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The guide · 8 min read

How sweepstakes casinos work

Two coins, free entry, and what it takes to turn Sweeps Coins into cash. Everything you need before your first sign-up, and how to choose a casino once you know.

The two coins

Sweepstakes casinos don't take bets in dollars. Instead, every account holds two balances.

GC · Gold CoinsFor fun only. They have no cash value and can never be redeemed. Some casinos give them their own name, like WC or CC.
SC · Sweeps CoinsThe ones that matter. Winnings in SC can be redeemed for cash or gift cards, usually at 1 SC = $1.

US sweepstakes law requires a free way to enter. Because Sweeps Coins are always given away, never sold, the sites run as promotional sweepstakes rather than gambling. That's why they're open in most states where real-money online casinos aren't. 10 states now ban them by their own law; our legal states guide covers every state.

Getting free Sweeps Coins

  • Welcome offers. Free SC for signing up, no purchase needed. See all of them.
  • Daily logins. Most casinos top you up once a day if you sign in. Every daily bonus.
  • Mail-in requests (AMOE). Send a letter, get SC back. Make one here.
  • Bonus with purchases. Buying Gold Coins usually comes with free SC. Always optional. Coin packages.

Redeeming for cash

Free SC usually has to be played through at least once before it can be redeemed. You'll also need to verify your identity, and each casino sets a minimum redemption amount. Check the review for each one before you start, and our guide to redeeming prizes walks through it.

Verify your identity early. It's the most common reason a first redemption is slow.

State rules

Most operators exclude a handful of states in their own terms, and the list differs between them. Check the map to see who accepts players where you live, or go straight to your state's page.

Playing responsibly

You must be 18 or older, and some casinos require 21. Set limits before you buy coins, and if it stops being fun, stop. Free help is available by call, text or chat at 1-800-MY-RESET.

Choosing a casino in 6 steps

  1. Check that your state allows it. 10 states ban sweepstakes casinos by their own law, and more have regulators that treat them as illegal. Start with our legal states guide or your state's page.
  2. Find the casinos that accept you. Each casino publishes its own excluded states, and they differ a lot. The availability map and the state pages show which of the 37 casinos we review accept your state.
  3. Compare the free coins, not the headline. A welcome offer often mixes free coins with a purchase deal. The no-deposit ranking shows only what you get free, valued at what it redeems for.
  4. Read the redemption rules. The playthrough, the minimum redemption and the payout methods decide whether free coins ever become a prize. Every casino review lists them, and our guide to redeeming prizes explains the process.
  5. Know who runs it. A named operator, published sweepstakes rules and a clear excluded-states list are basic. Our reviews name the operator and say when a document is missing.
  6. Decide your limit before you buy. You never have to buy coins: every casino offers free ways in, including the AMOE mail-in route. If you do buy, set a spend limit first. If gambling stops being fun, call 1-800-MY-RESET.

Tools on SweepPicks

Start here

Find your casinoAnswer two questions (your state, what matters most) and get the top 3, computed from the same data as everything below.All 37 casinos, rankedThe full directory, ordered by our rating, highest first.

Browse by what matters to you

By stateNot every casino accepts every state. See which do, for all 50.By deposit methodVisa, Apple Pay, cryptocurrency and more, from each casino's own published terms.By software providerWhich casinos run games from which studios.New casinosThe most recently launched casinos we review.Availability mapEvery state in one view: how many of the casinos we review accept it.

Before you sign up

Is it legal where you live?Which states ban sweepstakes casinos by law, which regulators treat them as illegal, and which bills are pending, from official sources.How sweepstakes casinos workThe dual-currency model, in plain terms.Closed casinosCasinos we used to review that shut down or lost their partnership with us.Coin packagesWhat a first purchase actually gets you, compared across casinos.Free Sweeps Coins at sign-upEvery casino's free sign-up coins, ranked by what they redeem for.AMOE: free coins by mailThe alternative method of entry every casino must offer: amounts, addresses and card rules.

After you sign up

Track your own claimsFavourite the casinos you play and mark each day's bonus claimed.Streak leaderboardThe longest active daily-claim streaks on SweepPicks.

Sweepstakes casino questions

How do I choose a sweepstakes casino?
Check that your state allows sweepstakes casinos, find the casinos that accept your state, compare the free coins they give, read their redemption rules, check who operates them, and decide a spending limit before you buy anything.
Are sweepstakes casinos legal in every state?
No. 10 states ban them by their own law, and in Michigan and Washington the state regulator treats them as illegal. Our legal states guide covers every state, from official sources.
Do I have to buy coins to play?
No. Every sweepstakes casino must offer a free way to play and win, the mail-in alternative method of entry (AMOE), and most add free coins through sign-up or daily bonuses. Buying Gold Coins is always optional.
How are the casinos on SweepPicks ranked?
By our rating, highest first, everywhere on the site. Whether a casino pays us a commission plays no part in the order.