Today’s online poker players now have a choice between sweepstakes poker and real money poker. Sweepstakes poker is a new version of the all-time classic card game, but there’s still confusion among some players as to how it differs from regular online poker. Here, we’ll unpack everything so that you know all the facts and can dive into some online poker action.
Sweepstakes vs Real Money Poker: What’s the Difference?
You’ll be surprised to learn that sweepstakes and real money poker are actually quite similar. There are some differences, though, with the main one being that sweepstakes poker uses ‘Gold Coins’ and ‘Sweeps Coins’ while real money poker, of course, allows you to bet cash. Once you read the full guide on SweepsKings, you can get an in-depth understanding of the sweepstakes poker currencies.
Key Differences
| Sweepstakes Poker | Real Money Poker |
| ✔ Legal in 40+ US states | ✔ Legal in 6 US states |
| ✔ Play with Gold Coins or Sweeps Coins
| ✔ Play directly with real cash |
| ✔ Redeem Sweeps Coins for gift cards and cash prizes | ✔ Winnings are withdrawn as cash to a bank account |
| ✔ Mostly US-based players | ✔ US and international players |
| ✔ Softer games with more casual players | ✔ Tough competition with lots of pros |
What Is Sweepstakes Poker
Since 2019, sweepstakes poker has been thrust into the spotlight.
It’s a new type of online poker found in sweepstakes casinos where you’re not allowed to bet real money and must instead use Gold Coins (GC) or Sweeps Coins (SC).
GCs gain you free-to-play access, while SCs let you win prizes if you’re able to collect enough of them.
Outside of playing with virtual coins, sweepstakes poker is identical to real money poker and comes in all the same variations, from Texas Hold’em to Seven-Card Stud.
Some of the most popular sweepstakes casinos even offer their own exclusive sweepstakes poker games following increased player demand, such as ‘Stake Poker’ on the Stake.us site.
Why Real Money Poker Has Become A Bit Complicated
Real money poker has been around for decades now.
Everybody remembers the legendary online poker ‘boom’ from 2003 to 2006, where it felt like the entire world was playing, and it’s still popular to this day.
The main attraction of real money poker is that it lets pro and experienced gamblers bet actual money, just like they would if they were on the Las Vegas Strip.
However, rakeback and great bonuses have gone down, governments have gotten involved, and poker players are much better now than they were in the mid-2000s, which has opened up the opportunity for sweepstakes poker to grow.
How Playing Sweepstakes Poker Works in 6 Easy Steps
Whether you play Stake Poker on Stake.us or Texas Hold’em on Global Poker, sweepstakes poker always works the same way.
- Pick your poker variation
- Choose a Gold Coins or Sweeps Coins lobby
- Join a table
- Place your bet or ante to start the hand
- Play as normal, including fold, calls, and raises
- Collect winnings at the end
Let’s say you win a game of Omaha Hi-Lo and bag yourself 250 Sweeps Coins. This then means you’re now able to redeem $250 worth of prizes, as 1 Sweeps Coin converts to $1. All you have to do is go to your sweepstake casino’s menu and choose from the range of potential prizes, including straight up cash transfers, gift cards, or sometimes even cryptocurrencies.
What is a Sweepstakes Casino?
To play sweepstakes poker, you need to sign up with a sweepstakes casino (or you can join one of the few dedicated sweepstakes poker-exclusive sites, like Global Poker or Clubs Poker). A sweepstakes casino is a new type of online casino where real money bets aren’t allowed and all players must use either free-play Gold Coins or prize-winning Sweeps Coins. These casinos are also big on leaderboards and fun tournaments, so players also get to enjoy those.
Which Type of Poker Should You Play: Sweepstakes or Real Money Poker?
It’s a question on the minds of a lot of poker players at the moment.
Here’s our advice: if you’re a newbie poker player or would much rather play on a purely casual basis, go with sweepstakes poker. This way, you don’t have to worry about the pressure of gambling and can still look forward to potentially winning prizes if you play with Sweeps Coins instead of Gold Coins.
Alternatively, if you’re a competitive poker player focused on directly winning money, your best bet is to stick with old-school real money poker. It’s certainly harder to win these days due to increased competition, but it’s still the superior option when it comes to pure competition and going up against the very best players in the community (plus, real money poker has way more active international players).
And, of course, you can always play a combination of both sweepstakes poker and real money poker depending on how you feel and which specific part of the country you’re in, as sweepstakes poker is currently available in a lot more states than regular online poker is.
Always play responsibly.
