Chumba Casino, Stake.us, WOW Vegas — do any of these names sound familiar? They are among the top sweepstakes casinos in America, attracting millions of users in recent years.
👉 Sweepstakes casinos first exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
In this guide, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about US sweepstakes casinos, including why they’re so popular, how they work, and the different prizes that you can win by playing inside them.
Trust us, you won’t want to miss a detail.
Table of contents
What are Sweepstakes Casinos?
Sweepstakes casinos are a type of online casino where you play games using Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins. You are not allowed to bet real money. However, it’s still possible to win real-money prizes, which we’ll talk about in a second.
All of the games inside sweepstakes casinos are free-to-play. Yes, free. This includes all the Megaways slots, table games, and live games.
Most sweepstakes casinos also host lots of fun tournaments, too. For example, Clubs Poker — one of the top sweepstakes casinos at the moment — offers weekly tournaments for players to enter.
🎁 Sweepstakes casinos offer diverse prizes like cash, cryptocurrencies, and gift cards, won by collecting Sweeps Coins through gameplay.
List of the best US Sweepstakes Casinos
Sweepstakes casinos have surged in popularity over the past five years, with nearly 50 now available and new ones popping up every month.
Leading sites include:
- Mega Bonanza
- Stake.us
- Chumba Casino
- McLuck
- WOW Vegas
What’s great about each sweepstakes casino is that they all offer something unique, whether it’s exclusive games or VIP membership programs. No two are exactly the same.
It’s common for players to join multiple sweeps casinos instead of just one, allowing them to take advantage of different perks without missing out on anything.
Mega Bonanza
Mega Bonanza is a new sweepstakes casino that first launched halfway through 2024. It has over 800 slots, huge jackpots, and can even be installed as an app on your preferred device (making it easy to play on-the-go).
Plus, according to this Mega Bonanza casino review from industry experts SweepsGods, the site is currently offering a welcome bonus of 7500 Gold Coins and 2.5 Sweeps Coins, an excellent package for newbie players.
Stake.us
One of the main reasons why sweepstakes casinos have gone mainstream is because of Stake.us.
This juggernaut of a casino first hit the internet back in 2022 and has since become a household name, largely thanks to a $100m a year partnership with legendary rapper Drake.
Many popular Kick and Twitch casino streamers use Stake.us, boosting its fame with younger players. And with close to 1000 different slots, table games, and live dealer games in its library, it’s not hard to see why Stake.us has become as popular as it has.
Chumba Casino
Chumba Casino first opened in 2017 and is regarded as one of the most iconic sweepstakes casinos ever.
Inside, you have an ultra compact game library of just 200 games, with Chumba Casino sticking with the “quality over quantity” approach that it’s always followed.
Whether you play slots, blackjack, or scratchcards, you’ll be happy to know that all of these games come from the best software providers in the industry, including the likes of Pragmatic Play and Relax Gaming.
Not to mention, Chumba Casino also has a small number of exclusive games, too, which is something that most other social casinos don’t have.
McLuck
You can’t go wrong with McLuck. This is one of the most reliable sweepstakes casinos around, stacking its site with over 700 free-to-play casino games.
However, McLuck’s biggest strength is actually its non-stop promotions and special offers. Each year, players get to enjoy daily login coins, random prize drops, weekly tournaments, and more.
Plus, there’s even the McLuck Loyalty Club, offering players the chance to enjoy personalised perks and big surprises as they climb up the different reward tiers.
WOW Vegas
If you need a fifth and final sweepstakes casino to join, it’s recommended you stop by WOW Vegas.
One thing for sure is that WOW Vegas definitely delivers the “WOW” factor, including over 1000 games from Betsoft Gaming, Pragmatic Play, and other big software providers. There’s also an impressive VIP Star System scheme where the more you play, the more points you collect.
Once you gain enough points to reach the next tier, you’ll receive a special reward, such as a discount on future coin purchases.
Why Sweepstakes Casinos have become a huge trend in the US
Since 2020, sweepstakes casinos have gone from relatively unknown to one of the biggest iGaming trends ever.
Even casual players know what they are — but why is it that sweeps casinos have become so popular? Here are just some of the reasons:
- All of the games are free-to-play
- Players are encouraged to socialise and interact with each other
- You can win real-money prizes
- There are weekly tournaments and giveaways
- The financial risk associated with traditional gambling is removed
On top of this, another big reason why sweepstakes casinos are thriving is because they are legal in 48 out of 50 US states. Basically, they’re legal almost everywhere due to the simple fact that they aren’t classed as gambling sites, which means that they can bypass most state laws.
It might sound confusing, but it’s true: most countries and states don’t see sweepstakes casinos as traditional gambling. Why? They use Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins—virtual currencies with no real-world value.
So, let’s say that you’re someone who has always enjoyed playing casino games but doesn’t like the aspect of gambling.
Instead, you just want to play the games for entertainment purposes. In this case, there’s no better option than sweepstakes casinos. In fact, it’s a total no-brainer, which is why millions of Gen Z and Millennial players have signed up with them, as younger generations aren’t as money-focused and much prefer playing for fun.
How do Sweepstakes Casinos make money?
One of the most confusing things that people find about sweepstakes casinos is how they actually make money.
After all, if players are not allowed to bet real money, how can sites like Stake.us and Chumba Casino make a profit? Well, the answer is actually pretty simple, so let’s take a closer look at how the sweepstakes model works.
💬 Sweepstakes casinos earn by selling Gold and Sweeps Coins in package deals through their ‘Shop.' Players can purchase more coins as needed, with larger packages costing more.
For example, here’s a look at some of the current offers you can find on popular sweepstakes casino sites:
- Hello Millions • 💰 10,000 GC ($4.99)
- Mega Bonanza • 💰 100,000 GC ($49.99)
- Pulsz • 💰 628,000 GC ($99.99)
Remember, most sweepstakes casinos give new players free Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins when they first create an account. Many also have daily login coins, where all you have to do is login every 24 hours to get your free coins.
If players run low on coins or want to place bigger bets, they can buy coin packages from sweepstakes casino shops.
The difference between Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins
In the world of sweepstakes casinos, we have two types of virtual currencies: Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins.
The Gold Coins have no value and are used just for fun, whereas Sweeps Coins have on-site value and can be redeemed for a variety of different prizes.
Players who want to win prizes should use Sweeps Coins. If you collect enough of these coins, the option is there for you to redeem them for prizes you like, such as cash transfers to your bank account or PayPal.
💬 At most sweepstakes casinos, 1 Sweeps Coin equals $1. So, winning 100 Sweeps Coins in a game like Sugar Rush can be redeemed for a $100 cash transfer to your bank.
Of course, not every player cares about winning prizes.
Some of them simply enjoy playing casino games for the fun aspect and nothing else. If this applies to you, too, then stick to playing with Gold Coins.
Summary & final thoughts
It’s fair to say that the sweepstakes casino ‘boom’ isn’t disappearing anytime soon. Simply put, players are obsessed, with millions of them having made the switch to this new type of casino over the past few years.
Now, sweepstakes casinos have created a unique industry space where it’s no longer about playing to win money. Instead, the focus is on enjoying free-to-play games, being part of a wider gaming community, and occasionally winning some prizes, too.
It’s an excellent model — and you can expect the dominance of sweepstakes casinos to continue as more players start to discover them.
Check out more of the most popular casinos here.
Or learn about other casino trends and expert guides. Read more on the Roger blog.
