Sweepstakes Slots

Sweepstakes slots are free-play digital games based on traditional fruit machines found in casinos, bars, and clubs around the world.

The switch from mechanical machines to online games in the early noughties gave rise to a wealth of new features. That’s why today’s top sweepstakes slots are packed with unique symbols, bonuses, and jackpots.

Types of Sweepstakes Slots Online

• ·Classic slots: three-reel slots have traditional symbols, including fruit, bars, and 7s.
• Video slots: sweepstakes video slots have five or six-reel slots. They cover different themes and contain special features, such as free spins bonuses and multipliers.
• Megaways slots: these sweepstakes slots have a dynamic structure, which means the number of paylines changes each time you spin.
• Cascading wins slots: winning combinations in these slots trigger a cascade that makes symbols disappear and new ones appear in their place. This allows you to string together multiple wins from a single spin.
• Hold & Win slots: Hold & Win is a bonus mechanic that triggers more free spins each time selected symbols come into view and stick on the reels.  
• Progressive jackpot slots: a small amount of each player’s action goes towards a communal prizepool that creates an ever-increasing jackpot.

The Anatomy of Sweepstakes Slots

Sweepstakes casino slots are made up of these important parts:

• Reels: the reels contain symbols and spin when you tap the best button.
• Paylines: winning combinations are formed across paylines that crisscross the reels.
• Symbols: these icons match the game’s theme. Combinations of matching symbols release prizes.
• Coins: you use coins to set the reels in motion. Prizes are also paid in coins.
• RTP: this value represents a game’s theoretical long-term return (i.e., payout rate).
• Volatility: this value tells you how frequently, in theory, you’ll win prizes and what their average value will be (bigger vs. smaller).
• Features: the top sweepstakes casino slots have multiple features, including free spins bonuses, prize multipliers, wild symbols, and cascading reels.

Top Slots Providers

Here’s a list of five prolific sweepstakes casino games software providers:

• Novomatic
• Evoplay
• Hacksaw Gaming
• BGaming
• Playson

Many of the best sweepstakes casinos also have exclusive slots. Most are made by third parties, but some operators, including Stake.us and McLuck, create their own games.

Where to Play the Best Sweepstakes Slots

Here are some of the top places to play sweepstakes slots online:

• Stake.us: home to more than 2,160 sweepstakes slots, including exclusives only available on Stake.us, such as Boom Town.
• LoneStar Casino: offering over 500 slots, including Piggy Power, LoneStar gives you extra reasons to spin by running daily challenges and tournaments.
• Ace.com: if you’re unsure which sweepstakes slot games to play, try Ace.com because it categorizes games better than other sites.

Slingo Games

Slingo combines the mechanics of slot machines with the rules of bingo to create a unique hybrid game that’s fast-paced and unpredictable.

How to Play Slingo Sweepstakes Casino Games

Here’s how to play sweepstakes Slingo:

1. Set your coin size and buy your game card.
2. You get 11 spins to start with, but there is an option to pay for more (see optional step).
3. Tap the spin button to reveal a set of random numbers.
4. Wait for the software to cross off any numbers that match those on your game card.
5. Watch out for special symbols, such as jokers, free spins, and instant cash prizes.

Optional: You can pay for additional spins once your initial spins have run out. The price depends on how close you are to completing a line/full house.

Slingo’s Finest Features and Payouts

Here’s a rundown of the features that make Slingo unique:

• The average Slingo jackpot is worth 10,000x. That’s lower than traditional slots, but still higher than other online sweepstakes games such as blackjack and roulette.
• You can use extra coins to keep playing, which adds an element of skill to the game.
• Slingo games have unique themes that often draw inspiration from popular slots, such as Slingo Rainbow Riches.

Why I Love Slingo

Slingo combines the unpredictability of bingo with the speed and payout potential of slots. That makes it a fun way to experience the best of both worlds.

My Top Tip: Slingo is better suited to seasoned sweepstakes casino game players. That doesn’t mean you can’t play it as a newbie.

However, to truly appreciate its features, you need to understand the basics of bingo and slot games. This knowledge allows you to get maximum enjoyment from Slingo and make smart decisions.

Where to Play Sweepstakes Slingo

Despite its popularity in the real-money gaming sector, Slingo isn’t available at a lot of sweepstakes casinos. Fortunately, WOW Vegas and Jackpota have a few Slingo games, including Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania.

Sweepstakes Poker

Sweepstakes poker takes inspiration from games such as Texas Hold’em, but it’s different in the sense that you’re playing against the house rather than other people.

This crucial difference means that tactics such as bluffing aren’t applicable in sweepstakes casino poker. Instead, you need to rely on an understanding of probabilities to decide when it’s best to bet, hold cards, and draw new ones.

The two main types of sweepstakes poker are:

• Table Poker: table sweepstakes poker games, such as Casino Hold’em, are similar to blackjack in that you’re playing against the dealer. Your aim is to make a better hand than the dealer to win. 
• Video Poker: video poker doesn’t involve a dealer. Instead, you’re dealt five cards to start with. You then have the option to hold or draw as many cards as you wish. If you make a ranked hand, you win a prize.

What’s it Like?

Table poker games, such as Casino Hold’em, are similar to blackjack. So, if you enjoy battling one-on-one with a dealer, as you do in blackjack, these games are great.

For those who prefer more action, I recommend video poker. The fact that you’re playing alone means you control the pace of play.

What’s more, the layout of video poker gameboards is perfect for mobile devices because you only need to see five cards, the action buttons, and the payout table.

If you want to play sweepstakes poker at Zula Casino, Pulsz.com, and Sportzino, I recommend these variants:

• Live Poker
• Texas Hold’em Poker 3D
• Jacks or Better Video Poker
• Joker Poker

Sweepstakes Poker Strategy Tips

Sweepstakes poker strategy is based on two fundamentals: holding and drawing. Your aim is to make a ranked hand, so you should start by studying the payout table for the game you’re playing.

This tells you what you can win, but, more importantly, the types of hands you’ll win with, so you know what to play for. For example, let’s say you’re playing video poker and start with A♥ 6♥ 7♥ 2♣ 10♥. You’d want to hold the four hearts and discard the 2♣ because you’re one card away from a flush.

An Alternative to Sweepstakes Casino Games: Global Poker

If you’re not sure how to play sweepstakes casino games or you’d prefer to play against other people, try Global Poker.

This free-play poker site uses the sweepstakes model to offer player vs. player games such as Texas Hold’em. Which means you’re battling against other players, rather than the house.

Sweepstakes Blackjack

Sweepstakes blackjack is a race between you and the dealer to see who can make the closest total to 21.

Both you and the dealer start with two cards, but only one of theirs is showing. You act first and have two options:

• Stand: stick with your current total
• Hit: take a card from the deck in an effort to improve your total

You get one of these additional options if your starting cards meet the following conditions:

• A starting total of 11 and under: you can double down in this spot, which means you put extra chips into the pot in exchange for one card. You must stand after doubling down.
• A pair: you can split a pair into two new hands by putting extra chips into the pot. For example, 8♣ 8♥ can be turned into 8♣ X and 8♥ X. Your new hands can be played as standard, which means hitting and standing are available.

The action passes to the dealer when the following happens:

• You stand on your total
• Your total exceeds 21 (i.e., you go bust)

The dealer can only stand or hit, but they’re subject to the 17 minimum rule. That means the dealer has to hit until they’ve got a total of at least 17 and stand when their total exceeds 17.

Aces can be worth one or 11 in blackjack. That means hands containing aces are “soft.” In some sweepstakes blackjack games, the dealer must stand on soft 17, but in others, they have to hit.

Finally, if you win the hand, you’ll receive a 1x payout. If, however, you make blackjack (an ace + a picture card/10), you win 1.5x.

Sweepstakes Blackjack Variants

There are various ways to play blackjack online. Some of the most popular games at sweepstakes sites, including Stake.us, are:

• Gravity Blackjack
• Single Deck Blackjack
• Power Blackjack
• Infinite Fun Fun 21
• Take Deal or Risk Blackjack
• Lightning Blackjack

Sweepstakes Blackjack Strategy

There’s more scope to implement +EV strategies in blackjack than in any other sweepstakes casino game. That’s because of the game’s mathematical foundation. Basically, you can improve your long-term expectation by hitting and standing at the correct times.

Basic blackjack strategy charts tell you how to do this. They take into account your starting total and the dealer’s face-up card. From that, a blackjack strategy chart tells you whether to hit, stand, split, or double down.

Sweepstakes Roulette

Sweepstakes roulette requires you to predict where a ball is going to land on a spinning wheel.

Numbers wrap around the wheel, and they’re also printed on the gameboard. The numbers on the wheel go from 0 to 36, and you can bet on them individually or in groups.

Finally, there are two main types of sweepstakes roulette:

• European Roulette: 37 numbers going from 0 to 36
• American Roulette: 38 numbers going from 0 to 36 plus a double zero (00)

The maximum payout in traditional roulette is 35x for a single-number win. However, because you can speculate on groups of numbers, it’s possible to play for prizes ranging from 1x to 17x your stake.

Sweepstakes Roulette Variants

The best type of roulette to play, if it’s available, is European because the house edge is lower (2.7% vs. 5.26%) Spree and Stake.us offer European roulette.

If you’re happy to play American roulette, Sweeps Royal has you covered. Finally, if you prefer the idea of playing for bigger prizes, there are some unique variants available online.

These variants use prize multipliers to increase the value of your payouts randomly on any spin:

• Lightning Roulette
• XXXtreme Lightning Roulette
• Gravity Roulette
• Gold Vault Roulette
• Fireball Roulette
• Red Door Roulette

For something completely unique, you can play Russian Roulette at Stake.us. It’s a quirky but explosive take on traditional roulette featuring bullets and a gun.

Sweepstakes Bingo

Sweepstakes bingo is a simple but fast-paced game where you win prizes by crossing off numbers on your game card as they’re drawn from a machine.

If you cross off an entire line of numbers before anyone else, you win. After that, the first player to cross off all the numbers on their card (a full house) wins.

The main bingo variants you can play at WOW Vegas, Sweeps Royal, Zula Casino, and other sweepstakes casinos are:

• Bingo Star (90-ball bingo)
• Mayan Riches Bingo (60-ball bingo)
• Bingo Valhalla (90-ball bingo)
• Live Bingo (30-ball, 75-ball, and 90-ball bingo)

The best site for sweepstakes bingo games is Pulsz. In addition to covering all the main variants, it has bingo chat rooms, bonus games, and progressive jackpots.

What Makes Sweepstakes Bingo Fun?

Of all the sweepstakes games online, bingo is the easiest and most social, thanks to these features:

• Auto-play allows you to watch as the software crosses off numbers for you.
• Chat rooms let you interact with other players during a game and win bonus prizes.
• BOGOF bonuses so you can get free bingo tickets.

In addition to these features, bingo doesn’t cost many coins. You can buy a single ticket for less than 10 Gold Coins.

Bingo But Different

If you like bingo and want to try another sweepstakes casino game, check out Kandy Land Keno at Zula. Keno also involves numbered balls being drawn at random.

The difference is you can choose how many numbers you want to play for. Your payout is then based on how many numbers you’ve chosen and matched.

Sweepstakes Table Games (Other)

In addition to what I’ve already talked about, some of the other popular sweepstakes casino games online are:

Plinko

This game is perfect for beginners because you only have to place a bet. After that, a ball is dropped onto a board containing pins. Those pins cause the ball to bobble around until it reaches the bottom of the board. You win a prize if the ball lands in the right spot.

Where to play Plinko: Fortune Coins Casino

Craps

Craps is a dice game that’s best-suited to experienced sweepstakes casino players. That’s because the rules change depending on the numbers rolled and the stage of the game. The overall aim, however, is to pick totals and hope the shooter rolls them with two dice.

Where to play craps: Stake.us

Casino War

Casino war is fun for everyone because it’s a highest-card-wins showdown between you and the dealer. It’s sometimes called Top Card or Football Studio, but the premise is the same: you win if your card is worth more than the dealer’s.

Where to play casino war: Sportzino

Baccarat

Despite what you might think, baccarat isn’t a difficult game to learn. There are lots of rules dictating how cards are dealt, but the dealer takes care of this. All you have to do is choose the Bank or the Player to get the best total (i.e., closest to nine).

Where to play baccarat: McLuck Casino

Instant Win Scratchcards

Scratchcards are among the easiest online sweepstakes games to play. All you have to do is buy a card and scratch the panels. In fact, you don’t even need to scratch each panel individually. You can use the auto-play feature to reveal symbols instantly. If you match three or more symbols, you win a prize.

Where to play scratchcards: Zula Casino

Sic Bo

Sic Bo is a dice game that’s similar to craps. There are three dice in play, and you can speculate on the overall total, matching numbers, and other configurations of numbers. The value of your prize is determined by how specific your prediction was.  

Where to play Sic Bo: Jackpota Casino

Bet On Teen Patti

Teen Patti is an Indian card game where players compete to make the best three-card hand. Your job is to pick the winning hand.

Where to play Bet on Teen Patti: Sportzino Casino

Fish Table & Fishing Casino Games

Fish games are arcade-style shooters that require you to take down targets in exchange for prizes.

Each bullet you fire costs a coin, so you need to choose your targets carefully. The biggest creatures contain the biggest prizes, but they’re the hardest to kill.

The most popular fishing casino games online right now are:

• King Octopus
• Ocean Princess
• KA Fish Hunter
• Golden Fish Hunter
• Octopus Legend

KA Gaming is the biggest sweepstakes casino games software provider in this niche. But, if you log into Zula Casino, you’ll find fish games from other providers, such as Jili, Edge Labs, and Mascot Gaming.

What Makes Sweepstakes Fishing Casino Games Fun?

Fishing games sync beautifully with the entertainment aspect of social gaming because they don’t follow the format of traditional sweepstakes casino games.

As well as firing bullets (or lasers) at weird and wonderful creatures, fish shooter games are fun because of these features:

• Weapon upgrades: you can use coins or shoot bonus boxes to get better weapons.
• Prize multipliers: blowing up multipliers increases the value of your prizes.
• End bosses: defeating bosses at the end of each stage gets you even bigger prizes.

Fishing Casino Games vs. Sweepstakes Slots

Sweepstakes slots and fish games are fast-paced, fun, and packed with features. Therefore, it can be difficult to choose between them.

In terms of total payout potential, sweepstakes slot games have bigger top-end jackpots. However, in terms of the average payout, fish games have more potential.

It’s also worth considering the number of coins you’re playing with. It’s easy to use a lot of coins when you’re playing slots because they’re high-paced sweepstakes casino games.

The same goes for fish games. In fact, you can use more coins in fish games because the auto-fire feature releases hundreds of bullets per minute.

Warning!

Some sites with fish-themed offerings may be fishier than you think. I’ll talk more about these at the end of this sweepstakes casino games guide, but let’s just say that some sites aren’t as legit as they claim to be.

Sweepstakes Skill Games

Crash games, such as Crash Live at Mega Bonanza and 1000x Crash at Sportzino, are often called skill games because you decide when to cash out.

You never know when the object will crash because it’s controlled by a fair random number generator, so there’s a lot of luck involved. So, the skill is getting out before the prize multiplier crashes to zero.

How to Play Sweepstakes Skill Games

I’ve played dozens of crash games in recent years. Aviator is one of the most popular. A plane takes off, and you have to cash out before it flies away with your coins.

I found that cashing out sooner rather than later is best. It’s not guaranteed, but this strategy gives you a better chance of winning smaller value prizes more frequently.

It’s possible to go the other way and play for bigger payouts by letting the plane fly for longer. This is riskier, though, which is why I use a more conservative strategy.

Sweepstakes Casino Games Software Providers

There are dozens of sweepstakes casino games software providers out there. Some design games for real-money sites and adapt them for sweepstakes casinos, while others focus purely on the free-play market.

Here are four sweepstakes casino software companies and why they’re popular:

• Hacksaw Gaming: a company that makes thematic sweepstakes slots with unique bonus features.
• Booming Games: focused mainly on the sweepstakes casino games market, Booming makes easy-to-play slots with jackpots topping 12,000x.
• Iconic 21: this live dealer software provider creates immersive table games such as Grand Bonus Baccarat.
• Evolution Gaming: another live casino software provider, Evolution is known for its pioneering software, innovative game variants, and unique bonus features.

Exclusive Online Sweepstakes Games

Many of the top sweepstakes online casinos make their own games or work with third parties to create exclusive content.

Stake.us is the leader in exclusive sweepstakes online casino games because it has a team of in-house developers. This means you can play games only available at Stake.us, such as Candy Rush, Galaxy Plinko, and Chicken.

Are Sweepstakes Casino Games Fair?

Yes, all sweepstakes casino games are certified as fair by independent organizations, such as iTech Labs and GLI. Software providers must work alongside these organizations to prove their games are legit.

Games can only be added to legal sweepstakes once they’re certified. I make sure my recommended casinos offer games from reputable software providers, such as the ones listed.

How to Play Sweepstakes Casino Games Online

Now you know what games there are to play, here’s how to play them via your computer or mobile device:

1. Use our sweepstakes casino reviews to find a site that suits your needs.
2. Follow the secure sign-up link to begin the registration process.
3. Enter your details, including your address, to confirm you’re in a state where sweepstakes casinos are legal.
4. Open your emails and use the verification link to complete the registration process.
5. Log in and claim your welcome bonus so you can start playing sweepstakes games with Gold Coins.
6. Purchase additional Gold Coins to get free Sweeps you can use to redeem real prizes. *This is optional and only available at sweepstakes casinos (not at social casinos).

Top Tips for Playing Sweepstakes Games Online

Here’s how to get maximum enjoyment from the best sweepstakes casino games with the minimum amount of effort:

1. Use Gold Coins to test new games because you can replenish your balance for free every day.
2. Set a maximum bet/loss limit if you’re wagering Sweeps Coins because your balance can’t be replenished for free.
3. Find games that suit your preferences in terms of speed, theme, rules, and features. You’ll have more fun playing games that you enjoy rather than those you think are most profitable.
4. Read the rules and take note of a game’s theoretical payout rates. Sweeps games with higher RTP have better long-term payout potential.
5. In addition to checking a game’s RTP, consider its volatility rating. Low volatility games typically pay smaller value prizes more frequently.  High volatility games typically pay less often, but when they do, the prizes are worth more.  

Most Popular Sweepstakes Games by Category

The table below gives you a handy overview of the most popular sweepstakes casino games in different categories and where to play them:

Game Type	Popular Titles	Where to Play
Slots	Burning Chilli X, Book of Cats Megaways, and Coin Strike	Ace.com
Slingo	Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania Slingo and Slingo Fire & Ice	Jackpota
Fish Games	KA Fish Hunter, Hungry Shark, The Deep Monster	Sweeps Royal
Crash Games	Crash Live, Ninja Crash, Limbo Crash	Fortune Coins
Video Poker	Jacks or Better and Joker Poker	Zula Casino
Bingo	90-ball, 75-ball, and 30-ball	Pulsz Bingo
Live Dealer Games	Mega Ball, Crazy Coin Flip, Lightning Roulette, Crazy Pachinko	Stake.us

Red Flag: Golden Dragon Sweepstakes & Similar Variants

I talked before about fish games and how they’re unique to the sweepstakes world. Unfortunately, some operators have used this as an opportunity to trick unsuspecting players into joining illegal sweepstakes sites.

Red Flags: How to Spot Untrustworthy Sweepstakes Casinos

Here are some telltale signs that a sweepstakes casino is either illegal, untrustworthy, or both:

• The casino has the same name as a popular fish game, despite not being linked to the software provider that made the game.
• You’re directed to a different site/app when you try to create an account.
• You can only play by downloading an app (most legit sweepstakes casinos have instant-play desktop sites).
• There aren’t any clear terms or conditions.
• Games are from unknown software providers and/or aren’t certified as fair.
• Unusual or unfair redemption policies, such as overly long processing times, non-mainstream payment methods, and high wagering requirements.
• The casino is available in states where sweepstakes gaming has been banned, such as Washington and Michigan.
• The design looks like a poor imitation of popular sweeps casinos.

Golden Dragon is one of the most infamous, untrustworthy sweepstakes casinos. I’m not saying it’s necessarily illegal or rigged. However, it doesn’t meet industry standards with regard to safety, integrity, and redemptions.

Other sweepstakes casinos you should be wary of are:

• BitBetWin
• Enchanted Casino
• Milky Way
• Golden Treasure
• Chicago Sweeps

Final Verdict: What’s the Best Sweepstakes Game Type?

The best sweepstakes games are those that match your status and preferences. By that, I mean you should choose games suitable for your level of experience.

For example, slots and scratchcards are perfect for beginners because they’re easy to play. In contrast, blackjack and craps are more suited to players with some experience in the casino sector.

Similarly, if you prefer traditional casino-style games, I recommend options such as baccarat and roulette. If, however, you want something different but equally fun, try fish games and crash games.

I’ve given you all the information you need to make smart decisions. All you have to do now is put this knowledge into practice so you can enjoy your favorite online sweepstakes games time and time again.