All banking methods
Credit Cards
Visa, Mastercard, and other major credit cards are widely accepted on sweepstakes sites. They offer a simple, familiar way to make purchases. If necessary, enable your card for online and international transactions.
Apple Pay
Apple Pay brings speed and security to Apple users. With just a few taps, you can complete transactions on your favorite sweepstakes platforms, enjoying the convenience of biometric authentication.
Google Pay
Android users can rely on Google Pay for fast, encrypted transactions. Link your bank account or credit card to Google Pay and enjoy a seamless payment experience optimized for sweepstakes casinos.
PayPal
Known for its reliability, PayPal is the go-to wallet for millions of users worldwide. With its robust security protocols and swift processing times, PayPal is perfect for depositing and redeeming funds on sweepstakes platforms.
Skrill
Skrill combines speed, security, and simplicity. You can easily link your bank account or card, and the platform ensures near-instant transfers with minimal fees. It’s an excellent choice for international players.
Trustly
Trustly is a game-changer for players seeking instant deposits and withdrawals. Connecting directly to your bank account eliminates the need for third-party apps, ensuring smooth, hassle-free transactions..
Bitcoin
BTC is the most popular cryptocurrency, offering quick transactions and robust security. Many sweepstakes platforms accept Bitcoin, making it an excellent choice for players seeking modern payment options.
Ethereum
ETH is the second-most widely used cryptocurrency, and it’s a solid option for players exploring blockchain payments. It stands out for its efficiency and low fees.
Cryptocurrency
Many innovative sweepstakes platforms now support multiple cryptocurrencies, including Litecoin, Dogecoin, and more. These options provide flexibility for players who value decentralization and anonymity.
🎰 GC purchases and SC redemptions 101
All sweepstakes players would have a firm understanding of the dual virtual currency system. Most sites use Gold Coins (standard currency) and Sweeps Coins (premium currency). The names may differ slightly—for example, WOW Vegas uses WOW Coins and Sweepstakes Coins—but the idea remains the same. Here’s a breakdown of how they work.
Gold Coins (GC) are used to play for fun only. You can get them for free through welcome bonuses, reward programs, promotions, social media contests, and other methods. You can also purchase them directly, though this is never required. When you play with Gold Coins, you’re playing purely for enjoyment. You can’t redeem them for prizes, and they have no cash value.
Sweeps Coins (SC) are a different story. They are used to play for potential redemptions. Playing with Sweeps Coins and amassing enough allows you to redeem them for cash prizes, gift cards, or (occasionally) cryptocurrency. Sweeps Coins are not available for purchase—you get them only as added gifts when buying Gold Coins or through various promotional offers and mail-in entry options. Most sweepstakes sites allow you to redeem at a rate of 1 SC for $1.
How to buy Gold Coins at sweepstake casinos
Purchases at sweepstakes and social casinos are always optional. If you wish to buy Gold Coins, you can do so using your preferred sweepstakes casino’s payment methods. Here’s how:
Create your account
If you don’t have an account, create one. You can sign up via email, which requires some personal information upfront. Alternatively, some sites let you sign up swiftly using Google, Facebook, or another pre-existing account.Verify your identity
Verify your identity as needed. This is a separate step at sweepstakes casinos, and it involves providing your ID and some other info to confirm your age.Buy coins
Select “Buy Coins” or similar within the sweepstakes casino. Peruse the available packages and choose the one you want to buy.Select banking method
Connect your preferred payment method as prompted.Confirm purchase
Confirm the purchase, then check your balance for the Gold Coins (and any free Sweepstakes Coins).
After you make a purchase once, you can usually use the same method to expedite the process for future purchases.
❌ Can I buy Sweeps Coins?
No. You can’t buy Sweeps Coins directly. They aren’t available for purchase. However, when you buy Gold Coins, you will usually receive some Sweeps Coins for free as an added gift.
Let’s use WOW Vegas Casino as an example. The $19.99 package there offers 1,000,000 WOW Coins and grants 20 free Sweepstakes Coins. The $49.99 package is 3,000,000 WOW Coins and 50 free SC. For $79.99, you get 4,000,000 WOW Coins and 80 free SC.
Noticing a pattern? At the vast majority of sweepstakes casinos, each dollar you spend on Gold Coins or their equivalent will get you roughly one free Sweepstakes Coin.
Sweeps Coins can also be received via special promotions, giveaways, wheel spins, and social media contests. Sweepstakes casinos also offer alternate methods of entry to receive some free sweepstakes coins via mail-in request.
💵 Sweeps Coins to real cash prizes
The biggest selling point of a sweepstakes casino is the opportunity to redeem real prizes. If you play with your SC and collect enough, you can request a real prize, often in the form of a gift card or a cash prize.
Before you can redeem, though, you need to meet a few requirements.
- Complete verification: separate from sign-up, you need to confirm your age and identity with the sweepstakes casino. Thai will involve submitting documents and a driver’s license or passport to ensure you are who you say you are and that you’re of legal age and within a legal state.
- Play through your Sweeps Coins: Getting Sweeps Coins via promo or as a gift with purchase is just step one. You need to use them at least once before they become eligible for redemption.
- Meet the redemption minimum: you can request a redemption once you have enough redeemable Sweeps Coins. Many sites have minimums of 50 SC for gift cards or 100 SC for cash prizes, though these can vary.
To request a redemption, find the “Redeem” option at your preferred sweepstakes casino. Confirm you have enough to redeem, then fill out any required banking information. Complete the redemption request, then wait for it to process. Gift cards usually process within 48 to 72 hours. Cash prizes can take up to 10 days, depending on the sweepstakes casino’s review period and processing times.
📜 Sweeps Coin redemption rules
Redemptions have crucial terms and conditions attached. We covered some of them above; we’ll reiterate those here and add a few.
First, there’s a playthrough requirement on Sweeps Coins. This means you need to play with them at least once before they are eligible for a redemption. Say you purchase a Gold Coin package that grants 30 free SC. You can’t simply redeem those SC right away. You need to use them first. Once you play through all 30 SC, any additional SC you won will be available to redeem.
NExt, you need to have enough SC to redeem. There are minimums set by the casino per redemption method. Common minimums are 50 SC for gift cards and 100 SC for cash prizes, but they can vary by sweepstakes casino. These minimums are for redeemable SC only.
You then need to follow the sweepstakes casino’s redemption process. It involves completing KYC verification (if you haven’t already) and requesting your redemption as a gift card or via bank transfer.
Finally, consider the redemption conversion rate. Most sweepstakes casinos will offer prizes at a rate of $1 per 1 SC. Some inflate this conversion by calling 1,000 SC a single dollar, for example. The result is the same, it’s just that the internal economy of each site can vary.
📝 Redeeming SC for cash prizes: step-by-step
- Collect SCAccumulate enough SC to play with. You can do this via promotions, bonuses, and purchases of Gold Coins (or a mix).
- Meet playthroughPlay through your SC at least once (or more, depending on the sweepstakes casino’s requirement).
- Meet minimum redemptionAmass enough redeemable SC to request your redemption. You need to meet the minimum for the method you plan to redeem with.
- Click “Redeem”Once you have enough SC to redeem, find the “Redeem” option at the sweepstakes casino. Follow the prompts to submit your request.
- Wait…Wait a few days (processing times vary based on the payment method) and check your email or account for your prize.
🔄 Playthrough requirement explained
Playthrough requirements tell you how many times you need to use your SC before they are redeemable. Fortunately, most sweepstakes casinos set their requirements at a generous 1x. This simply means that you need to play through your SC one time after receiving them, then they become redeemable.
Say, for example, you buy a $49.99 Gold Coin package and get 50 SC as a free gift. Those SC are not immediately eligible for redemption. Once you play with those 50 SC, anything you have left (or that you’ve won) will be redeemable.
While many of our recommended sweepstakes sites have a friendly 1x playthrough requirement, so sites have higher ones. You may see the occasional 3x, for example. These are inherently harder to meet because every SC needs to be used three times before it becomes redeemable.
🔐 Safety first: evaluating sweepstakes casinos before making payments
We only recommend trusted sweepstakes casinos here at Sweepsy. Even so, it helps for players to have a keen eye for trustworthy and legitimate sites. Here are some of the things we look for and that can help you decide where (or where not) to play.
These are just a few factors to consider.
Business info and transparency
Sweepstakes casinos aren’t required to go through rigorous license processes like their real-money counterparts. As such, we like to see transparency. The owner and operator of the site should be clearly listed. Rules, terms and conditions, privacy policies, and other key information should be readily available. These details can go a long way in our decision on whether to recommend a site.
SSL encryption
Check your URL bar for a locked padlock icon, indicating a secure connection. That’s how you know a site is using SSL encryption, which keeps your data safe. If a site doesn’t display the signs of SSL encryption (including a URL with “https://”), it’s risky to provide your info to it.
Secure payments
Sweepstakes casinos that offer trusted and reputable payment providers will always have a leg up over other sites in our book. We like to see methods like VISA, Mastercard, Trustly, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Skrill. Alternative methods may be advertised, but they aren’t always above board, secure, and trustworthy
Two-factor authentication
Sweepstakes sites that require two-factor authentication tend to have your security in mind. We recommend keeping it active even if you have the option to disable it.
Game fairness
Sweepstakes sites will usually showcase the fairness of their games in one or two ways. The first is by promoting that they are independently tested for fairness by a third party. The other way is by showing that the games are “provably fair” by allowing players to see certain algorithms that power the outcomes. Both of these are good signs that a site has fair games.
💳 Finding the best casino payment option for you
Ready to purchase Gold Coins and/or redeem your Sweeps Coins? Here are things to consider when choosing a payment method.
- Utility: can it be used for both purchases and redemptions?
- Reputation: is it a trusted provider with a history of secure payments?
- Speed: does it offer instant purchases and speedy redemptions?
- Fees: does it charge a fee on redemptions or are they free?
- Availability: do multiple sweepstakes casinos accept the payment?
Keeping these things in mind can help you choose the ideal payment method for your sweepstakes gaming experience.
🎁 How to identify the best gold coin bundle
Purchasing Gold Coins can be as simple as buying the package that fits your budget. However, spending a little extra time can go a long way in maximizing your value.
Compare bonuses across multiple sweepstakes casinos to see which ones offer the most value. You can join multiple sites to snag their welcome bonuses and use them to test games out.
Additionally, you will find first purchase bonuses at almost any sweepstakes casino. These typically offer a significant boost in the value of the Gold Coins you buy and the SC you get as a free gift.
Similar boosts and discounts are frequently available as perks to existing players at sweepstakes casinos. Check the Coin shop whenever you plan to make a purchase and search for the best deals.
If you tend to play at a single sweepstakes casino a lot, check the details of the loyalty program. You might get access to better deals as you climb the ranks.
Responsible gaming and payment limits
Always play at sweepstakes casinos responsibly. This means keeping the entertainment factor in mind. Playing while it’s fun is good, but if the fun stops, you should consider taking a break.
Thankfully, many sweepstakes casinos have tools you can use to play responsibly. These include session limits, purchase limits, and scheduled breaks. USe them as needed to keep yourself accountable.
📚 Easy to use, fast and secure
We’ve covered a whole lot on this page, but it all boils down to a few key points. First, you can always find a payment method that works for you. Second, you should stick with the payment options that make these easy, fast, and secure. And finally, payment methods can be a good way to determine whether a sweepstakes casino is trustworthy.
As always, play responsibly and within your limits.
❓FAQ
No. Purchases are not necessary at sweepstakes casinos. You can play with the free GC and SC you receive through bonuses and promotions. The option to make a purchase is always available, however, so you can boost your balance with a quick Gold Coin package if you wish.
The minimum redemption varies by sweepstakes casino. Most sites have minimums around 50 SC for gift cards and 100 SC for cash prizes. This is not universal, though, and many sites will offer lower minimums.
Purchases are never required at sweepstakes casinos, so the minimum is technically zero. However, the lowest-priced package will usually tell you what the minimum is if you plan to make a purchase. Some sites set their cheapest package at $0.49 or $0.99. It’s common to see $1.99 or $4.99 as the lowest offer, too.
You can get free Sweepstakes Coins as part of promotions such as daily login bonuses, social media giveaways, and other perks. You will also usually get Sweeps Coins for free when you buy Gold Coins.
You can redeem SC for prizes once you have enough redeemable SC. The most common redemption methods are gift cards and cash prizes via bank transfer.
This depends on the method of your redemption. Gift cards usually take a few days maximum. Bank payments can take up to 10 days, but 3-5 days is a more common speed.
The safest methods are common credit/debit cards, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Skrill, and Trustly.
Some social casinos only offer for-fun play. IF you think this is the case, try playing at a different site that offers SC for cash prizes.
In some states (New York and Idaho), social casinos are allowed to operate without the sweepstakes element. That may be the case for you.
Yes, but the exact expiration terms vary by casino. Read the sweepstakes casino’s terms and conditions for more information on whether your coins will expire.