Florida | Texas | Wisconsin | California |
| Minnesota | Oregon | Kansas | West Virginia | Nevada |
| Nebraska | Colorado | North Dakota | South Dakota | Idaho |
| Wyoming | Utah | Oklahoma | New Mexico | Arizona |
| Alaska | Hawaii | Iowa | Montana |
How old do I need to be to play at Sweepstakes Casinos?
If you’re going to be playing entirely for fun with no money involved, you can play for free from the legal age of 18, but if you’re planning on purchasing gold coming packages and redeeming prizes, you will have to check your resident state. On average the legal age starts at 21, but it doesn’t hurt to check!
Tips For Playing at Sweepstakes Casinos
Here are some tips for you to enjoy the fullest sweepstakes casinos.
- Make sure the sweeps casino you’re looking at, has the games you want.
- In case you want to buy and redeem, make sure the payment methods are compatible with yours.
- Remember you can always play for free with welcome packages. Once you run out of your coins you can always start playing in another sweepstakes casino.
- Keep track of the social media accounts of your desired Sweeps Casino. This way, you will enjoy multiple offers, prizes and even get to know people such as you involved in the same games you are!
- Keep it fun! Sweepstakes are for having fun first and the possibility of winning prizes second. Remember, after all these are not strictly gambling sites. they are more as video games where you can eventually win some prizes!
How to Win Sweeps Coins in Casino Games
A question we frequently find ourselves when playing is… How can I win more? How can I be the best at sweeps slots?
Ok, there isn’t a secret to this. But you can do something that will increase your chances of earning more sweepstakes currencies, and have a blast while at it. Pay close attention!
Search for Bonuses!
So, one way is searching for the casinos with the wildest offers. Sweeps coins sites – especially the newer ones – are big on having massive free no-purchase bonuses, but also have a pretty big list of daily bonuses, contests, promotions and more.
Keep your eyes open, do a little bit of research, and you will find yourself a nice deal. Check out our top 10 sweepstakes where we list the social casinos with the best bonuses for US players.
The best sweepstakes casinos online May 2023
- Fortune Coins Casino – Get $8 in Free Coins – No Purchase Needed!
- Luckyland Slots – Sign up and get 7,777 Free Gold Coins + 10 Sweeps Coins
- Stake.us – Get 10K Gold Coins + Daily Stake Cash as well as 5% rakeback
- WowVegas – Get 5K Wow Coin and 1 Sweeps Coin when you first sign in
- Chumba Casino – $30 Gold Coin Offer for $10 on your first buy
- Gambino Slots – Get 1,000 Free Gold Coins when you sign up
- BetRivers.net – Login every four hours to get $20.00 in free Virtual Credits
- Global Poker – EXCLUSIVE – Get 65% off using code PLAYPOKER
- Pulsz Casino – Sign up and get 10k Free Gold Coins + 2.3 Sweeps Coins
- Sweepslots Casino – Sign up and get 10,000 Free Gold Coins
Writing an old-fashioned letter
Yup… as easy as it sounds, read the terms and conditions, and you will find out that many social casinos, offer you a special amount of sweeps coins just by doing that.
A lot of people don’t take advantage of this because they might find it a hassle… and it might be… but believe us, it’s quite worth not being lazy when you can earn for free so much!
Read the Rules and the Fine Print
Yeah… for us, lazy people, reading a big chunk of a paragraph can be boring, and time-absorbing, but believe us, it’s quite worth it.
Take your time, and read the conditions, especially when it comes to redeeming options, purchase methods, etc. All casinos have their own rules, methods, etc, so, make sure that you fit all the requirements before playing, and potentially losing time… you know… time is money!
Which Games Can I Play at a Sweepstakes Casino?
When it comes to sweepstakes games, there isn’t that big of a variety. Sweepstakes Casinos mainly focus in:
- Slots are the number one game displayed and searched for in social casinos. You will find a huge variety of slots featured on every sweepstakes casino: classic sweepstakes slots, sweepstakes jackpot slots, themed sweeps slots, and many others.
- Social Poker: Some sweepstakes casinos, such as Global Poker, offer different variants of social poker, where you can play socially with other players through contest tournaments and poker-themed slots for large amounts of gold coins and sweeps coins. Operators specialized in social poker often offer tournaments as mentioned before.
- Table Games and other games: You can find some small roulettes and blackjack tables featured in sites such as Global Poker, but it’s not usual, probably because sweepstakes are still developing the best way to make these games legal without losing quality.
What are the Most Popular Sweepstakes Casino Slots?
A variety of different sweepstakes games have proven to be popular with online casino fans, including classic casino games like blackjack, roulette, and poker. However, by far, the most popular category of games is sweepstakes casino slots. Some sweepstakes casinos offer slots from the biggest game providers in the industry, meaning players can enjoy themselves spinning reels just as much as they would at a traditional online casino!
How do we review and choose the best sweepstakes casinos?
Selecting the best sweepstakes casinos is not easy since this is a new trend in the US, and all are competing for the number one position. That being said, we will summarize some points that help meet our standards and criteria.
- Having a good app or browser experience. Nowadays, we use our smartphones for basically everything. A friendly user experience, good design, and fluent scrolls give us a reliable and professional impression. So the first thing we do when reviewing a sweepstakes casino is to ensure this basic feature stands out above the rest.
- Bonuses: What pusses people to choose one casino over the other? Exactly, which one offers the greatest promotions, doesn’t matter if it’s a bonus code, welcome package, or any way they want to name their promotions. Having these is usually the first thing everyone lays their eyes on.
- VIP and Rewards programs: These are much more common amongst traditional casinos. Not many Sweepstakes or Social Casinos offer this, but whenever we see them offering this, we highlight them since they are rare to see and award loyal players.
- Games: Sweepstakes casinos are all about Slots, although some offer different options, such as poker or different versions of popular table games (this is rarer since only Global Poker offers a social poker experience). So our criteria for sweepstakes games fall under which casino offers the best providers and quality.
- Payment Methods: Being such a new trend in the US, not all sweepstakes and social casinos have all the payment options, so we like to take a closer look at this on each sweep casino and see which options are available.
- Customer Service: In a time where all companies, regarding their niche, are offering chats or FAQs, we like to dig a bit deeper and see if they offer; 24-hour chat, direct email, contact numbers, etc. We like to pay close attention to reviews on google and see what others say about them.
You can have a look at our dedicated page to the rest of our sweepstakes reviews and see which one fits you best!
Fortune Coins
Fortune Coins offers a social casino experience exclusive to US players. Fortune Coins has got you covered even if you’re based in one of the states that don’t allow real money online casinos.
Being a baby in the industry, they have already shown to be the best option when it comes to social casinos. They have a friendly user interface, many bonuses, and a really nice display of games!
We consider them our Top Pick mainly because they’re an ace in all important aspects; Bonuses, Redeeming Prizes, Customer Service, and the site’s appeal… there isn’t a negative side to this social casino beast. Take a look for yourself, and have fun!
Sign up Bonus
Get 140000GC + 300 FC plus an additional 20000 GC
Luckyland Slots
Looking for the best slots sweepstake casino? Look no further. Luckyland is VGW’s heaviest hitter.
Launched in 2019, these guys have demonstrated that you can play like the real thing when playing slots, without busting the bank, completely for fun, in a relaxed environment, with great perks, and social experiences.
Head out to their site, check for yourself what bonuses they bring to the table, and how you can benefit from following them on their socials!
Sign up Bonus
Sign up and get 7,777 FREE Gold Coins + 10 Sweeps Coins
Stake.US
This is, without a doubt, the best crypto sweepstake. They have been around since 2017 with a vast library of over 200 games that their players can’t help to come back to. Only accepting cryptocurrencies, you can play completely for free and win amazing real prizes.
Stake.us have a wide library of games, excellent 24/7 customer service, and what many players have been demanding for a long time; exclusive crypto payments.
Sign up Bonus
Daily Stake Cash & 10K Gold Coins + 5% rakeback
Wow Vegas
Welcome to Wow Vegas, these guys haven’t been around for a long time, but they are definitely promising, and that’s why we keep them in our TOP 5 picks.
Having the highest amount of games with top-notch quality, 24/7 customer support, and juicy promotions, it wouldn’t be weird to feature them as our number 1 soon enough. Fortune Coins better watch out! Wow Vegas is here to stay and make a difference!
Sign up Bonus
5K Wow Coins + 1 SC credited to your account when 1st Sign In!
Chumba Casino
Another of VGW’s gems is Chumba Casino! A fun operator full of exciting offers and really great packages, including a really generous first purchase offer.
Once you enjoyed your welcome offer in Luckyland Slots and played all the slots you can get, you might want to take advantage of this amazing offer and get to know the rest of Chumba’s library.
Sign up Bonus
$30 GC Offer for $10 on 1st buy and get 10M GC + free 30 SC
Best Promo Codes for Sweepstakes Casinos
With online sweeps coins sites becoming increasingly popular, there are several types of promotions and bonuses that are an increasingly popular tactic to attract new players and provide them with an even greater value for money.
To qualify for the promotions and other bonuses offered by sweeps casinos, you will sometimes have to enter a promo code – although many sweepstakes casinos do not make use of promo codes at all. A promo code activates the bonus so it can be applied to your account. You can often find these using the search engine of your choice. However, by far the most efficient way to track them down and compare them is by using a sweepstakes review site – like this one!
How to Get Free Sweeps Coins and Premium Credits
One of the easiest ways to access bonuses such as free sweeps coins and premium gifts is to sign up for an account! As competition has increased, online sweepstakes have started to offer welcome bonuses to encourage you to sign up for their platform – for example, Chumba Casino gives a daily bonus to all players who log in and collect their reward. You can usually redeem these once you have set up a verified account with the site.
Sweep coins are usually the most valuable bonus you can get, so always look out for these when they are on offer! The process for unlocking these bonuses can often be quite complicated, so always be sure to follow the instructions exactly and pay attention to the small print! Try and avoid sweeps bonuses where the restrictions seem too high.
What Are Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins?
Sweepstakes and Social Casinos use a dual currency system. Unlike online casinos, these style of social gaming runs on gold coins, which are used to play your regular games, they basically substitute real money, allowing you to play completely for free, they come in big amounts when you first sign in and you can also win more by competing in contests and tournaments. In case you run out of them you can buy packages that include them, but remember, you can always play for free one way or other if you have patience.
On the other hand you have Sweeps Coins, these cannot be bought; You earn them by winning games, promotions, or as a gift whenever you buy gold coins. You can use these to unlock other games as well as redeem them for real prizes (including money prizes).
Keep on reading and we will expand a bit on how to purchase and redeem!
How Does the Currency System Work at Sweepstakes Sites?
If you are unfamiliar with sweeps or other sweepstakes casino slots, this playing format might initially seem a little confusing. However, once you understand the basic mechanics of how they work, the rules are easy to pick up.
How do Purchases Work at Sweep Sites?
Unlike at a regular online casino, you don’t use cash directly to play your favorite slots at a sweepstakes casino. Instead, you purchase quantities of virtual currency, in exchange for real currency in units of $5, $10, $20, or more. These virtual currency units are often referred to as ‘sweepstakes coins’. This virtual currency can then be used as a type of ticket or token to enjoy sweepstakes casino games. Sweepstakes coins are also frequently given away for free during promotional periods.
- Check all the methods you have available.
- Some purchase methods can give you perks, so check out which fits you best.
- Check if the purchase method has a loyalty program (even more perks that you can take advantage of).
How to Redeem Prizes at Online Sweepstakes Casinos
Unlike at a traditional online casino where you play with real cash funds that have been processed to your account, virtual currencies acquired at sweepstakes casinos must be exchanged if you want to claim any prizes you have won.
There’s often a handsome prize waiting for you – for instance, lots of sweeps coins casinos offer the chance to win gift vouchers in exchange for gold coins, which is a great incentive for players.
- Read the terms and conditions, and make sure about the minimum amount you need to make in terms to redeem your prizes.
- Go to the redeeming section (each casino can name it differently).
- Select your redeeming method.
- Enter the prize you want to get.
- If you didn’t add all your info in the signing process, you will add the rest of your info (ID, proof of residence, etc.).
American Express
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Withdrawal Time: 72 hours -
Minimum Deposit: €10
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Deposit Fee: None
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Established: 1850
Apple Pay
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Withdrawal Time: Instant
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Minimum Deposit: €10
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Deposit Fee: None
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Established: 2014
Paypal
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Withdrawal Time: Instant
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Minimum Deposit: €10
-
Deposit Fee: None
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Established: 1998
Trustly
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Withdrawal Time: Instant
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Minimum Deposit: €10
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Deposit Fee: None
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Established: 2008
Skrill
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Withdrawal Time: Instant
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Minimum Deposit: €10
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Established: 2001
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Deposit Fee: 5%
Google Pay
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Minimum Deposit: €10
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Deposit Fee: None
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Established: 2011
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Withdrawal Time: Instant
JCB
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Withdrawal Time: Instant
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Minimum Deposit: €10
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Deposit Fee: None
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Established: 1978
WHAT’S NOT TO LIKE?
Online Sweepstakes Casino Pros and Cons
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Available all throughout the US
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Lots of promotions, free spins and bonus packages on offer
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No need to spend any of your real money
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Amazing prizes to be won, risk-free!
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Redemption process can be long-winded
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Sign-up process can involve extra steps
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There aren't as many sweeps casinos as there are online casinos
Where are Sweepstakes Casinos Blocked?
Currently, online sweepstakes casinos can be played across the US provided you are aged 18 years or over. There are a small number of states in which sweepstakes casinos are blocked, although the limits are much less strict than they are for traditional online casinos.
Make sure to check the conditions of the casino you are applying for, and see if there are any requirements you didn’t think about.
Are Sweepstakes Casino Sites Better than Online Casinos?
In terms of whether sweepstakes casinos are better than traditional online casinos, this is ultimately a very personal question!
As we have seen, online sweepstakes casinos offer a unique playing experience that is quite different from what traditional casinos have to offer.
As such, it really just depends on what kind of playing experience you are after. If you are looking for a relaxing, risk-free playing experience, where you don’t have to spend any of your own money, sweepstakes could be just what you are after! Sweepstakes slots provide a more social playing experience than traditional online casinos.
An added bonus is that sweepstakes and social casinos are legal all over the US, whereas real-money online gambling is only legal in a handful of US states.
How to Find the Best Sweepstakes or Social Casinos to Play
With so many online sweepstake casinos out there, it can often be tough to find the right one for you.
That’s where we come in! Our reviews are aimed at helping you make up your mind about where you’d like to play. We have a dedicated page for each trending Sweepstake and Social casino. In our reviews, we always discuss these points, which we think are critical for an amazing gaming experience, and our final score is based on these metrics.
- What kind of bonuses and promotions does the site offer?
- What kind of online casino games does it give you access to?
- Does the website offer an enjoyable user experience?
- Is there a good customer care system in place?
- Does the company have a good reputation online?
- What restrictions do they have in place on your winnings?
GOT QUESTIONS? WE’VE GOT ANSWERS
Online Sweepstakes Casinos and Social Casinos FAQ
Yes, sweepstakes casinos are legal in the United States. Some sweepstakes sites are not allowed to offer their services to clients in specific states, but this is usually on a case-by-case basis.
Unlike a traditional casino where you play with real funds, sweepstakes casinos work a little bit differently. Instead of real cash, you get free coins that are used to play casino type games. There is no need to purchase gold coins, but you can do so if you want to enhance your social casino gameplay, or top up your sweepstakes casino account if you have run out of free coins. Purchasing coins at a sweepstakes casino is not mandatory at all.
Playing games gives you the opportunity to earn sweeps, which are like entry tokens to play sweepstakes games. These sweepstakes games give you the opportunity to win prizes.
All sweepstakes casinos are free, with no purchase necessary. But going a step further than that, many online sweepstake casinos offer free demo games to let you try them out before committing any sweeps or gold coins! Simply sign up for a free account to access them.
When you play sweepstakes casino games, you are not playing with real cash. Instead, you typically purchase gold coins (or another type of virtual currency). Each time you purchase these coins to use at sweepstakes casinos, you will be given sweeps coins as a free bonus. Some casinos then allow these sweeps coins to be exchanged for prizes.
You need to be 18 years old to legally access sweepstakes casinos.
VGW (Virtual Gaming Worlds) is widely regarded as the best sweepstakes service provider. It is responsible for the likes of Chumba, Global Poker, Luckyland and Scratch Carnival.
The major difference between sweepstakes casinos and traditional casinos is that with sweeps, you are using virtual currencies such as gold coins to play slots and other casino games, rather than real cash. These virtual currencies are often given for free, though you can also buy virtual currencies using real-world money to supplement your gameplay.
While online gambling is banned in many US states, you only have a few small amounts of states where online casinos are legal such as Michigan, West Virginia, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
Sweepstakes are not considered gambling, and that is why they are legal across all of the United States. Sweepstakes casinos are likened more to a social game you play online with friends, rather than a traditional casino game – which is why they are sometimes referred to as social casinos.
As sweepstakes casinos do not use real cash to fund games, they do not fall under the same rules and regulations as traditional casinos. As such, they are permitted in states where traditional online casinos are otherwise banned.
In contrast to sweeps coins, gold coins do not hold any set value. Instead of using them to enter into sweepstakes games, you usually use gold coins to advance among your friends and co-players on whatever sweepstakes casino platform you are using. In short, sweeps give you the chance to play for real cash prizes, while gold coins do not.
Generally speaking, you will not be able to convert gold coins into sweeps coins. However, by continuing to play, you increase the chances of acquiring sweeps coins, which can be converted.
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