
Initially, the majority of social gaming – which has provided so many Americans with the ability to play their favorite games legally for free – was overwhelmingly made up of casinos. Today, the social sportsbook is becoming a more popular betting destination.
And this can only be a good thing. Offering more people the ability to play how they want safely and legally means an improved betting experience for us all. That’s because, as the name suggests, social gaming of all kinds is better when enjoyed as part of a fun, thriving community.
There are essentially two parts to understanding a social sportsbook and how it can be used to connect with friends. Let’s start with the social part of things.
Essentially, gambling is illegal in much of the US. However, there’s nothing legally stopping a person betting on a game with a valueless virtual currency. This is exactly what social casinos and sportsbooks allow. And with many types of iGaming in the USA, they’ve become more and more popular at a rapid rate.
The virtual currency in question is often known as gold coins and works as a stand-in for real money. Gold coins are provided for free and give you something to bet with for the purposes of entertainment. Beyond that, the way they work is practically the same as cash.
For instance, let’s say you backed the Kansas City Chiefs to topple the Philadelphia Eagles at the Super Bowl for a single Gold Coin (a common type of virtual currency on social operators), and came out on top. You’d receive additional winnings in just the same way as you would with cash bets. The difference is they have no monetary value – it’s betting just for fun.
As the name suggests, part of that fun comes from the social elements. Before betting, you may be able to chat with other gamblers. It’s also possible to connect with social sites using your social media like Facebook, invite your friends to take part in tournaments, and generally enjoy being part of a fun, legal and safe betting community.
Put simply, social sportsbooks can be a great place to meet new friends and connect with old ones while wagering safely.
There’s a little bit of confusion surrounding the terms of social and sweepstakes betting. They’re very often used interchangeably; however, there is a small difference.
Sweepstakes betting allows you to play for prizes – often including cash prizes – using sweeps coins. However, social betting may or may not allow you to bet for cash prizes, depending on the operator in question. For instance, BetRivers.net is a social sportsbook which is only for fun and doesn’t offer any cash prizes.
Finding a site which offers free to play sportsbook markets with virtual coins is becoming easier, thanks to the growing popularity of the concept. You can check out the banners on our site for recommendations.
But once you’ve located a social sportsbook which catches your interest, how do you discover if they’re worth your time? Here’s our advice:
Security credentials are vital. No license is needed for social betting sites but they should have a solid reputation, an ample privacy policy (including encryption information), fair terms and conditions, and must only accept trusted banking options for optional Gold Coin purchases.
The fun of sportsbooks is being able to predict your favorite games and markets. So, any operator worthy of your time needs to have all your desired options.
Purchasing Gold Coins should be optional. There must always be the ability to collect coins for free to play the games. This means plenty of giveaways and promotions, so you can play without any fuss or financial commitments.
Things like customer service, mobile compatibility needs, and useability are all things you’ll want to ensure are covered before you get started. Any social elements you desire should also be in place.
Research is one thing, but there’s really nothing like trying a site out for yourself to see if the experience works for you.
The benefits of utilizing a social betting site – such as free-to-play sportsbooks – are simple yet surprising. Consider the following:
We think it’s important to note that sportsbook betting isn’t the only option for those living in states where real money betting is illegal. If you’re also a casino fan, you may be interested to learn that there’s a fantastic selection of social and/or sweepstakes casinos too.
To help you get started, we can heartily recommend the fantastic Stake.us. They’re a terrific platform with an amazing selection of casino games from top developers. On top of that, they’re generous when it comes to giving out cash prizes. Oh, and there’s also a wonderful promotion where you can get 5% rakeback using promo code TGHSOCIAL available right now.
The great thing about betting on sports is that it can make games even more interesting, and provide a dash of excitement in otherwise drab affairs. If you have a match you think is one-sided, handicap markets can provide a more intriguing competitive environment. If the stakes are low, sportsbooks can add them.
There are even markets which can make you think strategically about your favorite sports in new ways. These can provide additional appreciation of the intricacies and strategy on show. And all of this is achieved without the need for real cash betting, thanks to social sportsbook sites.
There’s no more important question to be answered in our social sportsbook guide – your one-stop-shop for all your information on this very subject – than what’s actually meant by a social sportsbook. Without the answer to that question, you can’t move forward in deciding whether they’re right for you. That’s why we’ve made it a top priority to answer this fundamental question in full.
As the name would suggest, there are social elements to the social sportsbook. It’s far from a meaningless moniker. But what do these actually look like? What does social mean in practical terms on a sportsbook? To help all our readers make the most of any operator they choose to check out, our guide will be giving examples of the social features of social sportsbooks.
The law surrounding real money sportsbooks in the US works on a state-by-state basis. In other words, it depends on the jurisdiction whether or not they’re considered legal – and they’re illegal in many areas. It’s natural then that people will wonder what the legal situation is with social betting sites. Are they more broadly available? And if so, why? If you’ve asked these questions, then ponder no more, as our social sportsbook guide has the answers.
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