Sportsgrid Staff
Host · Writer - Published: 07/28/26
Traditional sports betting isn’t available in every state, making questions like is social gambling legal?, perfectly understandable. Social sportsbooks operate differently to traditional sportsbooks, and follow a unique set of rules that may just work in your favor.
But does this make them legal? That’s exactly what you’ll find out in this guide, along with what these sites offer and how they work. You can also find our recommendations for the top social sportsbooks and what makes them solid options. Wrap things up by learning how to register on these platforms, so you can start placing your picks.
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So, what is social betting and how does it differ from regular sports betting? Overall, the idea remains the same, you make your picks on sports matches, teams, and events using specific markets and odds.
The difference comes in how you place your game picks and what you use to place those picks. Traditional sites allow you to place real-money picks and pay out real-money winnings on successful predictions. But social sportsbooks don’t. They follow a sweepstakes model, where you make game picks for free using virtual currencies called Gold Coins (GC) and Sweeps Coins (SC). Social sportsbooks follow a “no-purchase” necessary model, and real money is not used on these platforms to make game picks. Because of this model, social sportsbooks offer free GC and SC through various bonuses for both new and existing users.
This means that at social betting sites, you also receive your winnings as in GC or SC, depending on which mode you’ve chosen when you made your pick. It is also important to remember that at social betting sites, Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins don’t have any monetary value, but you can collect SC and redeem them for prizes. However, some sites only offer social betting, where you can only place your picks using GC and no prize redemptions are available.
On to the most important question of all, is social gambling legal in the US? The answer here is yes.
It is important to remember that each state independently regulates sports betting, so while some have taken the leap and introduced traditional sportsbooks, not all of them have. But, since social betting sites don’t offer real-money play, they do not have the same regulations like traditional sportsbooks, which allows them to offer their services in US states that support this sweepstakes model.
Since more than half the states allow social sportsbooks, here is a list of states where you won’t be able to access social sportsbooks:
❌ Alabama
❌ California
❌ Delaware
❌ Hawaii
❌ Idaho
❌ Louisiana
❌ Michigan
❌ Montana
❌ Nevada
❌ New Jersey
❌ New York
❌ Washington
Since availability varies across states, always remember to check if your location allows social sportsbooks and that you’re of age to register.
Making your game picks at social sportsbooks has many perks, but with so many out there, finding the best ones can be time-consuming. So, we thought we’d help you out. We also included the welcome offers you can expect from each social sportsbook. But if you’re wondering, are there social sportsbooks with no deposit bonuses? The short answer is, no. This is because deposits are not available in social sportsbooks.
Below is our list and reviews of the top social betting sites. While these platforms all offer exceptional odds, markets, and coverage, each stands out for its own reasons.
| Social sportsbook | Welcome offer | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Thrillzz | 3,000 Thrillzz Coins (Gold Coins) and 3 Thrillzz Sweeps (Sweeps Coins) | On-the-go game picks |
| Legendz | 500 Gold Coins and 3 Sweeps Coins | Live markets |
| Fliff | 5,000 Fliff Coins and 1 Fliff Cash | Wide availability |
Thrillzz launched in 2024, making it one of our new social sportsbooks, but don’t be too quick to pass it off as just another newbie platform. We found Thrillzz ticks all the right boxes, starting with unmatched mobile social betting. You can download the iOS or Android app, so you always have the odds and top markets at your fingertips. But remember, the site is only accessible on mobile.
You can make your game picks on a range of sports and leagues on Thrillzz, including the MLB, NBA, NFL, tennis, MLS, NCAA, and more. Additionally, we found the option to create your own squads with your friends and see how far up the leaderboard you can go.
As a new user joining Thrillzz, you are instantly rewarded with 3,000 Thrillzz Coins (Gold Coins) and 3 Thrillzz Cash (Sweeps Coins), which you can use to create your predictions and squads. Ongoing promos are also available, including loyalty rewards and boosts. Just remember, if you want to bet socially at Thrillzz, you must be 19 years or older.
Legendz is another new social betting site we just had to check out, and we’re glad we did. The site offers game picks on over 33 different sports, including soccer, football, tennis, basketball, hockey, and baseball. While we found pre-game odds on all of these, it was the live markets that really grabbed our attention.
Whether you’re pre-game or in-play social betting, you can find markets like props, totals, futures, spreads, and moneylines. Besides diverse markets, we also found Legendz has some highly competitive odds.
You won’t need any social sportsbook promo codes to claim Legendz’s new bettor bonus of 500 Gold Coins and 3 Sweeps Coins. While the offer seems small compared to that at Thrillzz, the minimum limit at Legendz is low, so the promo goes a long way.
Like Thrillzz, Fliff is designed for mobile use only, but there is an online platform in the works. Besides being a mobile-first platform, Fliff also offers some of the best markets across various sports and even a DFS section. Here, we found 8 different sports, including football, basketball, baseball, tennis, and boxing.
To place your picks, you’ll need to use Fliff Coins (Gold Coins) and Fliff Cash (Sweeps Coins). The site is also one of the few that we found operational in over 45 states, making it the most widely accessible. New players can unlock a pretty fantastic welcome offer of 5,000 Fliff Coins + 1 Fliff Cash welcome offer, which you can also get when you sign up. The site also has a top loyalty program that gives impressive perks and access to promos and more Fliff virtual currencies.
Now that we have answered questions on social sportsbook availability in the US, and which are the best, let’s look at how to sign up and join them:
Use one of our helpful links on this page to launch the site you want to join.
Choose the sign-up option and complete the form or join using your social media credentials.
Add in your social sportsbook promo code (if you have/need one)
Hit the “Create Account” button after checking any necessary boxes.
Verify your email by clicking a link that the site will send to your inbox.
Sign in to your new account and claim your welcome offer.
Claim your welcome offer and enjoy the social sportsbook’s offers.
Using a social betting platform is a fantastic way to still make game picks on sports in your state, even if traditional sportsbooks aren’t yet available. These sites are also a better option if you prefer a safer, more responsible way to make your picks online, but still want the option to redeem prizes. Here is our pros and cons list for using social sportsbooks, and why we think they’re a good option:
This guide should now already answer your questions on social sportsbooks and their presence in the US. Since they’re widely available across various states, and they’re safer with responsible social betting protocols, they make the best option. You can place your picks on all of your favorite teams and sports, including live events, and even find multiple promos to claim. From daily bonuses to existing player promotions, you’ll keep getting GC and SC for your game picks.
So, to get started with social betting, use one of our banners and sign up.
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No, there are a number of states that don’t permit social betting, including Washington and California.
This depends on the site you’ve chosen, but most offer markets on soccer, football, basketball, baseball, hockey, and tennis.
Yes, most social betting sites offer live or in-play picks on top sports and leagues.
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