The past few years have seen sweepstakes casinos take the internet by storm. Stake.us, Chumba, WOW Vegas, and others have gained millions of players in the process, leading to what many are calling a war of casinos. Now, players have a choice between sweepstakes casinos or online casinos when searching for somewhere to play, so many are racking their brains wondering which they should join. 

Introduction to Sweepstakes Casinos 

Sweepstakes casinos are a brand-new type of online casino that offer hundreds of casino-style games for free. Yes, free. There’s the opportunity to win prizes thrown on top, where players must try to collect as many ‘Sweeps Coins (SC)’ as possible to then redeem them for gift cards, cash transfers, and more. 

What you’re not allowed to do in sweepstakes casinos is bet any real money. This is completely restricted. Instead, players can only use free-play Gold Coins or prize-winning Sweeps Coins when playing. 

If you visit the SweepsPlays site and join one of the sweepstakes casinos, players can also take part in tournaments, have fun climbing leaderboards, and interact with other players, so it’s a much more social experience compared to what traditional online casinos offer. 

How Sweepstakes Casinos Work 

All sweepstakes casinos work the same way. 

You sign up for free on Android, iOS or PC and usually receive some type of welcome bonus, like Chumba’s 2 million Gold Coins and 2 Sweeps Coins. 

From there, you can start using your Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins on any of the available games, such as slots. 

Remember, Gold Coins are just for entertainment and let you play any of the games for free, whereas Sweeps Coins have actual value and can be used to redeem prizes if you collect enough of them. 

While playing, you can also climb the site’s game leaderboards, take part in tournaments, complete on-site missions, and plenty more. 

In a way, sweepstakes casinos are like actual gaming sites, as it’s not just about the casino games but interacting with other players and completing tasks to keep leveling up and earning rewards. 

And any players out there who are lucky to win enough Sweeps Coins simply need to head to the prize redemption menu of the sweepstakes casino, pick the prize they want, and hit redeem (1 SC converts to $1, so if you’ve won 150 SC, that means you can redeem $150 worth of prizes). 

When playing in sweepstakes casinos, players also regularly look out for special promotions and events, too, as these are a big part of the experience. 

Sweepstakes Casinos vs Real-Money Online Casinos [Key Differences] 

Sweepstakes Casinos	Real-Money Online Casinos
Use virtual currencies: Gold Coins & Sweeps Coins	Players bet real money
Slots, live dealer games, & more	Slots, live dealer games, & more
Win prizes like gift cards, merchandise, and cash transfers	No prizes, only possible to win money through direct bets
Legal in 40+ states	Only legal in 7 states
Appeals to Gen Z, Millennials, and casual players	Targeted at serious gamblers who want to win real money

User Experience Comparison 

When you take a look at sweepstakes casinos and real-money online casinos, the user experience is completely different, even though the casinos themselves tend to offer the same games. 

Sweepstakes casinos are intended for younger, casual players who want a fun and interactive gaming experience without having to bet real money. 

Regular online casinos are meant for actual gamblers who are focused on winning real money, just like the casinos you find on the Las Vegas Strip (it’s about winning money and not the actual experience itself). 

What you’ll find with sweepstakes casinos is that it’s a more “fun” type of gaming experience, whereas online casinos (despite offering excellent user experiences as well) are serious and money-focused. 

Interestingly, online casinos are much faster when it comes to cashouts and you generally get your money very fast, whereas sweepstakes casino prize withdrawals can be slow due to players having to provide proof of ID and bank account. 

Sweepstakes Casinos

✔️ Players use virtual ‘Gold Coins’ for free and ‘Sweeps Coins’ to win prizes

✔️ Strong focus on climbing leaderboards, completing missions, and earning rewards

✔️ Casual and extremely fun-focused

Real-Money Online Casinos

✔️ Traditional online gambling where you can play games using real money 

✔️ Serious gameplay where bets require money 

✔️ Available in fewer states due to gambling regulations 

Can You Win Money in Sweepstakes Casinos? 

You technically can’t win real money directly through sweepstakes casino games, but what you can do is collect enough Sweeps Coins and then redeem those coins for cash. It’s a clever workaround that all sweepstakes casinos use and so it’s the best option on the table for the money-focused sweepstakes players. And if you’re not interested in money, you can redeem your Sweeps Coins for gift cards and other prizes instead. 

Sweepstakes Casinos vs. Real Money Online Casinos: Which Are Better? 

So, now that you’re up to scratch on how sweepstakes casinos work and why they’re different from regular online casinos, you’ll need to decide which you should sign up with. 

The truth is that sweepstakes casinos are better if you’re focused on fun gameplay and winning prizes. They are also better due to the fact that nobody is forced to bet actual money, which isn’t allowed. 

However, if you want serious action where the betting actually involves real money instead of virtual coins, then regular online casinos are better in that sense (which is why they’re still hugely popular with gamblers). 

And if you’re a beginner to the world of casinos in general, we strongly recommend starting off with sweepstakes casinos simply because of how beginner-friendly they are and you don’t have to worry about betting any real money at all.