
When counting popular card games, you can’t skip Solitaire. The classic game may not be widespread at casino sites right now, but it remains thrilling to play. That said, can you win real money in Solitaire in the US?
The answer depends on your location. If in a place where traditional casinos are allowed, then it’s possible. However, if you’re not, you can play at sweepstakes casinos and redeem real prizes. In this review, my focus is on sweepstakes sites. My top picks are Real Prize, Stake.us, McLuck, MegaBonanza, and Jackpota. Read on to learn about them.
To set things straight, sweepstakes casinos do not support deposits or withdrawals. Therefore, you can’t play Solitaire for money with them. You only play using virtual currencies, including Gold Coins (GC) and Sweepstakes Coins (SC), but there’s an interesting twist.
With your Sweepstakes Coins, you can redeem them for real prizes after playing Solitaire for free. These prizes are sent as cash via bank transfer or e-wallet, or as a gift card. This model is legal in the US, although the sweepstakes sites are unavailable in some states.
Here are my top five picks and the locations where you can access them in the US:
🎯 Sweepstakes casino | 📍 Available states |
---|---|
Real Prize | Washington, Nevada, Idaho, Michigan, Montana, Connecticut, and New York |
Stake.us | Washington, New York, Nevada, Idaho, Kentucky, Michigan, Vermont, New Jersey, Delaware, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Connecticut |
McLuck | Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Washington, and West Virginia |
MegaBonanza | Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Washington, and West Virginia |
Jackpota | Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New York, Washington, and West Virginia |
I must say the above sweepstakes sites don’t exactly feature Solitaire, as the classic game is relatively rare online. Nevertheless, I came across similar card games, such as blackjack and poker, on each. Check out my findings below:
Real Prize Casino stays true to its name by making it easy for players to redeem real prizes. On this site, I redeemed a minimum of 45 SC as gift cards and 100 SC for cash. After creating my account, I received a welcome bonus of 100,000 GC and 2 SC without making any initial payment.
While Real Prize doesn’t feature Solitaire, I had fun with Gravity Blackjack at the sweepstakes site. It’s a live dealer game with the same suits as Solitaire, but a better 99.29% Return to Player (RTP). What I appreciate most is that the game has random multipliers.
If you need a hefty sweepstakes bonus to play similar card games like Solitaire, look no further than Stake.us. The site gave me 56 Stake Cash + 560,000 Gold Coins + 5% rakeback once I signed up, used the code , and verified my ID. Then, I was set to explore 1,700+ sweepstakes casino games from top developers.
In the Stake.us collection, I played the exclusive Stake Blackjack and Stake Poker. Live dealer card games like Take Deal or Risk Blackjack and Gravity Blackjack were also fun. You can’t win real money in Solitaire on Stake.us, but you can redeem your SC for real prizes via crypto. I commend the site for its fast processing time, taking only a few hours.
McLuck offers a dedicated mobile app for Android and iOS and also brings a welcome bonus over 7,500 GC and 2.5 SC for new players that create an account and use the code JAXONGG. It’s a highly-rated app, and from my experience, the application deserves all its stars. While exploring it, I didn’t find Solitaire, but I came across 9+ other card games. These are mainly blackjack, and my favorites are Blackjack Rush Basic and 7 Seats Blackjack.
After playing the card games, I redeemed my Sweepstakes Coins for real prizes. The minimum is 10 eligible SC for gift cards and 75 SC for a cash prize. This doesn’t mean McLuck is the best Solitaire app to win money. The sweepstakes brand doesn’t support real money, and you’re only redeeming SC for prizes once certain playthrough requirements have been met.
Many social casinos limit their jackpots to sweepstakes slots, but MegaBonanza also includes table games. Like the other brands I list, there’s no Solitaire, but you get live dealer Gravity Blackjack. The welcome bonus to start playing without any initial purchase is 7,500 GC and 2.5 SC.
While playing the Gravity Blackjack, I had access to three jackpot pools: Hourly, Daily, and Mega. The Hourly must hit within 60 minutes, while the Daily drops every 24 hours. For the Mega, it can take multiple days. Guess what? The maximum jackpot prize is 20 million Gold Coins and 50 Sweepstakes Coins, which is undoubtedly huge.
Do you have friends who also want to win real money in Solitaire? Well, you can explain to them that it’s not an option at sweepstakes casinos, but they can redeem Sweeps Coins for real prizes. Then, invite them to sign up with Jackpota, and you can score up to 200,000 GC + 100 SC. This is significantly larger than the no-purchase welcome bonus of 7,500 GC and 2.5 SC I received after signing up.
In place of Solitaire, Jackpota offers the Gravity Blackjack live dealer game. From my experience, it allows a minimum of 5 GC or 1 SC. As such, the referral reward held up well when playing. Note that the bonus only becomes available when your friends hit a minimum purchase amount, but it’s entirely optional.
Solitaire is a card game that has been around since the late 1700s and early 1800s. Hence, it’s really an old one. It’s not surprising that most online casinos opt for more contemporary card games such as blackjack and poker. Nevertheless, a few traditional casino sites still have Solitaire games that pay real money. At sweepstakes sites, you can only redeem real prizes after playing.
Personally, I turn to Solitaire when I want to kill time and still feel like I’m using my brain. It’s a solo card game that’s all about sorting cards in the right order. The version I usually play is Klondike, which starts with seven piles of cards. Notably, only the top card in each pile is face up, while the rest of the deck sits in a draw pile.
There’s also the tougher Spider Solitaire, which has 10 columns of cards and involves dealing with two suits. Regardless of your variant, the goal is the same. You need to arrange all cards in order from Ace to King.
To play, you start by uncovering hidden cards in the tableau. You can build sequences in descending order and alternating colours. If I get stuck, I draw from the pile and see if I can make a new move. Hence, like any other card game, Solitaire is a mix of chance and strategy.
Casino games are not what you play to make money, and Solitaire isn’t an exception. Plus, if you’re playing at sweepstakes casinos like those on my list, you can’t win real money in Solitaire. The sites don’t offer real-money games, and you can only redeem prizes, so the games you can play at social casinos are more to be seen as casino-style games.
I view social Casino Solitaire as a way to pass the time and have fun. While the game has a strategic side, it still involves random outcomes. Therefore, there’s no way to guarantee consistent returns.
My advice is to eliminate the idea of playing Solitaire for money, even on a traditional gaming site. Instead, play for fun and entertainment. That way, you keep your expectations in check and avoid going overboard. If the opportunity comes to redeem your SC for real prizes from your sessions, you can take that option.
The fact that you’re not playing Solitaire for money doesn’t mean you shouldn’t plan your moves. On the contrary, having a dependable strategy will help you enjoy the experience better. In that view, these are the tips I recommend:
Before anything else, I make sure I know what version of Solitaire I’m playing. Classic Klondike Solitaire is different from options like Spider Solitaire, which has its own twists. I remember playing free Spider Solitaire 2 suits, which requires stacking cards in descending order by suit. Managing two suits at once can be tricky, so it’s essential to stay organized.
Here’s a rundown of the different Solitaire variants and what makes them unique:
🌟 Solitaire variant | ⚙️ How it works |
---|---|
Klondike | The classic version most people know. It uses one deck and standard draw. |
Spider Solitaire | Uses two suits instead of four, with ten tableau piles. |
FreeCell | All cards are dealt face-up, so almost every game is solvable. |
Pyramid | Cards are arranged in a pyramid, and you match pairs that add up to 13. |
TriPeaks | Features three overlapping peaks of cards. |
Yukon | Similar to Klondike, but allows moving groups of cards regardless of sequence. |
Forty Thieves | Uses two decks and has a higher difficulty. |
Based on my experience, unlocking those hidden cards in the tableau is key to excelling in Solitaire. Therefore, consistently aim to flip over face-down cards, especially from the longer columns. You never know when the next move will unlock a full chain reaction.
Solitaire variants like Klondike have empty columns, which only Kings can fill. If you have such, avoid plugging in cards that might block future plays. In other types, such as Spider Solitaire 2 Suits, empty columns provide space to rearrange entire runs. I find them useful when loosening up sequences.
I understand it may feel right to move Aces and Twos straight to the foundation. However, I sometimes hold off and leave them in play. It’s all about timing, as it allows me to be more flexible when building and shifting stacks. Remember, you can’t win real money in Solitaire at sweepstakes casinos. Hence, there’s no point rushing in the first place.
Guess what? The European name for Solitaire is Patience. Therefore, you really need to be patient when playing the card game and play ahead. I always try to picture what happens next before every move. This way, I have an idea about whether it’ll open up future plays or cause a dead end.
Although you can’t win real money in Solitaire at sweepstakes sites, the card game still has its charm. I like that it’s available in multiple variants, so I can choose any that suits my style. Additionally, the game is both simple and strategic. For me, the major drawback is that the gameplay might seem repetitive, especially since it’s just you and the cards — no dealer or opponent.
I’ve rounded up the key pros and cons of Solitaire below:
Solitaire may not be a mainstream option at casino sites, but there are still opportunities to enjoy card games like Blackjack and Poker. I’ve highlighted the best sweepstakes casinos where you can access these games for free using GC and SC. Ensure you check them out. They don’t give you a shot to win real money in Solitaire, but you have the option to redeem your SC for real prizes.
Solitaire is a casino game, so the cards are shuffled randomly. There’s no guarantee of making money when playing the game, and that shouldn’t be your aim. Instead, focus on the fun and entertainment aspect.
Yes, it’s legal to play Solitaire, but you have to consider your local laws. The best option is to play at sweepstakes casinos, which are widely legal in the US. You can’t win real money in Solitaire on these sites, but you can redeem SC for real prizes once you’ve met specific playthrough criteria.
Yes, you can play Solitaire for free at sweepstakes casinos in the US. These sites don’t work with real money; instead, they use virtual currencies like Gold Coins and Sweepstakes Coins.
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