A growing number of sweepstakes casinos are starting to copy the model of their real-money peers by including sports betting in their packages. Usually labeled as “sports predictions” to avoid the term “betting,” these platforms act as true online sportsbooks while maintaining a social gaming approach through a dual currency system, free promotions, and optional coin purchases.
But we’re not here to discuss dedicated sweepstakes sportsbooks like Fliff, Thrillz, and Rebet. Instead, we’ll focus on hybrid platforms that offer casino-style games alongside sports predictions. These include brands such as Sportzino, SportsMillions, Legendz, and Kickr, which have become popular over the past year or so.
Hybrid Sweepstakes Casinos That Got the Sports Betting Part Right
At the moment, several brands are leading the way in the sweepstakes casino-sportsbook space. Sportzino and Kickr popularized the trend in 2023 and were later joined by SportsMillions and Legendz, both of which launched in 2024. There’s no doubt that more casino sportsbook hybrids will pop up in the future. Let’s review the current top three.
Sportzino
Sportzino is arguably the most well-known sweepstakes platform with a sportsbook. Players can use their Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins to place predictions on NFL, NBA, soccer, tennis, MMA, golf, collegiate sports, and even esports. On the other hand, Sportzino hosts 1,000+ slots and casino-style games from 25+ studios.
One of Sportzino’s distinguishing features is its FunPicks game, where you can explore a list of specific predictions that go beyond the usual offerings. For example, you can guess which team Pete Alonso will sign for in the offseason or predict which golfer will first take the lead in a major PGA Tour event.
Sportzino awards free coins to new customers and those who log in daily, while also offering a robust VIP program, referral bonus, social media giveaways, and more. Some of the promotions are specific to its sports predictions, like the Boosted Parlay promo that gives you a percentage bonus based on the number of picks you place on your parlay.
SportsMillions
SportsMillions works slightly differently from other sweepstakes platforms that feature sports predictions as it tries to copy the daily fantasy sports (DFS) model rather than just being a social sportsbook.
Its games, Pick’em and Blitz’em, involve selecting a set of players and teams and predicting whether they will score higher or lower in one of the major statistical categories. The available sports include major US leagues like the NFL, NBA, and NHL, as well as the English Premier League (soccer).
Players can boost their coin balance through daily log-in rewards and weekly leaderboards, while also taking part in various social media giveaways and other promotions. Aside from sports predictions, SportsMillions boasts over 1,000 live dealer games and video slots.
What’s unique with SportsMillions is the different set of state restrictions, banking, and bonuses depending on the segment you will be using – unintentionally highlighting the downside of mixing things within this gaming model.
Legendz
Legendz offers a robust sportsbook with around 30 sports and hundreds of competitions from around the world. Popular events like NFL and NBA games can feature dozens of markets, from moneyline wins to all sorts of props and specials.
The social sportsbook even has advanced features like Early Win, which lets you claim the win if the team you backed gains a substantial lead. An interactive play slip makes handling your predictions easier, faster, and more intuitive, complete with Quick Play options and suggested plays.
Like other major platforms, Legendz has competitive promotions for its new and returning players, including an excellent VIP program that can award you higher bonuses, invitations to special events, and exclusive promos. The Legendz Sweeps Casino segment includes 300+ options across jackpot, slots, live dealer, and original categories.
Insights Into Sweepstakes Casinos With Social Betting
Sweepstakes casinos with social betting work similarly to regular sweepstakes casino platforms, only adding the fun of sports predictions to the mix. These websites usually split the two verticals into distinct categories, having a separate tab for the “Casino” and “Sports” parts of the website. There may be different bonuses, rewards, state restrictions, and playing rules in the sportsbook section compared to the casino part, but all coins are kept in one account.
As for the sports predictions themselves, they work almost identically to regular sports betting, with the emphasis being on fun and casual play. There are many different sports and markets to explore, from popular NFL and NBA games to niche competitions like handball, darts, and table tennis. Each prediction comes with odds expressed in the +/- format. For example, if you’re picking the Houston Texans to beat the Kansas City Chiefs with the odds of -135, you need to play 13.5k Gold Coins to win 10k Gold Coins. In contrast, backing the Chiefs to win this same game at the odds of +105 means that a 10k GC play will win you 10.5k GC.
In addition to predicting the winning team, you can browse other major markets and props, such as total points over/under, player milestones, first-half winner, and more.
As with casino play, you can choose whether to use the platform’s non-redeemable or redeemable coins, opting to play for fun, or a chance to win real-money prizes. A sportsbook’s Sweeps Coins often must be played over at least once before moving to your redeemable balance.
You can claim various bonuses along the way, from sign-up offers to daily log-in rewards, while having the option to purchase coin packages.
Pros and Cons of Playing at Hybrid Sweepstakes Sites
- A chance to put your sports prediction skills to the test and win real-money prizes
- An emphasis on strategy and knowledge over pure luck
- Great for trying a different vertical when you get a little tired of playing casino-style games
- A wide range of sports and markets, from American major leagues to niche competitions
- There are still not that many hybrid sweepstakes sites
- Potentially a longer list of restricted states
- Different sets of rules might apply on each segment
Are Sweepstakes Casinos With Sports Betting the Future of the Market?
With the sweepstakes market becoming increasingly saturated, operators are looking to add more diversity to their platforms. Having a sportsbook alongside their regular casino offerings has proven to be an effective way to gain a competitive edge.
Sports betting expanded massively following the fall of PASPA, which ended the federal ban on sports betting in the US and gave individual states the freedom to decide whether to legalize this form of gambling within their borders. Americans have grown accustomed to sports betting over the years, so we expect more hybrid sweepstakes casinos to appear in the future.
The only major flaw is that sports predictions, even in their free-to-play form, have a different legal status from casino play in the United States. The rules regarding sweepstakes platforms have gotten more restrictive in recent years, and sports predictions further aggravate the issue from a regulatory point of view.
Author: Mike F.
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