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If you live in a state where poker sites are thin on the ground, why not widen your net and give sweepstakes poker a try? Fun, free, and legal â itâs the go-to option for newbies and high rollers alike.
Here, weâll introduce online poker sweepstakes, filling you in on what they offer and how to get started. Plus, our experts will also showcase one of our favorite sweepstakes poker sites, Stake.us, where you can currently grab an awesome welcome deal worth 55 SC + 260K GC + 5% Rakeback with our exclusive Stake promo code, âGGCSOCIALâ.
What connects James Bond to the Vegas Strip? Poker, of course! This popular table card game is beloved the world over, but sadly, very few people get to play it legally here in the US as a result of our tough anti-gambling regulations.
Now, however, there is a solution: sweepstakes poker. Free to play on casino-style gaming sites that are legal in most parts of the US, this unique variant of the classic game could be just what youâve been looking for if youâre keen to stack those chips in a safe, authentic, and â most important of all â legal setting.
Interested? Of course you are. Thatâs why weâve pulled together this guide on everything you need to know about online poker sweepstakes.
Sweepstakes poker is a free form of poker played on sweepstakes casinos online. âSo, what is a sweepstakes casino?â we hear you ask.
A sweepstakes casino is an online gaming site where you can access Vegas-style games with no purchase, deposit, or betting necessary. Free to use at the point of entry, these platforms offer two distinct gaming modes, including:
Sweepstakes play mode | Details |
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Gold coins (GC) | Is fun top of your agenda? Then you can select gold coins mode to keep things light and breezy. GC are the just-for-fun tokens used on sweepstakes poker sites. You canât redeem these for prizes, but you can buy them to keep the fun coming should you run out. |
Sweepstakes coins (SC) | Ready to take things up a level? Then select sweeps mode to play for the chance to win sweepstakes coins that can be redeemed for genuine prizes, including cash, vouchers, and gift cards. Note that you canât buy more SC when you run out, so use them wisely. |
Now that you know the definition of a sweepstakes casino, this should give you an idea of what this style of free online poker is all about. You can basically play the game for fun or for the chance to win real prizes. Either way, you wonât be betting with real money and you wonât have to make purchases of any kind if you donât want to.
No, you canât win cash simply by playing free poker games on sweepstakes casino sites. Money doesnât change hands on these unique gaming sites, meaning theyâre not classed as gambling platforms where you can win real money.
However, there is an indirect way to pick up prizes on poker sweepstakes sites, and thatâs by playing the game in sweeps mode for a chance to collect SC. Once you have collected enough sweepstakes coins on your selected free poker site, you can exchange these tokens for a prize of your choosing â with everything from cash to gift vouchers to merch on the table.
At this point, we should say that there are a couple of caveats to be aware of. Collecting sweepstakes coins doesnât automatically entitle you to prizes, so even if youâre a high-rolling poker ace, there are no guarantees that youâll actually win anything.
Here are some of the sweepstakes poker T&Cs that you need to consider:
T&Cs | Need to know |
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Playthrough requirements | Before you can exchange sweepstakes coins for prizes, you need to use them a set number of times as indicated by a brandâs playthrough requirement. For instance, at Stake.us, Stake Cash must be used a minimum of 3x before it can be redeemed. |
Minimum redemption requirement | Most sweepstakes casinos that offer poker also have a minimum redemption requirement on their SC tokens. This is essentially a lower limit on how many SC youâll need to collect before you can make a redemption. |
Time limits | Some sweepstakes coins have a time limit, so youâll need to satisfy the minimum redemption and playthrough requirements within the specified period before they expire. |
Regional restrictions | Sweepstakes casinos with poker are legal in many parts of the US, but some states have specific rules governing their usage. For instance, if you sign up at Stake.us, you wonât be able to redeem Stake Cash if you reside in Florida; youâll only be able to play in Gold Coins mode. Be sure to check the T&Cs for regional restrictions before you play. |
Value of SC | Typically, sweepstakes coins are valued at 1 SC = $1, but this isnât the same for every brand. It does, however, give you a general idea of the value of different prizes. |
Poker is a catch-all term for a bunch of different card games that share similar rules and traits, but there are lots of variants and some are more popular than others. So, which types of poker can you expect on free sweepstakes gaming sites?
Well, as it happens, the best sweepstakes poker sites offer a surprisingly varied choice of free poker games. For example, readers of our latest Stake.us review will know that this particular site offers both Texas Holdâem and Omaha-style poker, with live tables complemented by real opponents. Stake Poker is also lauded for its in-play personalization options, with tons of different game modes and features that can transform your overall poker gameplay experience.
Poker champ? You should have no problem picking up the sweepstakes version and running with it, as the rules are pretty much the same as the real thing (minus the fact that you wonât be playing with physical cash and chips).
As for you complete novices, weâd recommend sticking with an easy-to-pick-up online poker game, like Stake Originals Poker. With its intuitive controls and fuss-free graphics, this is one of the simplest sweepstakes online poker games to pick up and play.
With all that said, here are some of the basic rules of poker you need to know.
To score the best hand using the cards available. Players can make a hand using both their âholeâ cards and the âcommunityâ cards on the table.
Itâs also possible to bluff your way to victory by making your opponents believe you have a strong hand; this is typically achieved by taking an aggressive approach to betting, raising the stakes at every opportunity to demonstrate that youâre confident about your chances.
If youâre not familiar with the different hands that you can score in a game of poker online, weâd encourage you to study the different combinations so you can spot opportunities to win. To get you started, hereâs a quick look at the scoring hands in sweepstakes online poker, ranked from strongest to weakest.
Poker hand | Meaning |
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Straight Flush | A Straight Flush is when you achieve a sequence of cards in the same suit. The highest-scoring Straight Flush is the Royal Flush, when the ace, king, queen, jack, and ten are present; this hand is impossible to beat but extremely difficult to get. |
Four of a Kind | Four of a Kind is when you have four of the same card in your hand â be it kings, jacks, aces, or fours. The trick here is to complete your hand with a high-value card (known as a kicker) to maximize your odds of winning. |
Full House | A Full House combines Three of a Kind and One Pair; in other words, itâs when you have three cards the same and can make an additional pair. |
Flush | Spot the opportunity to match five cards of the same suit and you can finish with a Flush â regardless of the sequence of the cards. |
Straight | Youâll score a Straight if you can make a five-card sequence, i.e., 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 9, 10, jack, queen, king; the cards can belong to any suit. If two or more players also achieve a Straight, itâs a case of highest card wins. |
Three of a Kind | As the name suggests, Three of a Kind is when you have three cards of the same rank (i.e., three jacks). The strength of the two accompanying cards is taken into account here, so hold onto those aces and kings. |
Two of a Kind | Two pairs, accompanied by a single side card. Here, you need to be particularly careful about the card you complete your hand with. |
One Pair | This is effectively the same as Two of a Kind, except youâll have one pair and three unrelated side cards. |
High Card | High Card is often the deciding hand in a game of sweepstakes poker. In the event of a tie, the player with the highest card wins. |
If you live in a US state with very few (or no) legal online casinos where you can play poker, weâre guessing nothing could stand in the way of you giving these sweepstakes versions a go. Still, itâs always good to consider the pros and cons where online casino games are concerned, so hereâs a look at the key advantages and disadvantages of sweepstakes poker machines.
Yep, weâre calling it: Stake.us is the best sweepstakes casino for online poker â and by a long way. Thatâs all thanks to the brandâs recently launched Stake Originals Poker, which looks set to change the game when it comes to playing poker sweepstakes online.
So, what is it about Stake Poker that has been turning heads here at Gambling Guy HQ? Well, it could be the fact that Stake.us offers peer-to-peer competitive poker for free, with live poker rooms available around the clock. Or it could have something to do with the huge range of poker game modes available, which range from âRabbit Huntingâ to âBomb Potâ and everything in between.
The good news is that most American poker fans can enjoy playing Texas Holdâem or Omaha at Stake.us, as the brand is only restricted in three states: Idaho, Nevada, and Washington. Plus, right now, you can bag an awesome welcome bonus with our exclusive Stake.us bonus code, âGGCSOCIALâ, including $25 SC + 260K GC + 5% Rakeback, and a further $30 in SC when you claim the Stake Reload Bonus.
Be sure to read our complete Stake.us bonus review for more details on how to claim and redeem this awesome introductory offer.
Is that a trick question? Of course you should play free poker online â who wouldnât? Provided you find a well-established sweepstakes casino with a solid reputation and an authentic web poker offering, hours of low-risk fun are guaranteed here.
When it comes to the best place to play poker sweepstakes online, we can think of few better places than Stake.us. With its new Stake Originals Poker game set to shake up free poker play, thereâs never been a better time to join â particularly if you live in a state where real-money online poker sites are few and far between.
Remember: Stake offers peer-vs-peer poker in a free online setting, so you can get closer to the thrill of a real Vegas poker table like never before. And if youâre new to the brand, donât forget that you can grab a terrific welcome deal with our exclusive Stake bonus code âGGCSOCIALâ. Simply drop the code into the promo box during registration to benefit from 55 SC + 260k GC + 5% Rakeback at sign-up.
Several top sweepstakes casino brands now offer social poker as part of their lineup of games. However, few approach poker as well as Stake.us. Offering both Texas Holdâem and Omaha poker games, Stake Poker is excellent for those looking to play casino-style poker against real opponents.
No, cash prizes arenât possible on free poker games online. Since youâre not placing real bets or playing with physical cash, there is no prize pot on the table. However, some sites do let you play for sweepstakes coins that can be exchanged for prizes when you satisfy the redemption conditions.
Yes, you can play poker for free online in the USA, provided you do so on a site thatâs permitted to operate in your jurisdiction. Several excellent sweepstakes brands operate in the US, with one of our favorites for live poker games being Stake.us.
Absolutely! Texas Holdâem is one of the most popular varieties of poker to play on sweepstakes casino sites, with brands like Stake.us making it their default game type. Other variants of poker are also available, with some vendors even allowing for in-play customization.
Yes, provided you live in a state where Stake.us is legally permitted to operate. If youâre new to the brand, youâll need to add the promo code during registration to claim the welcome bonus.
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