There are a lot of terms you have to familiarise yourself with if you’re venturing into the world of online casinos. Bankrolls, high rollers, payouts, paylines, doubling down, the list goes on and on.
Most of these can be learned in the blink of an eye. For instance, doubling down means doubling your Blackjack bet in the middle of a hand – short, sweet, and super easy to understand. But one of the terms that we’re asked to define quite a bit is ‘sweepstakes’.
I have to admit, the casino-verse hasn’t made this term easy to get to grips with. By this I mean, ‘sweepstakes’ means two different things, depending on what form of gambling you’re talking about. There’s a sweepstakes in an online casino scenario, and then there’s a sports betting sweepstakes.
In terms of sports betting, a sweepstake refers to the act of betting on a specific result – such as a horse winning the Grand National – while all the stakes are divided among winners. You’ve probably heard of this one, right? It’s been around for about 400 years, so I should hope so.
Online sweepstake casinos are quite different, however. So what is the difference and what exactly do you need to know about sweepstakes casinos?
Sweepstakes in the Online Casino World
If you click here, you’ll find a forum that collects some of the best current deals for sweepstakes casinos. The first thing you’ll notice is the sort of ‘reward’ they’re offering. For instance, WOWVegas Casino is offering up to 1.5 million WOW coins, as well as a further 30 sweepstake coins. Unlike conventional online casinos, this is a dual currency that has no real monetary value but can be used to win real cash prizes.
Users who purchase these coins are then entered into ‘sweepstakes contests’, and they can play anything from table games, slot games, and live dealer games to compete for real monetary cash rewards. How is this different from a typical online gambling experience?
Well for starters, it isn’t technically online gambling. I can register with a sweepstakes casino in an area where there are strong gambling regulations, giving myself the option to play the games I want to play and win real money because the ‘money’ I’m playing with has no real-world value. In other words, just because WOWVegas Casino is offering me 1.5 million WOW coins, alas, that doesn’t suddenly make me a millionaire.
Why Play a Sweepstakes Casino?
The biggest reason for the popularity of sweepstakes casinos is their free-to-play option. Because you only need virtual coins to join in, you can try out a load of games without making any real purchases, which subsequently widens the appeal and makes online gaming far more accessible.
As mentioned earlier, the rewards are not virtual. If you’re playing with sweep coins, you have the opportunity to obtain bonuses and rewards that can be redeemed for real money – it should be noted, however, that gold coins are used to play socially and cannot be redeemed for cash. The incentives and promotions can also include anything from more virtual money to entries into more sweepstakes – the best sweepstake casinos tend to switch it up and offer new things to keep players invigorated.
Sweepstake casinos are also known for their more social orientation. With many offering social features that allow players to communicate with each other, play against each other, and even offer them virtual gifts, you can utilise a sweepstake casino to both play games and get to know other, friendly players who share the same interests.
So, our most compelling reasons to play a sweepstakes casino?
- No need to make a deposit to play
- The social aspect
- Good rewards
- An easy way to gain experience in unfamiliar gameplay formats
How to Choose a Sweepstakes Casino
You might be reading all of this thinking: yup, this is the casino for me. But before you jump into the nearest sweepstake and haul in a load of virtual coins, there are a few things you need to think about. As with any other online casino, you should start by looking at the bonuses being offered – gratuities like free spins, loyalty rewards, and deposit bonuses. Some casinos are going to be more generous than others, so this is a good way to initially narrow them down and recognise which casinos are working to optimise your experience. As always, make sure that responsible play is a key part of their ethos; resources to help you set the right limits should always be made readily available.
You should also read the reviews. Because of the more atypical structure of sweepstake casinos, it’s essential that your chosen casino has a strong reputation and is 100% trustworthy, prioritising fair gameplay, open odds, and strong security. Once you know this, you can look at their game selection, game quality, customer support, and the ease of the interface itself. Then you’ll be ready to start sweeping!
