What you should know when playing sweepstakes poker online
Sweepstakes platforms vary in style, the bonuses they offer, and also with game selection. This means that the sweepstakes poker options can vary greatly from one platform to the next. Some will just have poker-themed slots, others will have video poker options, and the best will have live dealer options for a more authentic experience. This makes it vitally important that you find the right options for the type of poker experience you are looking for.
How does sweepstakes poker work?
Social poker sites and
sweepstakes casino apps do not operate like regular casinos, although at first glance they can look very similar. You’ll see plenty of the same types of games and even some of the same titles but they are played very differently. At sweepstakes casinos, players use virtual currencies to play games like poker for free.
These virtual currencies are claimed when players join a platform, through daily logins and promotions as well as social media giveaways. The actual methods will vary between operators but the play-for-free model is the same for everyone. The central principle of sweepstakes casino regulations make this type of platform legal in most US states. To understand this fully you need to know more about the two virtual currencies used in sweepstakes casinos:
- Gold Coins (GC)
– these are used purely for entertainment. GC has no monetary value and cannot be redeemed for any sort of prize. They are ideal for practicing your poker skills, making sure you know all the rules, and of course, just playing for fun. While not a necessity or requirement, you can purchase GC bundles or packages on sweepstakes casinos.
- Sweepstakes Coins (SC)
– unlike GC, SC can’t be purchased in any sweepstake casino. They are given for free through different methods and most importantly, your SC winnings can be redeemed for cash prizes or gift cards, granted that you’ve accomplished the specific playthrough requirement of the site.
The best sweepstakes poker sites to try
With so much variation surrounding both what players are looking for and what social casinos have to offer, finding what you want is never going to be easy. We’ve got your back here and we tasked our expert review team with finding the best sweepstakes casinos for players who like poker.
They checked all the available options and came up with a shortlist of LoneStar, RealPrize, SpinQuest, Stake.us, and SpeedSweeps. You’ll find full reviews for all of these elsewhere on this platform, but we’ve put together a short overview of each one, as well as the welcome bonuses with sweepstakes casino promo codes you’ll need to get started.
| Sweepstakes poker casino | Welcome bonus for new players |
| LoneStar | 100K Gold Coins and 2.5 Sweepstakes Coins |
| RealPrize | 100K Gold Coins and 2 Sweepstakes Coins |
| SpinQuest | 100K Gold Coins and 2 Sweepstakes Coins |
| Stake.us | 560K Gold Coins, 56 SC, and 3.5% Rakeback when you use code during registration |
| SpeedSweeps | 50K Gold Coins and 1 SC |
LoneStar – help yourself to a range of poker style games
Lonestar Casino: Pros and Cons
- 500+ casino-style games
- 7-tier loyalty program
- SC redemptions for gift cards and cash prizes
While there’s no dedicated poker room here, we did find a range of poker style games with multiple video options among the table games category, and some poker-themed slots. This gives you the perfect opportunity to try them out with your 100,000 Gold Coins and 2.5 Sweepstakes Coins welcome bonus, as both virtual currencies can be used to play the titles here. This is a well designed platform for any player, not just those looking for poker options, so would make a good choice for casual players.
RealPrize – dive into the video and live poker options
RealPrize: Pros and Cons
- 100,000 GC + 2 SC welcome bonus
- Daily bonuses, referral rewards, and daily challenges
- Simple mobile site and dedicated apps
Another platform with a similar welcome bonus offer is RealPrize, and there are additional poker options here too. There are slots that have a poker slant, and wells as Oasis Poker Classic and Texas Hold’em in the table games section. The real head turner here is the ever-expanding live dealer section, where you can see which poker variants get added in the near future. This is also an option for the casual poker player, or one that is looking to get a full grip on what the game entails before upping the ante. For newbies, RealPrize’s welcome offer is more than enough to explore the poker variants they have.
SpinQuest – use your 100K GC bonus to try the poker options
SpinQuest: Pros and Cons
- Welcome offer up to 100K GC and 2 SC
- No promo code needed for registration
- Great mobile experience
- Streamlined registration process
- Unusual 3x SC playthrough requirement
Anyone looking for video poker options should also consider SpinQuest. While the name of the sweepstakes casino makes it sound more slot-focused, there are plenty of table games available too, including video poker. You can see which one is the right fit for you using the 100K Gold Coins and 2 SC sign-up bonus.
If that’s not quite enough, you can also use SpinQuest’s daily login bonus of 10,000 Gold Coins and 1 Sweepstakes Coin. As with all of the operators in this list, check first if it is available in your state, as not all sweepstakes casinos are available in every state.
Stake.us – get your poker play started with a huge bonus
Stake.us: Pros and Cons
- Multiple bonuses
- Over 2,500 casino-style games
- 24/7 live chat
While certainly not a
sweepstakes casino no deposit bonus, the bonus you get here is certainly free and very generous. You’ll need to enter the code BNBSOCIAL when you join, and this will give you the bonus you need to try out the poker options.
While most sweepstakes casinos are perfect for more casual players, Stake.us has advanced options in both video and live version with both Texas Hold ‘em and Omaha front and center. Players can enjoy more advanced features like Rabbit HuntingBomb Pot and Shootouts adding that extra dimension to your poker gameplay. You also have additional benefits like the fully loaded VIP and referral programs, as well as the weekly draws which you can enter via your poker gameplay with SC.
SpeedSweeps – try out the big name poker options
SpeedSweeps: Pros and Cons
- Instant SC prize redemptions
- 24/7 customer support
- Fantastic VIP program
SpeedSweeps has rapidly become a big name in sweepstakes casinos, partly due to the wide range of casino-style games, including various video poker options from big names like Betsoft’s Oasis Poker and Evoplay’s Oasis Poker Classic. You can use the site’s welcome bonus offer and the operator’s other promotions, including the 5,000 Gold Coins and 0.2 Sweepstakes Coins daily bonus.
SpeedSweeps is a great option for players who like a little bit of poker action everyday. The site offers a wide selection of poker options, from casual play to a more in-depth experience offered similarly by Stake.us. If for some reason these aren’t available where you are, you can see the best available alternatives in the banners on this page.
Sweepstakes poker pros and cons
Here are the upsides and downsides of playing poker in sweepstakes casinos:
Pros and Cons
- Play poker games for free
- Huge bonuses available
- Live and video options
- Not available in every state
Common poker games at sweepstakes casinos
Any
list of sweepstakes casinos
will have a range of poker options, rather than the full blown set-up you’d see at dedicated poker sites. You might find poker themed slots at one, video poker games at another, and live dealer options at a third. Wherever you go, you’re likely to see the standard poker variants:
- Texas Hold ‘em
– this is arguably the most popular poker game worldwide, and consequently will be found in the most sweepstakes casinos. You’ll get two private cards and use the five community cards to make the best hand possible.
- Omaha
– This has many similarities to Texas hold ’em but this time you’ll get four private cards but can use only two for them. This is a less common format but you’ll still find it at plenty of sweepstakes casinos.
Poker hand rankings for sweepstakes casino players
Poker players at sweepstakes casinos will also have the same hierarchy of poker hands as the regular game. Knowing this is key to the sweepstakes poker experience so here’s a quick recap:
- High card – such as Ace or King high
- Pair – two cards of the same rank, ie 2 x 2s or 2 x Kings
- Two pair – two different pairs
- Three of a kind – three cards or the same rank ie 3x7s
- Straight or run – five cards in numerical sequence
- Flush – five card from the same suit
- Full house – three of a kind and a pair
- Four of a kind – four cards of the rank, ie 4xJacks
- Straight or running flush – five sequential cards of the same suit
- Royal Flush (highest ranking hand) – a straight flush running from 10 to Ace
How to get started with sweepstakes poker at your favorite social casino
You’ve seen what each one has to offer so it’s now a case of picking the right one for you. While this process will vary slightly from one sweepstakes casino to another, you can get started easily by following these few general steps:
-
Choose your
new sweeps cash casino, and use the links on this page to go straight there
-
Take a closer look, and if you like everything your see, hit the register button to open an account
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Make sure you meet the age and location requirements and complete the sign-up form
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Submit the registration form and complete any further verification required
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Claim your welcome bonus, and proceed to the sweepstakes casino section
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Choose table games or live casino from the options in the main menu
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Navigate to the poker options and take your pick of the variants and tables
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Try out the games available, remembering to use GC at the start. You can also switch to using SC anytime you want
Conclusion – top sweepstakes casinos bring you top-tier poker game experience
There are so many different poker options available at sweepstakes casinos, so finding the right one for you could take longer than actually playing. Using what you’ve seen in that guide can make that search shorter and much more successful.
You know how and why you can play for free, and we’ve even found five platforms that stand out from the crowd for you to choose from. Whether you pick LoneStar, RealPrize, SpinQuest, Stake.us, or SpeedSweeps is up to you, but whatever you decide, you can take a closer look and make a final decision using the links on this page.
Try these top sweepstakes bonuses
1.
Get 200% More Coins on First Purchase – 1.5M CC + 75 SC
Playthrough: 1x Bonus
2.
25 SC and 25K GC signup bonus
Playthrough: 3x
3.
Get up to 500K Gold Coins + 105 FREE SC + 1000 VIP points
4.
200% Extra: 300,000 Gold Coins + 30 SC
5.
Spin up to 500 FREE SC + 120K GC + 60 EXTRA FREE SC
Sweepstakes poker FAQs
🏆 Which are the best sweepstakes poker casinos?
This will vary according to what types of poker you want to play, as so many variations are covered by the best sweepstakes casinos. Our expert review team found that LoneStar, RealPrize, SpinQuest, Stake.us, and SpeedSweeps provide the best places to start your search.
💰 Do sweepstakes casinos have bonuses for poker players?
Yes. Sweepstakes casinos have generous bonuses for new players that can typically be used across the full range of available games, including poker. One example would be the 560K Gold Coins, 56 Stake Cash and 3.5% Rakeback available at Stake.us when you use our code at registration.
♠️ Do sweepstakes casinos have Texas Hold ‘em?
Texas Hold ‘em is arguably the most popular form of poker so you would expect to find it in video or live dealer versions at the best sweepstakes casinos. The number of options or tables can vary greatly between platforms, so check out the full range of options before signing up.
