Sweepstakes casinos are not considered gambling sites under US laws since they do not use real cash. Instead, these sites operate with two virtual currencies: Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins (often called Sweepstakes Coins).
As their name suggests, these casinos operate under the sweepstakes model, meaning you do not have to purchase to play.
When you sign up, you usually receive free Gold and Sweeps Coins and earn other opportunities to get more via various promotions or alternative entry methods.
Although sweepstakes casinos are free to play, you can still earn cash prizes.
What Are Sweeps Coins?
Sweeps Coins (often abbreviated as SC) are the premium currency at sweepstakes casinos. When you play with them, you can redeem winnings for cash prizes.
Playing with Sweeps Coins is considered entering sweepstakes, so no purchase is necessary to play. However, that means this premium currency cannot be bought.
Instead, you can earn it in various ways, such as an addition to Gold Coin offers or other alternative methods of entry, like mail-in requests.
What Are Gold Coins?
Gold Coins are the fun-to-play currency at sweepstakes casinos. They do not hold a monetary value, and you cannot redeem them for cash prizes.
Gold Coins are a great option for players who just want to have fun and not worry about losing their coins. They are also an excellent way to explore new games and find out what a sweepstakes casino has to offer.
Another significant difference with Sweeps Coins is that you can buy extra Gold Coins if you wish. Casinos have Gold Coin offers for set prices instead of allowing you to choose whatever amount you want.
What makes these offers attractive is that you also get FREE Sweeps Coins with many of them.
What Are the Differences Between Sweeps Coins and Gold Coins?
Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins are different in a few ways. See below for a quick explanation.
- Gold Coins
- Play for fun
- No monetary value
- Can be purchased
- Sweeps Coins
- Play for a chance to win cash prizes
- Can be redeemed for cash prizes
- Cannot be purchased
How Much Are Gold Coins Worth?
As mentioned, Gold Coins are used to play for fun. That means they do not hold any monetary value.
The best way to use Gold Coins is to learn a game’s mechanics, find out how to win, and explore the casino’s game library.
How Much Are Sweeps Coins Worth?
While you can redeem Sweeps Coins for cash prizes at every sweepstakes casino, their value varies by site. Most commonly, 1 Sweeps Coin is redeemable for $1.
Other examples include:
- Fortune Coins Casino: 100 Fortune Coins (equivalent to Sweeps Coins) = $1.
- Funrize Casino and NoLimitCoins Casino: 100 Sweeps Coins are redeemable for $1.
- Golden Hearts Games: Each Sweeps Coin is redeemable for $0.002. That means 50,000 SC are redeemable for $100.
While it seems that you need more Sweeps Coins to redeem $1 at some casinos, that is not necessarily the case.
For example, at Fortune Coins Casino, you earn 100 FC (redeemable for $1) each day you log in. That is equivalent to or even higher than other sweepstakes casinos.
To learn how much Sweeps Coins are worth at a particular casino, check the Sweeps Rules at the bottom of the home page.
How To Get Gold Coins
Gold Coins are an excellent way to play for free and explore new games. You can get Gold Coins in many ways, including:
- Welcome Bonus: As a new player, you will likely receive Gold Coins when you sign up.
- Gold Coin Offers: While playing at sweepstakes casinos is free, you can opt for one of the Gold Coin offers. You’ll often get a discount on your first purchase.
- Daily Login: Many sites award free Gold Coins for logging in each day.
- Various Promotions: Leaderboards, social media giveaways, trivia, and other daily and weekly promotions will reward Gold Coins.
- Prize Drops: Some casinos offer opportunities to win Gold Coins through in-play prize drops. Sometimes it’s random, while others award you when you reach a milestone, such as a multiplier.
How To Get Sweeps Coins
You cannot buy Sweeps Coins. Instead, sweepstakes casinos offer several ways to earn them for free.
See below for some common ways to get free Sweeps Coins.
No-Purchase Bonus
Many sweepstakes casinos aim to attract new players by offering Sweeps Coins as a welcome bonus.
As the name suggests, you don’t need to buy anything. Sign up and receive free Sweeps Coins and Gold Coins.
Since there’s no purchase necessary, you can sign up to as many sweepstakes casinos as you like and collect free Sweeps Coins from each.
Note that some sites only offer Gold Coins with their no-purchase bonus.
Gold Coin Offers
While you can’t buy Sweeps Coins, you can often get some as part of Gold Coin offers. This is essentially how sweepstakes casinos make money.
Many sites have first-purchase bonuses where you get discounted offers. Additionally, casinos often have sales where you can receive Gold Coins and FREE Sweeps Coins. You will likely get an email notification or see sales advertised on the home screen.
Daily Rewards
Most sweepstakes casinos offer you a reward just for logging in. The size varies from 0.2 SC to 1.0 SC or higher. Some allow you to claim your reward every calendar day, while others have a 24-hour clock.
Even if you don’t have time to play, you should log in and collect your reward each day. Collecting 1.0 SC each day for a year translates to 365 FREE Sweeps Coins.
To give you an incentive, some sites like LuckyLand Slots implement a progression system where your daily reward increases each consecutive day you log in.
Loyalty Program
Some sweepstakes casinos, like McLuck Casino, have a loyalty program. Usually, you don’t have to do anything and are automatically enrolled when creating an account.
Once enrolled, you earn points by playing. Most programs consist of several tiers, each giving you more benefits.
Rewards programs offer perks such as increased daily bonuses, welcome bonuses when you climb higher tiers, discounts on Gold Coin offers, faster redemption processing, and dedicated customer service.
Leaderboards and Tournaments
A fun way to earn extra Sweeps Coins is through leaderboards and tournaments. These are available at many sites, such as WOW Vegas.
Usually, several games are eligible, and all you have to do is opt-in.
Once you start playing you can earn coins by either finishing at one of the top spots on the leaderboard or achieving other targets, like highest multiplier or single win.
Friend Referral
You can earn free Sweeps Coins by referring friends. Depending on the casino, your friend might have to make a Gold Coin offer purchase before you receive your bonus.
Many sites don’t limit how many friends you can refer, so you can earn a substantial amount of coins from this promotion.
Social Media
To increase engagement, sweepstakes casinos often offer ways to win free Sweeps Coins via social media. This usually involves giveaways, participating in quizzes or trivia, or sharing posts.
Mail-in Request
A lesser-known method to earn free Sweeps coins is the mail-in request. All sweepstakes casinos can award you free coins if you mail them a handwritten request.
At some sites like Pulsz Casino, you can earn five FREE Sweeps Coins per request. The best part is that you can send multiple requests.
There are specific rules, such as what to write, ink color, envelope size, and how often you can send requests. You can find the details in the Sweeps Rules.
Can I Redeem Gold Coins for Real Money?
No, Gold Coins are not redeemable for real money. They are a fun-to-play currency with no monetary value.
Can I Redeem Sweeps Coins for Real Money?
Yes, you can redeem Sweeps Coins for cash prizes. In addition, some casinos allow you to redeem your Sweeps Coins for digital gift cards.
Before you can redeem, you must meet specific terms and conditions, including playthrough requirements and minimum redemption. The playthrough requirement is how many times you must play through Sweeps Coins.
For example, if you have 10 Sweeps Coins, you must play at least 10 coins before these funds and related winnings are eligible for redemption.
Purchase & Redemption Options
Compared to real-money online casinos, sweepstakes casinos usually have fewer banking options. However, that is quickly changing, and many top sites have several options.
The most popular sweepstakes casinos payment methods include:
Online Banking
This involves direct transfer from your bank account to the casino. Some sites utilize Trustly, a payment facilitator. Online banking is the safest, but it’s also the slowest method for redemptions, with some transactions taking up to 10 days or more.
Debit/Credit Cards
Although it’s one of the most convenient methods, using your credit or debit card is typically only an option for purchases.
PayPal
The trusted digital wallet is slowly making its way to sweepstakes casinos. One of the best sites that utilizes PayPal is High 5 Casino. PayPal’s advantage is the quicker processing time compared to online banking.
Skrill
Skrill is a digital wallet similar to PayPal and is popular among gamblers. It’s more readily available than PayPal at sweepstakes casinos and a faster alternative to online banking.
Cryptocurrency
While it is illegal at real-money casinos, sweepstakes casinos can use cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin, as they are not considered gambling sites. The advantage of crypto is that redemption at some sites like Stake.us takes only minutes to process.
Digital Gift Card
Some sweepstakes casinos also allow you to redeem your Sweeps Coins for a gift card. The advantage of gift cards is that they often have a lower minimum redemption requirement than cash prizes. Also, gift card redemption times are usually faster. Moreover, you can sometimes get a higher-valued gift card for a lower price.
How To Redeem Sweeps Coins for Real Money
Before redeeming Sweeps Coins for cash prizes, you must meet the minimum playthrough and redemption requirements. You will find these requirements in the Sweeps Rules.
In addition, you must verify your account before redeeming. That usually involves uploading a government-issued ID and often a proof of address or a selfie.
Once you’ve met the redemption criteria, you can proceed to redeem by following these steps:
- Click “Redeem” on your home screen. The redemption function is sometimes under “Wallet” or your account menu.
- If you haven’t verified your account, you will be prompted to do so.
- Select the number of Sweeps Coins you want to redeem.
- Choose your redemption method.
- Submit your request.
- Some sites like WOW Vegas include additional verification steps like text messaging.
- You’re all set!
