Gold Coins (GCs) Vs. Sweeps Coins (SCs) in Sweepstakes Casinos
■ Sweepstakes casinos use virtual Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins instead of actual cash
■ Gold Coins are intended for free-play entertainment, while eligible Sweeps Coins can be exchanged for prizes
■ Most sweepstakes operators give you free coins on sign-up
By now, everybody’s heard about sweepstakes casinos. They have millions of players across the US and many of the big-name Kick streamers now use them for streaming content. But the big twist with sweepstakes casinos is that they don't – yes, don’t – allow you to directly wager real money, which sounds strange for any type of casino when you think about it.
Instead, no matter the sweepstakes casino you play at, you have a choice between betting Gold Coins (GCs) or Sweeps Coins (SCs) when playing sweepstakes poker, slots, or other games. For first-time players, it can be quite confusing to wrap your head around. Here, though, we’re going to explain exactly what you need to know about these coins, how they’re different from each other, and more.
Breaking Down the Differences Between Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins
Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins are all part of the ‘sweepstakes’ model adopted by sweepstakes casinos. Under sweepstakes law, these casinos have to provide promotional contests where prizes, in this case cash and gift cards, can be rewarded based on skill or luck outcomes, which come via the casino games themselves. At the same time, sweepstakes casinos also have to provide what’s called an Alternative Method of Entry (AMOE). In other words, a free way for users to play. This is why Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins are regularly handed out to players for free, so let’s take a closer look at them.
What Are Gold Coins?
Gold Coins are the popular free-to-play currency in sweepstakes casinos. They have absolutely zero value and simply allow you to play thousands of available games for free, whether you’re wanting to brush up on your skills or climb some of the fun GC leaderboards. They’re the ideal currency for newbie players just getting started out, as there’s no pressure involved in using them.
What Are Sweeps Coins?
Sweeps Coins are much more serious. They’re the prize-winning coins used in sweepstakes casinos that you can redeem prizes with once you collect enough of them. Again, they have no value in the real world, but they do have value in sweepstakes casinos, so you need to bet carefully with them. 1 SC is worth $1, so collecting 100 SCs entitles you to $100 worth of prizes.
Betting Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins In Casino Games
Sweepstakes casinos offer countless different games to play. Listed on FreakyGaming, you can see many of them offer video poker, in addition to slots, standard sweepstakes poker, blackjack, Plinko, and more. Whichever game you play, you can switch between Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins, or simply stick with one or the other depending on what your personal preference is.
For example, if you want to play sweepstakes poker, you’ll have to choose specific GC or SC tables before you actually start the game. But with games like slots, it’s possible to literally switch between GCs and SCs after each spin. Ultimately, it comes down to the specific game you’re playing.
Luckily, sweepstakes casinos make it so that keeping track of your available coin balances is easy. This way, you know exactly what you can and can’t afford to bet. If your Sweeps Coins balance is ever running low, it’s easy to switch to using Gold Coins instead, and vice-versa.
How to Get GCs and SCs Without Making Cash Deposits
One of the exciting appeals of sweepstakes casinos is that it’s incredibly easy to get your hands on free coins without having to actually make any cash deposits. How? Here are some of our recommended methods:
✔ Collect sign-up offers when you first join a sweepstakes casino
✔ Complete daily logins every 24 hours to get bonus coins
✔ Send mail-ins to your sweepstakes operators requesting free coins
✔ Do daily missions and challenges
✔ Take part in social media giveaways
✔ Use free-entry poker and blackjack tournaments to potentially win coins
✔ Refer friends using provided codes
If you do all of the above, it’s possible to keep your sweepstakes casino wallets nicely stacked. This way, you can keep playing games for free while also ensuring your hat is in the ring for prizes with any free SCs you have.
Deciding Which Coins Are Right For You
When it comes to Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins, they’re intended for different types of players, so we can help you decide which to use.
With Gold Coins, they’re meant for players who are only interested in playing for entertainment or to practice their skills for a specific casino game. For instance, if you wanted to get better at online poker, you could enter sweepstakes Gold Coin lobbies and play against other people knowing that there’s zero pressure involved. On top of this, sweepstakes casinos also come with Gold Coin leaderboards to climb, which can be fun as well.
If you’re a type of player who enjoys chasing big wins and prizes, use Sweeps Coins instead. These are the coins that can unlock prizes for you, but they’re given out in smaller numbers for free, meaning any Sweeps Coins you have should be bet carefully. Remember, 1 SC converts to $1, so don’t go wildly betting SCs on random games. Use them strategically on high-RTP games like certain slots or video poker if you want a better shot at getting returns.
Are Sweepstakes Casinos Still Legal in the US?
Before you dive into any Gold Coins or Sweeps Coins action, you need to know where sweepstakes casinos are currently legal, as a growing number of states have recently issued bans against them. As of right now, sweepstakes casinos are still legal in the vast majority of states in the US, but are no longer available in Washington, Michigan, California, Montana, New York, Connecticut, Nevada, Louisiana, New Jersey, Indiana, Maine, or Tennessee, while players in Idaho can’t exchange Sweeps Coins for any cash prizes. Outside of those, if you live in any of the other states and are aged 21 or above, you’re good to go.