What You Should Know About New Social Sportsbooks
As we have already indicated, there is a connection between social casinos and social sportsbooks. For the uninitiated, what does this mean?
In short, it means that social sportsbooks are like sports betting sites, but they operate under the sweepstakes model. This means that they do not require users to risk their own money to explore the available markets.
They instead operate a system where two forms of virtual currency are used to play on the site
In the vast majority of cases, these virtual currencies are known as Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins, although those names may be different on some sites, usually reflecting the branding of the social sportsbook or social casino.
To understand these virtual currencies, the key difference between them is this: Gold Coins are purely for fun - you would play with these if you simply want to test the markets or play for no-risk enjoyment at sweepstakes sites. Sweeps Coins, for their part, have no monetary value on their own. If, however, your balance of eligible Sweeps Coins reaches a certain point, they may be redeemed for real prizes, which can include cash.
Gold Coins can be bought from the sweepstakes casinos, with Sweeps Coins often being included as an add-on
Whichever virtual currency you are using, it is worth bearing in mind that it will not necessarily have any direct exchange rate with real money, so it is worth keeping an eye on what the social sportsbook is saying Sweeps Coins are worth. Among other things, this is a good way to evaluate social sportsbooks’ promos.
Pros And Cons
Pros
- No investment needed
- Easy to use
- Generous ongoing offers
Cons
- Limited sporting markets
How To Find The Best New Social Sportsbooks
There are increasing numbers of new social sportsbooks out there as more and more providers realize that there are people out there who want an alternative to regular sportsbooks or social casinos.
Of course, quantity is no guarantee of quality, so it is a good idea to put the existing social sportsbooks through their paces and find which is the best one for you.
Ease And Accessibility
Although the best social sportsbooks will be different depending on whom you ask, one thing that they pretty much all have in common is that they will be easy to use and sign up for. Though you will have to pass a KYC (Know Your Customer) check, that’s for your own good as much as anything else.
Once you have, the ease with which you can start to play, find the right markets, and top up your account is important when it comes to choosing the best site(s) to play at.
Range Of Markets
One thing that is noticeable about social sportsbooks is that they usually have a more limited list of markets for play than standard sportsbooks. This is expected to change as they become more established and can employ more people on the odds-setting side of the operation.
So as you are seeking out new social sportsbooks odds for the markets you are interested in, keep in mind that the more markets there are available, the better the social sportsbook is for someone who is genuinely interested in exploring the available games.
Welcome Offers
The more available virtual currencies, the more you can explore new social sportsbooks. This is as good a reason as any to really check the different providers out there and the welcome offers they are using to get new players onto their sites.
Welcome offers will usually offer a set number of Gold Coins, a smaller number of Sweeps Coins, and then may offer something on top of the virtual currencies. In some cases, it will be a spin of their Bonus Wheel; in others, it might be VIP points. Comparing the available welcome offers is a good way to set the options apart.
Mobile Play
Don’t expect an app from the social sportsbooks that you are checking out. The simple truth is that most social sportsbooks have limited numbers of players as compared to betting services, which usually have apps.
Coding and testing an app is expensive and only really makes sense if you’re going to make your money back, so social sportsbooks tend to focus on making their websites mobile-friendly instead.
Given that an app is often no more than just the website ported over to a button on your phone, this isn’t a problem. What is important is making sure that the site really is mobile-friendly. It should be easy to navigate and you should find selecting markets straightforward. You should also be able to purchase Gold Coins and make account changes on the go.
Ongoing Promotions
Social sportsbooks have their welcome offers, as mentioned above. But what often sets one apart from the crowd is how well they treat players who sign up, log in regularly and play often on the sportsbook.
These ongoing offers, which some refer to as “reload” offers, can include additional Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins, Daily Drops, and loyalty points for VIP promotions, among other things.
You can usually find out about these offers from the Promotions tab on the social sportsbook site, or from customer reviews posted online
Our Best New Social Sportsbooks
The number of sites offering social sports markets has certainly expanded in recent months, and this is a trend we would expect to see continuing. But for you right now, the best options around includes the following names:
Kickr - Bits And Bucks Make Up Big Intro Offer
As we noted earlier, sometimes Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins are called something different. That is, indeed, the case with Kickr, one of the newer social sportsbooks on the market. For the former, read Bits, and the latter are Bucks at this site.
Without needing a Kickr promo code, you get 150,000 Bits and 4 Bucks on signup, with regular reloads including deep discounts on Gold Coin purchases. There is an attached casino, which is nice, and if we had to locate one small issue, it would be with the comparative lack of social betting markets: at the time of writing, we could only find football, basketball and golf.
But they’re not alone in that, so we get it.
Legendz - Initial Offer May Confuse, But Positive Experience
Legendz sportsbook risks suffering by comparison with the other names out there. Why? Well, the trouble starts when you look at their signup offer: 500 GC and 3 SC. That looks very cheap set against the competition, whose Gold Coin offers are usually in the tens of thousands or higher.
So what gives? Well, there are quite low limits for GC use in the markets on this site, so a smaller intro number matters a lot less. And then, look at the SC section of the offer: three full Sweeps Coins is a lot more than some sweeps sites offer, even after using their reload bonuses.
Perception counts for a lot, though, and maybe Legendz could bear that in mind (as well as publicising that they offer markets on more than 30 sports).
Onyx Odds - Lots Of Options For Bonus Seekers
New signups to Onyx Odds can look forward to 1,000 Onyx Coins (that’s Gold Coins) and a code for a special offer on initial Gold Coin purchases. From this, you can easily purchase another 10,000 Onyx Coins if you wish, and will also benefit from 25 Onyx Cash (their version of Sweeps Coins).
One standout feature of the Onyx Odds approach, though, is the opportunity to send mail-in requests which will bump up your balance by 5 Onyx Cash a time. Better yet is their selection of markets - it’s large and growing, with plenty of European soccer leagues that you won’t find everywhere.
This is a social sportsbook that seems to be thinking about how it grows, and that’s usually good news for players.
Thrillzz - Bonuses Dependent On Location
Thrillzz has developed a reputation among social sportsbook players for being generous with its bonuses, and based on my research the reputation seems to be well-earned. With that said, your mileage may vary, because this new social sportsbook varies its offer according to player locations.
What I got was ten free bonus picks, so I could back my hunch on ten separate options from within their sizeable range of markets. They also have impressive reload offers which include daily Gold Coin drops and also some purchase match bonuses that can turn a $10 purchase into a bundle of coins worth $50.
All in all, it’s a worthwhile place to sign up.
Fliff - A Social Sportsbook With An App!
Fliff is in many ways the OG social sportsbook, and that’s something you’re sure to notice the more you play at the site.
For one thing, it has built enough of an operation that it has been able to launch a social sportsbook app, not something you’ll find with many of its competitors. Their initial offer does require a Gold Coin purchase to unlock it, but if you are prepared to make that purchase, you will find that there’s a chance to double your investment through bonus Sweeps Coins.
Three cheers also for its customer support, which offers Live Chat 24/7, another little touch that makes a big difference.
| Social Sportsbook | Customer Support |
|---|---|
| Kickr | |
| Legendz | Live Chat 24/7 (EN/ES), Email |
| Onyx Odds | Email, Telephone |
| Thrillzz | Message Inbox, FAQ |
| Fliff | Live Chat 24/7, Email, Telephone |
Conclusion - New Social Sportsbooks Offer A Different Option
Social sportsbooks are a logical extension of the increasing availability of social casinos and conventional sportsbooks in many American states. They are a welcome addition to the field, allowing people to back their hunches on sporting events without being required to make any purchase at any time.
Nonetheless, if you do wish to purchase Gold Coins and build up Sweeps Coins in your account, they also offer the chance to win real prizes, which can include cash.
At present, there are some areas where existing and new social sportsbooks could improve: many have a small range of events on which to play their virtual currencies, and in some cases their customer support could do with some improvement.
Overall, though, they provide users with the chance to experience something new - and why not start by clicking the links and banners on this very page?
