Sportsgrid Staff
Host · Writer - Published: 02/17/25
I’ve heard many people confuse sweepstakes casinos with real money sites, likely because both offer casino gaming and interactive gaming features. However, while there are similarities between the two, there are also key differences that set sweepstakes casinos apart.
Having reviewed both options, I found one significant difference between the two. While real money gambling can involve financial risk, sweepstakes casinos allow players to access casino-style games without an initial purchase. As I go into more detail, I’ll explain why playing at sweepstakes casinos is the smarter choice and the best sweepstakes sites to consider.
One of the things I like about sweepstakes casinos is how they offer players the opportunity to play casino-style games with virtual currencies rather than with real money. This approach allows sweepstakes casinos to operate legally in states where real money gambling is restricted or prohibited.
To better understand how sweepstakes casinos work, you need to learn about their unique virtual currency system. I discovered that the typical virtual currencies in use at most sweepstakes casinos are Gold Coins and Sweepstakes Coins.
One other thing to note about sweepstakes casinos is their versatility in gameplay, and the generous bonus offers specific to each casino. For instance, the Stake.us bonus isn’t the same as most other sweepstakes brands. I’ll share more about this in subsequent sections, but first, let’s look at key differences between sweepstakes casinos and real money gambling sites.
As real money gambling implies, players use real money to play for the potential to win real money in return, but the sweepstakes model operates differently. It uses a free-to-play system that requires no initial purchase. This distinction makes sweepstakes casinos legally accessible in 40+ US states, even where real money gambling is prohibited. While both are committed to delivering high-quality gaming software and a variety of exciting games, they differ in terms of legal frameworks.
Here’s a brief overview of the main differences between sweepstakes casinos and real money gambling sites:
| Features | Sweepstakes casinos | Real money gambling sites |
|---|---|---|
| Currency | Typically uses two virtual currencies (GC and SC) | Use cash transactions |
| Legal framework | Governed by US sweepstakes laws | Governed by gambling regulations that may require licenses in specific states |
| Rewards | SC winnings can be redeemed for gift cards or cash prizes | Mostly real money |
| Mode of entry | Free-to-play business model | Require real money to play |
| Risk factor | Low-risk entertainment | High-risk reward |
While not every sweepstakes casino provides the same gaming experience, finding the best websites to play on is crucial, and that’s why I’ve highlighted some of the best sweepstakes casinos to consider:
Stake.us is one of the most popular sweepstakes casinos in the US and is regarded as a top choice for most players, and rightly so, because it offers a wide selection of games and exclusive welcome bonus offers to claim free Gold Coins (GC) and Stake Cash (SC). Here’s what to expect when you create and verify your account on Stake.us:
| Bonus offers | Bonus amount |
|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | 55 SC + 260,000 GC + 5% Rakeback using the promo code SPORTSGRID |
| Daily login bonus | 10,000 GC + 1SC |
| Daily promo codes | It varies, but usually 5 SC |
| Top up bonus | 1000 GC |
| AMOE (letter writing request) | 5 SC for every request |
Only US residents who are 21 years old and do not reside in Washington, Michigan, New York, Nevada, Idaho, Kentucky, and Vermont are eligible for these bonus offers. I explored several slot games from the Stake.us original series and immediately fell in love with Blue Samurai and Tome of Life.
After signing up at RealPrize, I received a welcome bonus of 100,000 GC and 2 free Sweeps Coins without using any social casino promo codes to claim the bonus. I was also impressed at the significantly low playthrough requirement of 1x that RealPrize offers, meaning all unused Sweeps Coins must be used to play at least once before they can be redeemed for prizes.
To claim more free Sweeps Coins, I checked out all the bonus offers available at RealPrize to know how to maximize them. Here’s a brief overview:
| Bonus offers | Bonus amount |
|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | 100,000 GC + 2 free SC |
| Daily login bonus | 10,000 GC + 0.3 SC |
| Referral bonus | Up to 200,0000 GC + 70 free SC |
| First purchase bonus | 250,000 GC + 500 VIP Points + 50 free SC for $25 |
High 5 Casino is a great option for immersive slots. This casino offers over 1500 real slot titles developed by top software providers, including Pragmatic Play and NetEnt. I had a slightly different but good experience with High 5 Casino. After signing up, I received a welcome bonus of 250 free Game Coins, 5 free Sweeps Coins, and 600 Diamonds.
The Game Coins and Sweeps Coins are the typical sweepstakes GC and SC, but the Diamonds aren’t for show, either. They’re available every 4 hours and can activate already-existing game boosts. These virtual currencies can also be accumulated through daily login bonuses, free spins, purchase bonuses, and regular boosts. I played some free online slots with bonuses I received after signing up, like Big Bad Buffalo Thunderstruck, Billionaire’s Bank, and Triple Double Da Vinci Diamonds.
| Slot name | Return-to-player (RTP) % | Volatility | Number of reels | Paylines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Bad Buffalo Thunderstruck | 96 | High | 5 | 1024 |
| Billionaire’s Bank | 96 | Medium-high | 5 | 1024 |
| Triple Double Da Vinci Diamonds. | 97.1 | Low-medium | 5 | 40 |
Sweepstakes casinos are considered low-risk entertainment because they allow players to enjoy various games using virtual currencies specific to each casino, with no initial purchase required. Unlike its alternative, real money gambling, there are minor to possibly no purchases required depending on the player’s preferences. This approach ensures a safe and secure gaming experience for all players. You can sign up today on Stake.us, RealPrize, High 5 Casino and play exciting games with the GC exclusive to each casino and potentially redeem your SC for real prizes.
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