WOW Vegas and sites just like it – what are they, and how do they work?
For those of you unfamiliar with the concept of online token-powered sweepstakes gaming platforms, here’s a bit of an introduction to how these sites work. You see, across the US, real money online casino games are only currently permitted in a handful of US states where local bodies, such as the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement for example, are willing to license and regulate them.
Elsewhere, the likes of social and sweepstakes casinos (i.e.
sites like Chumba Casino
and WOW Vegas) have rapidly emerged and grown in popularity, offering all the slots, blackjack and roulette-based fun of real money iGaming, but with a couple of important differences. These essentials being:
- All sweepstakes casino gameplay is fueled by online-only, virtual coins – these have no cash value, but some can be redeemed for real-world prizes if you accumulate enough of them.
- These sites roll with a “no purchase necessary” policy – and serve-up plenty of exciting ways to collect those virtual gameplay coins for free, such as by claiming bonuses and daily reload rewards.
What’s the difference between “social” and “sweepstakes” casinos?
WOW Vegas itself and most WOW Vegas sister sites out there tend to operate as what we call “sweepstakes” casinos. In a nutshell, these are platforms that offer two very different kinds of games - sweepstakes games that are playable with prize-redeemable coins, and free-to-play social casino games that are fueled by just-for-fun, online-only tokens which have no prize-exchangeable value.
Having said that, in your search for
sites like Funzpoints
and WOW Vegas, you’ll occasionally come across strictly ‘social’ casinos – which offer the just-for-fun kinda games only. To save any confusion, here’s a quick guide on how sweepstakes and social casinos compare:
Do you guys get all that? Good. Now that everyone knows what’s what, allow me to skip to the good bit, with a quick review of my current favorite social and sweepstakes casinos like WOW Vegas.
| Type of virtual coin casino | What do they offer? | What are the online currencies in-play? | What kinds of games do they offer? |
What are the best WOW Vegas sister casino sites in the US right now?
Alright then; now for what you’ve all been waiting for. The way I see it, there are two sweepstakes casinos out there that are just as good as (if not even better than) WOW Vegas, and they are Stake.us and McLuck. But before I run through why, let’s kick-off with a mini review of WOW Vegas itself, just to set a benchmark. And… here we go:
WOW Vegas – the grandfather of sweeps-style slots gaming
Wow Vegas: Pros & Cons
- Amazing for slots
- Top-tier software
- 900+ different games
- 24/7 customer support.
Whether you’ve a penchant for classic slots and reels like Sugar Rush and Wilds of Fortune, or more… adventurous fare like Aztec Bonanza and Dragon Hero, WOW Vegas is probably one of the best sweepstakes casinos on the US market right now for slots-lovers. It’s an incredibly easy-to-use platform for first-timers too – registration takes minutes, and the site’s completely mobile-friendly.
In total, these guys offer-up more than 900 different games, and the bulk of them are powered by iGaming software heavyweights like BetSoft and BGaming. But while weird and wonderful games like the cops-and-robbers-themed Take the Bank and pop music-inspired WOW Vegas Elvis Frog make the cut, you won’t find any blackjack, roulette or table games in the portfolio - which is arguably WOW Vegas’ biggest flaw.
It’s also worth noting that WOW Vegas is currently off-limits in the states of Washington, Michigan, Nevada and Idaho – one of many reasons some players have been left scrambling around for viable alternatives (which, of course, I’m about to tell you all about).
For those of you who can legally play here, there’s a 150,000 WOW Coins (GC) and 3 SC bonus up-for-grabs, though. Not bad at all, eh?
35 SC FREE and 1.75M WOW Coins
Stake.us – the next best thing; particularly for table game fans
Stake.us: Pros & Cons
- Slots, tables and more.
- Three-in-one bonus.
- Easy-to-use platform.
- Awesome live dealer games.
- Off-limits in some states.
Now, Stake.us is one of my absolute favorite alternatives to WOW Vegas for a number of reasons. For starters, they have tables, and a whole lot of them, too – you can take your pick from a ton of different roulette, blackjack, baccarat, Teen Patti and Sic Bo titles, many of which offer in-person, real-world dealers. It’s worth noting, though, that players in Washington, Vermont, New York, Michigan, Idaho, Kentucky and Nevada can’t currently play here.
For those of you who can, Stake.us doesn’t scrimp on slots either – you’ll find 500 of them here in total, powered mostly by Pragmatic Play and Hacksaw Gaming. There are even a few totally unique crash and keno-style games to browse if you check out the site’s “Stake Originals” page.
On top of all that, first-time players who punch in the unique code “DIMERS” when registering with the brand can currently claim a totally wild bonus good for up to 260,000 free GC, 55 SC and 5% rakeback on eligible social casino game losses. Now, in my experience, it’s pretty darn rare that three-in-one bonuses like this one are put out there by top-ranking sweeps sites, so this offer is definitely worth a look.
56 Stake Cash + 560K Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback
McLuck – the best option for any bonus-hungry players among you
McLuck: Pros & Cons
- 700+ games
- Epic jackpots
- Tons of bonuses
- Good availability.
- Slightly cluttered interface.
McLuck’s another sweepstakes site that’s gaining more and more traction among American gamers of late, and it’s not so hard to see why. Offering-up 7,500 free GC and 2.5 free SC to all first-time players, they certainly aren’t shy in the new customer bonus department – and once you’ve used that offer up, it’s dead-easy to qualify for a ton of other existing customer promotions here. There are “Monday Kickoff Leaderboard” offers, “Thrilling Thursday” tournaments, and “Daily Prize Drops” up-for-grabs on all the days in-between, to name just a few.
Game-wise, you’ll find more than 700 different titles here in total, and they’re nicely balanced to span across a whole bunch of different gaming genres, too – from hold and win-style slots like Buffalo Power and Wolf Gold, to exciting “McJackpot” games that frequently offer prize pools totalling 200 million GC, 100,000 SC, or potentially even more.
It’s a great place to play if you’re into bonuses, jackpots and leaderboard-led competitions, basically, but you will need to be located in the US outside of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Idaho, Washington and Nevada to be able to game here.
Exclusive First Purchase Offer: Get 30 SC FREE & 100K Gold Coins for $9.99!
Stake.us tickle your fancy? Or McLuck, maybe? If, for whatever reason, you feel like continuing your search, here are a few expert tips from yours truly on what to look out for when trying to pin down top-tier sweepstakes casinos:
One thing that WOW Vegas, Stake.us and McLuck all have in common is that they source their virtual-coin-powered games from some of the biggest names in iGaming. I’m talking about brands like NetEnt, Pragmatic Play and Hacksaw here.
If you see a social or sweepstakes casino offering these kinds of games, chances are you’ll be getting market-leading graphics, fast loading times and insanely intuitive gameplay. Which, let’s face it, are features we all want from our sweeps site, right?
Support for trusted payment options
I know, I know, sweepstakes casinos run on “no purchase necessary” policies and part of the joy of playing at them is not having to fork-out any of your own cash up-front, right? But did you guys know that by purchasing a GC top-up package for a few dollars, you can usually unlock some more SC?
It’s true with Stake.us and McLuck, and you’re likely to find the same with other
sites like Luckyland
and WOW Vegas, too. Just make sure that any brands you’re interested in purchasing GC packages with will accept rock-solid payment methods you can trust, like VISA, MasterCard or Amex on the cards front, or PayPal and ApplePay if you prefer those payment methods. All the brands reviewed on this page fit the bill here.
Dependable customer service
Most top-ranking sweepstakes casinos, including
sites like Pulsz
and McLuck, offer customer support that’s reliable and accessible. You should always look out for things like 24/7 live chat, which will help you put things right quickly in the rare event you run into a pickle. If a brand offers a US telephone hotline that’s toll-free in your state, that’s an even bigger bonus.
Stake.us and McLuck offer some of the best, fastest-responding customer support I’ve seen – and of course, WOW Vegas isn’t half bad on this front either. So, time to take your pick!
Conclusion – dig into one of these three exciting alternatives to WOW Vegas today
So, if you were hoping to jump onto the WOW Vegas bandwagon but can’t due to state-level restrictions, or if you’re just curious about other (possibly more table-oriented) sweepstakes casinos, Stake.us and McLuck are definitely worth a shout.
The former offers state-of-the-art games sourced from major software houses, thrilling live dealer tables and a three-in-one bonus available to anyone who has the promo code “DIMERS” handy. Meanwhile, the latter is great for bonuses and tournaments, and is certainly worth a look if you’re into huge leaderboard events with big-value prize pools.
Both brands are a blast, and I reckon you’ll have a ton of fun at whichever brand you decide to choose. If you decide to look around elsewhere, though, don’t overlook the importance of high-quality gaming software, secure payment options and 24/7 customer support – all of which do their bit to deliver market-leading sweepstakes experiences.
Our top recommended social casino bonuses
1.
625K Golden Coins + Up to 125 SC FREE + 1250 VIP Points
2.
Get 200% More Coins on First Purchase - 1.5M CC + 75 SC
Wagering: 1x Bonus
3.
56 Stake Cash + 560K Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback
Wagering: 3x
4.
27.5 SC FREE and 57.5K Gold Coins
5.
245% Extra up to 60 SC FREE + 700 Gold Coins and 400 Diamonds!
Wagering: 1x Bonus
Sites like WOW Vegas FAQ
🤔 How do I redeem SC for prizes at sweepstakes casinos?
SCs have a real-world, prize-redeemable value at sweeps sites. However, the process you’ll need to follow to actually redeem your coins for goodies can vary a bit from one site to the next. Generally, you’ll need to look-out for the “Redeem” or “Redemption” page, select a redemption method and wait anywhere up to 48 hours to receive your prize. Just be wary that some sites might require you to have a certain number of SC in your account balance before you’re allowed to ask for a redemption.
⚙️ How do I create an account with WOW Vegas and similar sites?
It’s easy enough with WOW Vegas – from an eligible US state, simply visit the WOW Vegas website and hit either “Sign Up” or “Claim Welcome Offer”. You’ll then need to type in a few basic details, verify your ID and simply log in for the first-time to claim your bonus and start gaming. The processes are similar over at McLuck and Stake.us, too. You can read more about them right here at Dimers.
🎯 Which sweepstakes sites are the best alternatives to WOW Vegas?
To be honest, it depends on what you’re looking for. Stake.us is ideal for exciting table games, live dealer experiences and a mega sign-up bonus, while McLuck seems to be exciting when it comes to regular and recurring jackpots and multi-player sweepstakes tournaments. Feel free to check out my reviews of other sites legal in your area if you’re still undecided.
🪙 How can I collect free SC at sweepstakes casinos like WOW Vegas?
All sites differ slightly, but generally you’ll be able to claim a sign-up bonus when you first register (currently worth 150,000 WOW Coins and 3 SC at WOW Vegas, for example) followed by daily reloads and other rewards thereafter. You can check out what’s what – and where – by reading my bonus reviews of individual brands like Stake.us, McLuck and more.
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