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Tired of being the lone wolf? Always gaming by yourself? Well, the world of social poker introduces a free way to play poker for fun, while making lifelong friends in the process.
If you’re interested to learn more about this social spin on a much-loved game, then join me. I’ll be exploring everything you need to know about this innovative new style of poker gaming, including a comprehensive list and review of some of the leading social poker sites to play at right now.
Go to Real Prize
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Social poker is a type of free online poker that is designed to enhance your social interaction and enjoyment. These games will often have social and community-driven features such as chat channels, leaderboards, friends lists and community tournaments. The actual gameplay is no different to traditional poker games, where players aim to create the best possible five card hand from a combination of their private cards and community cards.
Typically you will find that social poker is offered at sweepstakes casinos, rather than traditional online casinos. This is because sweepstakes casinos are obliged to offer a ‘no purchase necessary’ gaming environment. So instead of real money, you’ll play with virtual currencies such as Gold Coins and Sweepstakes Coins.
There’s no shortage of world class sweepstakes casinos that offer social poker games. In fact, there might just be too many, meaning it can become confusing to work out which platform best suits your individual needs. Fortunately for you, I’ve created a short-list of the top social poker sites to play at right now.
| Operator | Poker Games Available | Bonus Offers |
|---|---|---|
| Stake.us | Stake Poker Video Poker Online Live Poker | $55 Stake Cash + 260K Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback |
| Sweeptastic | Video Poker Caribbean Stud Poker Video 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 | Texas Hold’em Poker | 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 Better Video Poker | 250,000 Gold Coins + 500 Sweepstakes Coins |
Alright, now that we’ve covered the main features, time to take a closer look at each of these social poker platforms. Lifting the lid if you will, and uncovering the pros and cons for each of these world class sweepstakes brands. Let’s dive in:
When it comes to an all round sweepstakes casino package, few do it better than Stake.us. Which is probably why they’ve quickly become one of the leading sweepstake casinos in the US. Or it could just be that they’ve got one of the best welcome bonuses – as a new player you’ll be able to claim $55 Stake Cash, 260k Gold Coins and 5% rakeback on your losses. It’s the perfect way to get started and be sure to check out their featured Stake Poker game while you’re there. It’s an exclusive in-house poker game with a lot to offer.
As you might expect from the name, Global Poker specialises in providing social poker games for US players. They’ve got a huge selection of games to choose from too, but their stand-out would have to be the Jackpot Sit’n’Go Tournaments. There’s plenty of great bonuses and promotions to get involved with on this platform too, from their welcome bonus (100,000 Gold Coins + 10 ‘rare’ entries to Jackpot Sit’N’Go) to their daily login bonus. The only minor downside? Limited payment options for those looking to purchase additional Gold Coins.
Ah, Sweeptastic! Maybe one of the best sweepstakes casinos for bonuses and promotions right now. When you register as a new player you’ll get your hands on 70,000 Lucky Coins + 44 Sweeps Coins. Furthermore, the website is designed perfectly, with intuitive navigation and it’s also mobile-friendly. Meaning you can play their social poker Hold’em games from just about anywhere. Incidentally, my personal favourite is their featured game: Casino Hold’em. Sadly, there’s no live chat support, but personally, I never had any issues when playing here.
This sweepstakes casino is an excellent choice if you love playing a wide variety of casino games. If you need a recommendation for a place to start, I’d look at their featured game: joker poker. Beyond this, they also have an excellent VIP program that can be used to get access to various bonuses and promotions. You’ll also have the opportunity to use your Fortune Coin winnings to redeem real cash prizes at Fortune Coins, providing you meet eligibility requirements.
Last but not least is Pulsz. This sweepstakes brand has a lot to offer, including great bonuses and promotions with a welcome package that includes 367,000 Gold Coins and 460 VIP Points. This brand has a huge variety of games from well known software providers and a mobile app that will rock your world. One of their best games is free Texas Hold’em poker, you simply MUST give it a go!
In this next section of my guide, I’ll run through a few basics, just in case there are any newbies out there who might need a helping hand.
At its core, social poker follows the same fundamental rules as traditional poker. The objective is to form the best possible five card hand, by using a combination of your own cards and the community cards. Hand rankings are the same as in traditional poker, with a royal flush being the strongest hand. However, another way to win the round is by forcing the other players at the table to fold, if you’re the last player standing before the final showdown, then you’ll also take the pot. Social poker typically implements Texas Hold’em gameplay, where there are between 2 and 10 players, using a standard 52-card deck.
In social poker Hold’em, the game progresses through four distinct betting rounds: Pre-Flop, Flop, Turn, and River. Each of these rounds provides players the opportunity to bet, check, call, raise, or fold.
Once the final bets are made, if two or more players remain, a showdown occurs where players reveal their hole cards. The player with the best five card hand, using a combination of private and community cards, wins the pot.
Even if you’re a super-experienced poker player, it’s always handy to have insights from fellow players. So here, I bring my personal social poker tips to the table.
Patience is crucial in poker. Wait for strong hands and good opportunities rather than forcing the action.
Some platforms allow you to make notes on your opponents. Use this feature to track their tendencies and styles of play, it might help you develop a strategy you can implement the next time you meet them at the table.
Familiarise yourself with the sweepstake casino that you’re playing poker on. This will allow you to leverage any tools or gestures such as timers, betting options and playing limits.
The great thing about social poker is that it’s completely free to play. This means it’s the perfect opportunity to review your hands and decisions, learn what went well, and what you’d like to change, then go again with more free poker games to try and improve.
Be selective with your starting hands. Playing fewer hands can help you focus on quality and improve your decision-making.
The great thing about poker is there are so many variations for you to try. Albeit, they are mostly very subtle changes to the traditional game, but changes that introduce new strategies, playing styles and ways to win. Some of my personal favourites include Omaha poker and Crazy Pineapple poker, but there’s literally dozens to pick from, especially so if you choose Global Poker as your platform.
Free Omaha poker is a community card game, where each player is dealt four private cards and must use exactly two of them, in combination with three of the five community cards, to make the best possible five card hand. Thereafter, the game follows the typical four betting rounds (pre-flop, flop, turn and river).
Crazy Pineapple poker is a variant of Texas Hold’em poker, where players are dealt three hole cards instead of two. After the flop, each player must discard one of their hole cards, leaving them with two. The game will then proceed as normal, with the same goal, to make the best five card hand using any combination of the remaining hole and community cards.
If you take one thing away from this social poker guide, let it be the endless hours of fun and entertainment that are provided through these games. Everyone should have a hobby and there’s no doubt this is one of my personal favourites. During this guide I also took the time to review several of the leading sweepstakes casinos. So hopefully, one or more stood out for you. If that’s the case, go right ahead and check it out today. Don’t forget to opt-in for a welcome bonus and enjoy the fun that social poker games can offer.
No, you do not need to pay to play social poker. While sweepstakes casinos give you the option to purchase Gold Coin packages, most social poker platforms offer plenty of ways to collect more virtual currency through welcome offers, daily bonuses, gameplay achievements, and other special promotions.
No, not directly. However, many sweepstakes casinos allow you to redeem your Sweeps Coin winnings for cash prizes, vouchers or other rewards, subject to their individual T&Cs.
Yes, social poker is legal in most US states, because it does not involve real-money gambling. Social poker is typically operated under a sweepstakes model, where virtual currencies are used to power the poker games. This makes it accessible in far more locations across the US than would otherwise be the case.
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.
