⚙ How does sweepstakes poker work?
For most people, playing free online poker will mean using sweepstakes casinos – unique gaming sites offering Vegas-style favorites on a free, no-purchase-necessary basis. But how exactly does sweepstakes poker work?
To play poker at sweepstakes casinos, you’ll need one of two free virtual coins: Gold Coins (GC) and Sweepstakes Coins (SC). Gold Coins are used just for fun, while Sweeps Coins are used to play in sweepstakes mode for a chance to redeem for prizes when you’ve collected enough and satisfied the playthrough requirement.
With these coins, you can “bet” on poker games just like you would with regular cash. Beyond that, the rules are basically the same, although you should know that you cannot win prizes directly by winning games of free sweepstakes poker.
⭐ What types of sweepstakes poker are there?
Some free poker sites that specialize in sweepstakes casino games offer an impressive variety of poker variants, including:
- Texas hold’em: Without doubt the most popular version of free online poker; Texas hold’em is definitely the type of poker you’re most likely to find on sweepstakes casinos.
- Omaha: Bringing up Texas hold’em’s rear; free Omaha poker is an option on some sweepstakes casinos. The key difference between this and Texas hold’em is that players are dealt four cards rather than two, and must make their strongest two-card hand based on the hand they’ve been dealt.
- Crazy pineapple: While crazy pineapple poker remains absent from most real-money casino sites, it’s becoming much more popular on sweepstakes casinos. Here, every player receives three cards rather than five, discarding one before the first round of betting begins.
Premier sweepstakes casinos we recommend
1.
5 SC FREE + 250 Game Coins and 600 Diamonds
Players from United States of America accepted
2.
25 SC FREE and 57.5K Gold Coins
Players from United States of America accepted
3.
27.5 SC FREE and 57.5K Gold Coins
Players from United States of America accepted
4.
$55 Stake Cash + 260K Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback
Players from United States of America accepted
5.
Purchase Offer: 20 SC FREE and 100K Gold Coins
Players from United States of America accepted
✅ Top sweepstakes casinos with poker games – Overview
You’ve got your head around what free online poker is all about. So, now it’s high time to introduce some of the best brands where you can play sweepstakes as well as social poker for free online.
| 🎯 Operator | 🚀 Poker Games Available | 💰 Welcome Offer |
| Stake.us | - Stake Poker
- Video Poker Online
- Live Poker
| $55 Stake Cash + 260K Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback |
| Sweeptastic | - Video Poker
- Caribbean Stud Poker
| 70,000 Lucky Coins + 44 Sweeps Coins |
| Global Poker | - Omaha Poker
- Crazy Pineapple
- Jackpot Sit’n’Go Tournaments
- Bounty Poker
- Caribbean Poker
- Stud Poker
- Razz Poker
- 5 Card Draw
- Badugi
- H.O.R.S.E
- 8-Game Mix
- Texas Hold ‘Em
| 100,000 Gold Coins + 10 ‘rare’ entries to Jackpot Sit’N’Go |
| BetRivers.net | - Extreme Texas Hold ‘Em
- Casino Hold’em
- 2 Hand Casino Hold’em
| $20 of virtual credits ($VC) |
| Pulsz | | 367,000 Gold Coins and 460 VIP Points |
| Fortune Coins | - Joker Poker
- Jacks or Better
| 650,000 Gold Coins + 1,400 Fortune Coins |
| Golden Hearts Games | - Old School Jacks or Better Video Poker
| 250,000 Gold Coins + 500 Sweepstakes Coins |
🔎 A closer look at our top sweepstakes poker casinos and their most popular games
My list of the best free poker sites is certainly eye-catching, with some awesome bonuses and lots of free Texas hold’em poker games on the table (among other variants). Before you make your decision, get better acquainted with these excellent brands below.
1. Stake.us – A sweepstakes heavyweight takes its seat at the table
Stake.us: Pros & Cons
- Awesome welcome bonus
- Four free-play poker games
- Sweepstakes prizes available
Jaxon has been big fans of Stake.us for as long as I can remember, so we were very excited when the brand launched its own take on classic video poker games. There are four different poker variants to choose from here, including Stake Poker, free Video Poker Online, and Live Poker, all of which you can access for free. Plus, with our exclusive Stake.us bonus code, JAXON, you can enjoy a welcome offer $55 Stake Cash + 260K Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback – not too shabby, right?
Featured poker game: Stake Poker
Stake Poker is arguably my favorite of Stake.us’ poker variants. Like other games in the Stake Originals collection, there’s something inherently engaging about this pared-back title, which offers a simple, easy-to-play version of different poker styles – making it absolutely ideal for beginners.
$55 Stake Cash + 260K Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback
2. Global Poker – Strong poker focus and massive game variety
Pros & Cons
- Big-name reputation
- Excellent welcome bonus
- Impressive collection of games
Global Poker needs little introduction. As one of the web’s original online poker platforms, Global has been the benchmark against which all other poker brands are judged for years. And this is evident in the site’s bafflingly big collection of poker games, which includes everything from classic Texas hold’em and Omaha variants to
8-Game Mix, Badugi, Bounty Poker,
and many more.
Featured poker game: Crazy Pineapple
Crazy Pineapple has become a bit of a go-to title on Global Poker for me. This game loosely follows the basic rules of Texas hold ‘em with one significant difference: a three-card player deal before the flop. Interested? Give it a try and I’m convinced you’ll be a convert.
5 SC FREE + 250 Game Coins and 600 Diamonds
3. BetRivers.net – A big-name casino with poker games on lockdown
Pros & Cons
- Nice sign-up bonus
- Social-focused gameplay
- Three free-play poker games
- No prospect of sweepstakes prizes
Much like Global Poker, BetRivers.net hardly needs introducing. This all-American casino is a household name in most parts of the USA, where its successful Casino4Fun remains one of my favorite social casino sites. While the majority of games on BetRivers.net Casino4Fun comprise slots and table games like blackjack and roulette, there are three poker games to enjoy too, including
Extreme Texas Hold ‘Em, Casino Hold’em, and 2 Hand Casino Hold’em.
New sign-ups will enjoy $20 in free virtual credit here – the perfect amount for getting acquainted with the site’s free-play poker games.
Featured Poker Game: 2 Hand Casino Hold’em
For a unique and engaging iteration of Texas hold’em, I recommend giving Casino4Fun’s
2 Hand Casino Hold’em
a try. As the name suggests, players can pick up one of two pre-flop hands here, which adds an exciting new dimension to this table poker classic.
Daily Free credits up to 10.120 VC$
4. Sweeptastic – A new sweepstakes casino going from strength to strength
Sweeptastic: Pros & Cons
- Huge collection of free-play casino games
- Free video and Caribbean stud poker games
- Terrific welcome bonus worth 70K LC + 44 SC
- Relatively untested vs big-name brands
I first reviewed Sweeptastic in late 2023 and have enjoyed watching this new sweepstakes casino going from strength to strength. The site’s massive collection of games has always been an ace in Sweeptastic’s pack, while the addition of video poker and Caribbean stud poker makes it all the better. Another area in which the brand excels is in its bonus offering, which you can review at any time on the dedicated “Promotions” page. Sign up as a new player and you’ll receive 70,000 Lucky Coins + 44 Sweeps Coins – one of the best welcome deals on any free online poker site.
Featured Poker Game: Caribbean Stud Poker
Fancy a little one-on-one poker action? Then Sweeptastic’s Caribbean stud poker could be the game for you. This unique iteration of poker is pretty similar to Texas hold’em save for the fact that you’ll be playing against the dealer, not other players. That means you can play day or night, with no need to wait for others to join your games room.
33 SC FREE and 67,777 Lucky Coins
5. Pulsz – One of the USA’s most popular sweepstakes casino brands
Pros & Cons
- Play Texas hold’em for free
- Eye-catching welcome bonus on offer
- One of the best US sweepstakes casinos
- Could have more poker games
For my money, Pulsz is one of the very best sweepstakes casinos to enjoy in the US, and it’s great to see sweepstakes poker among the brand’s line-up of top free-play Vegas-style games. Although you can only play Texas hold’em poker at Pulsz, this should be more than enough for the casual player – particularly given that it’s completely free with no deposit and no purchases required. Registering with Pulsz is a rewarding affair, too, with a huge job lot of 367,000 Gold Coins and 460 VIP Points up for grabs.
Featured Poker Game: Texas Hold’Em Poker
Pulsz’s singular free poker game,
Texas Hold’Em, does what it says on the tin. This is a classic online variant of the world’s most popular form of table poker, so most players should be able to pick it up and play quite easily. Of course, the key difference here is that you’re playing for free and for fun, although you may be able to redeem real prizes if you collect enough eligible Pulsz SC.
367,000 Gold Coins and 460 VIP Points
💥 Playing poker like a pro: My top tips
Whatever you skill level, make a success of video poker playthroughs with my top free online poker tips below:
Ask any pro poker player for their one word of advice and it would be to go strong in the pre-flop phase. Calling or folding is considered “limp” in the poker world, so it’s much better to be aggressive from the get-go.
Learn all the winning hands before you play
Too often, beginner poker players miss killer opportunities because they’re not well-versed enough in the winning hands on the table. Take time to study the different card combos before you take your seat – even if you are only playing for free.
Granted, it takes time and confidence to learn to bluff like a pro, but given that you’re only playing for free, sweepstakes casinos give you the ideal opportunity to hone your bluffing skills. The best players often win even when they don’t have a winning hand, and it’s all thanks to their bluffing ability.
Attune with your table position
Even in a virtual poker setting, your position at the table matters. If you’re “early” around the table, you’ll be one of the first to deal with raises and re-raises, whereas if you’re “late”, you’ll have more time to think and more information on your opponents.
If something doesn’t feel right in a particular hand, don’t be afraid to hit that fold button. Sure, you’re playing for free, but you only have a limited amount of virtual coins at your disposal, so you do need to play a little defensively from time to time.
⚡ Free online poker is just a few clicks away
You don’t need to be big fish or a high roller to take your seat at the poker table – hell, you don’t even need to know the rules all that well! With tons of ways to play poker online for free, platforms like sweepstakes casinos offer the perfect place to hone your skills and enjoy some low-risk poker fun.
The brands featured in this guide are but a small selection of the free poker sites available on the web. Nevertheless, I do highly recommend the likes of Pulsz, Sweeptastic, Global Poker, and Stake.us, particularly if you’re a big fan of video poker and other Vegas-style games.
Top sweepstakes casino bonuses not to be missed
1.
5 SC FREE + 250 Game Coins and 600 Diamonds
Players from United States of America accepted
Requirements (WR): 1x Bonus
2.
25 SC FREE and 57.5K Gold Coins
Players from United States of America accepted
3.
27.5 SC FREE and 57.5K Gold Coins
Players from United States of America accepted
Requirements (WR): 1x Bonus
4.
$55 Stake Cash + 260K Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback
Players from United States of America accepted
Requirements (WR): 3x
5.
Purchase Offer: 20 SC FREE and 100K Gold Coins
Players from United States of America accepted
Min. Deposit: 20
❓ Free online poker FAQs
💵 Can you win real money playing free online poker games?
I’m afraid not, no. Although you can play free poker at sweepstakes casinos, you can’t win real money by winning. There could be the option to redeem Sweepstakes Coins for real prizes, but only if you collect enough and satisfy the playthrough requirements.
✅ Are free poker games available in the USA?
They most certainly are. The USA is a mecca for sweepstakes casino action, with plenty of brands available depending on where you live. Not every sweepstakes casino is available in every state, though, and not all of them offer free poker, so a little research may be needed to find the site that’s right for you.
🌟 What is the best place to play free online poker?
That’s a tricky question. There are lots of sites offering the likes of Texas hold’em for free, but some of my favorites are Stake.us, Global Poker, BetRivers.net Casino4Fun, Sweeptastic, and Pulsz.
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