Before venturing into the world of sweepstakes casinos, I think it’s a good idea to give you a solid understanding of sweepstakes rules, so that you can hit the ground running from the get go.
In this article I’m going to tell you every last thing you’ll need to know about sweepstakes rules and regulations. I’ll also give you a heads up on how you can find some of the best bonuses at the country’s leading sweepstakes casinos, as well as how to potentially use Sweepstakes Coins to redeem real prizes.
Understanding Sweepstakes Rules & Regulations
Like all
guides to online sweepstakes
casinos, I think it’s good to start with the fundamentals first. Understanding sweepstakes rules is pretty important before you start playing because they’re a little bit different to the real money online casinos that you may have tried before. You’ll quickly realize that they share some similarities in the sense of actually playing the games, but there are also some differences.
The ‘no purchase necessary’ rule is the core concept of sweepstakes casinos. They achieve this through playing with virtual currencies that you can get your hands on in a variety of ways. I’ll go into more depth on virtual currencies and how they are used a bit later on.
To play at any sweepstakes casino in the US you will need to be at least 18 years old and living within a location where sweepstakes gaming is legal. You might be wondering where sweepstakes gaming is legal, but as this changes depending on which sweepstakes casino that you decide to play at I can’t give you a hard and fast answer here.
One thing I enjoy about sweepstakes casinos is their transparency in terms of the sweepstakes rules. Everything about sweepstakes casinos and how they operate is clearly outlined in their terms and conditions, which you’ll be able to find on the homepage of any sweepstakes casino site. Here you will find how you can get extra virtual currencies, how bonuses work and every other piece of information that you may need to know about as a player.
Virtual Currencies
At sweepstakes casinos you’re going to find two main types of virtual currencies to be used during gameplay. They’ve got no real monetary value and can only be used on the brand’s platform. They are most often called Gold Coins (GC) and Sweepstakes Coins (SC), but are sometimes renamed to be more brand-specific to the platform you are playing at.
Gold Coins are the gameplay tokens that you will use when you play in Standard Mode. Gold Coins can’t be traded, swapped or redeemed for any real world prizes. To put it simply,when you are using these coins, it’s either just for having fun, or when you are trying to work out a strategy for which game you would like to use your Sweepstakes Coins on. So, how do you get more GC? One way to fill up your virtual bag is through bonuses like a daily login bonus or a welcome bonus that you get at all sweepstakes casinos for registering a new account. Another way to get some more GC is through buying them in packages.
Now we should move onto talking about Sweepstakes Coins. These are the virtual coins that you’ll use to redeem real world prizes. So they are similar to GC in the way that they’ve got no monetary value, but if you are able to collect enough of them through gameplay, they can be redeemed for alternative prizes such as gift cards or cash. There is another important difference with SC and that is that you aren’t able to purchase them. You can only get more through bonuses like the welcome bonus and the daily login bonus, or when you purchase a Gold Coin package.
Must-Try Sweepstakes Casinos
1.
Get 200% More Coins on First Purchase - 1.2M CC + 60 SC + Spin to Win up to 200 SC
2.
Get up to 500K Gold Coins + 105 FREE SC + 1000 VIP points
3.
25 SC and 25K GC signup bonus
+ 10K GC and 1 SC daily for life
4.
Get up to 735K GC + 68 FREE SC
5.
200% Extra: 300,000 Gold Coins + 30 SC
Redeeming Prizes with Sweepstakes Coins
Okay, so now we know what the different types of coins are, let’s have a quick chat about how you can use your Sweepstakes Coins to redeem prizes, as there are a few things that you’ll need to know about.
The first being that you can only redeem Sweepstakes Coins that you’ve won through gameplay. This means that if you have collected your Sweepstakes Coins through bonuses, you’ll need to use them to play games before they become eligible for redemption.
Sweepstakes casino playthrough requirements
change depending on which platform you join and which bonus you have collected them through, so always be sure to check out the terms and conditions of the bonus to know where you stand.
Secondly, as well as meeting the minimum playthrough requirements, most sweepstakes casinos require you to collect a minimum amount of Sweepstakes Coins before they can be redeemed for a prize. Again, this changes depending on which platform you choose, so I recommend having a look at this before deciding where to play.
So, if you have met those requirements and you have a verified account, you should be able to redeem your SC for a prize through your player account. From there, locate the ‘Redeem’ button and then select which prize you would like and confirm where it should be sent. You might also want to check out the
sweepstakes casino redemption time limits
to find out how long you will need to wait before you receive it.
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Registering at Sweepstakes Casinos
After understanding the fundamentals of sweepstakes casinos, you might be thinking you’re ready to register an account. Next I’ll recommend a few brands that I recommend, but the process of joining up is mostly the same wherever you decide to play. Here is a quick step-by-step that shows you how to set up an account:
- Select your preferred sweepstakes casino from the banners on this page.
- Click ‘Join Now’.
- Enter your personal details.
- Check your email for a verification link to confirm your account.
- Enter a code for the welcome bonus code if the platform asks for one. Otherwise the bonus will automatically be credited to your account.
- Complete the account verification process. The
sweepstakes casino verification time
varies depending on the brand.
My Sweepstakes Casino Recommendations
Stake.us
Stake.us: Pros & Cons
- Great games selection
- Excellent live casino
- Generous bonuses
- Available in most US states
When it comes to recommending sweepstakes casinos, I find it pretty difficult not to mention Stake.us. First there’s a welcome bonus that gives you 260k Gold Coins, 55 Stake Cash and a 5% rakeback if you use our exclusive DIMERS promo code. That’s in addition to a daily login bonus of 10,000 Gold Coins and 1 Stake Cash. These offers are right up there with some of the most generous bonuses that you will find anywhere.
Aside from bonuses, Stake.us has become one of the leading sweepstakes casinos because of their enormous collection of casino-style games. There’s currently over 1000 games to choose from, so there’s no doubt in my mind that you’ll not struggle to find a game that suits you. The games come from a range of the world’s best game developers like Hacksaw Gaming and you’ll find every game type that you can imagine.
Where Stake.us pulls away from the crowd is in their selection of live dealer table games. Here there are 41 different games available that are spread across different options like roulette, blackjack and baccarat, plus some entertaining live game shows too. My main criticism would be that they currently don’t have any traditional poker games available, but with all the other options I think you’ll find it difficult to run out of any games to play.
25 SC and 25K GC signup bonus
WOW Vegas
WOW Vegas: Pros & Cons
- Huge collection of slot games
- Great bonuses available
- More competitions than most
- Excellent website usability
Where WOW Vegas is one of the leaders in the sweepstakes game is in their selection of slots games. Their huge selection is currently clocking in at over 900, so there is a heap of different options for you to choose from. Like Stake.us, you’ll only find games made by the world’s best game developers like Netgaming.
One drawback to WOW Vegas is that they’re currently not offering any table games to their players, but their huge collection of slot games, with every theme and genre imaginable, should be enough to compensate.
Another thing I’m sure that you’ll love about WOW Vegas is the bonuses that they are offering. The welcome bonus you get just for signing up will see you receive 250k WOW Coins and 5 Sweepstakes Coins. You won’t need to enter any bonus code to claim it, all you’ve got to do is sign up and it will be added to your account ready for you to start playing.
200% Extra: 30 SC FREE and 1.75M WOW Coins
McLuck
McLuck: Pros & Cons
- Big slot game collection
- Offers friend referral bonus
- Dedicated mobile app
- Great customer service
- Not available in all states
McLuck Casino is the last casino that I am going to recommend to you before you head off. Keeping with the trend of great slot game availability and excellent bonuses, McLuck has a lot on offer for you to be excited about.
As their specialty lies in slots, it should come as no surprise that only the most loved slot games are going to be found here. After you register an account and get your 7,500 Gold Coins and 2.5 Sweepstakes Coins, you’ll be able to play the best slot titles on offer. My personal favorite feature about McLuck is that they have created a downloadable mobile app that you can play these slots on. I like this because it makes it easier for me to claim my 5,000 GC and 0.2 SC daily bonus from just about anywhere.
A unique thing I found about McLuck is that they are one of the few leading sweepstakes casinos where you can be rewarded for referring a friend. They are currently offering you 150,000 GC and 75 SC if you refer a friend who signs up and makes a minimum GC purchase.
Get 227,5K GC + 107.5 SC FREE
Conclusion: Knowing the Sweepstakes Rules Improves Your Experience
Well, that’s the end of my guide to sweepstakes rules and regulations. I really feel like it’s such an important thing to have a solid understanding, as it really clears up what you can and can’t do as a player. Whether it be knowing how to redeem prizes, or understanding how to use your Gold Coins to devise a strategy, it never hurts to know a little bit more.
Be sure to have a proper look at the sweepstakes casino brands that I’ve recommended where you’ll also find the best welcome offers available. Just always remember to have a look at the terms and conditions of the bonuses first so that you can maximize your chances of redeeming your Sweepstakes Coins for some real world prizes.
Our Favorite Sweepstakes Casino Bonuses
1.
Get 200% More Coins on First Purchase - 1.2M CC + 60 SC + Spin to Win up to 200 SC
2.
Get up to 500K Gold Coins + 105 FREE SC + 1000 VIP points
3.
25 SC and 25K GC signup bonus
+ 10K GC and 1 SC daily for life
4.
Get up to 735K GC + 68 FREE SC
5.
200% Extra: 300,000 Gold Coins + 30 SC
Sweepstakes Rules FAQ
🔎 How Do You Write a Sweepstakes Rule?
To write a sweepstakes rule each brand must follow some strict guidelines that relate to US sweepstakes laws. These will be specific to areas including, but not limited to, eligibility, account verification, prizes and entry methods.
⚖ Are Sweepstakes Casinos Legal All Across the US?
The laws vary depending on which part of the US that you are residing in, so it isn’t possible to say exactly where it is legal to play. Always be sure to check the brand T&Cs to ensure that they are legally allowed to operate in your state.
🎁 Is It Possible to Win Real Prizes at Sweepstakes Casinos?
You cannot win real prizes directly. However, it is possible to redeem your Sweepstakes Coin winnings for real prizes if you have met the minimum redemption requirements that your sweepstakes casino has specified in their terms and conditions.
If you or someone you know is struggling to gamble responsibly, these free, confidential resources can help:
To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by
Jason Bevilacqua
as part of our fact-checking process.
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