Pros and cons of betting on legal social sportsbooks
Pros and cons
- No purchase necessary to make predictions
- Ongoing bonuses and promotions for existing bettors
- Chance to redeem SC winnings for real prizes
- Social sports betting is not available in specific states
Is social gambling legal?
Yes, it is. However, it differs from gambling at regular sportsbooks because it does not involve real cash. Instead, you make predictions with virtual currencies known as Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins, which are in accordance with sweepstakes laws. This then allows social betting apps to operate in the grey areas of the law, since no cash is involved in the betting process.
How does social betting work in the United States?
As we already mentioned, social betting involves the use of virtual currencies known as Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins to make predictions. These virtual currencies are similar, but there are some slight differences between them, which we will explore below.
Gold Coins are the most common virtual currencies available at social betting sites. You typically receive them as part of your welcome bonus when you register on social betting apps. With the Gold Coins, you can play games for entertainment purposes only, as they don’t have any other use on the platform.
While you will be unable to redeem them for real money prizes, you can top up your balance by purchasing an optional Gold Coin bundle. Better still, you can receive more Gold Coins by playing games and winning, or opting in for the various ongoing free promotions available at sweepstakes platforms.
Sweeps Coins are also used to make social bets. However, you can redeem your Sweeps Coins winnings for cash prizes after meeting the requirements set by the sweepstakes platform.
You can also get more Sweeps Coins by winning games or participating in ongoing promotions held at sweepstakes casinos. However, you will be unable to top up your Sweeps Coins balance as SC purchases aren’t allowed.
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Getting started at a legal social betting site
To start making predictions on a sports betting site, you will need to register for an account. This process is no different from what you’d do at a regular sportsbook. However, you must be of the legal age and be located in a state where social betting is legal.
Use our guide below to sign up for an account:
-
Choose a platform from our
list of social sportsbooks
-
Click the banner to be redirected to the home page of the betting site
-
Hit “Register/Join Now” to be redirected to the registration page
-
Enter your email, preferred password, address, country, and phone number
-
Some social sportsbooks also give you the option of registering using your Google or Facebook account. You can pick these if you prefer to automatically fill out the registration page using information from these platforms.
-
If you have a promo code, enter it in the field provided. If you’re creating a Fliff account, for example, you can use code GAMEHAUS
-
Click “Complete,” and you will receive a link in your email to verify your account
-
Log in to your new account, claim your welcome bonus, and have fun!
Depending on the platform, you may need to verify your identity by completing a KYC verification. Based on our experience, many platforms will still allow you to play games immediately. But if you want to purchase an optional Gold Coin bundle or redeem your SC winnings for prizes, you must first complete the KYC process.
We recommend completing your verification immediately after signing up to avoid delays you don't expect. This process will require you to submit the following:
- A government-issued ID
- Proof of address in the form of a recent utility bill or something similar
- Passport and last four digits of your Social Security number, in some cases
This is to curb identity theft and ensure you are within the legal social betting age.
Best social betting sites
Since betting on social sportsbooks is legal in most parts of the US, you will find many options to choose from. However, we don’t recommend picking just any site you come across. The reality is that some platforms excel over others in terms of bonuses, user-friendliness, and sports coverage.
Based on this, here’s a list of social sportsbooks we recommend.
| New social sportsbook |
Welcome bonus |
Available sports markets |
| Fliff |
5,000 Fliff Coins + 1 Fliff Cash |
8+ |
| Legendz |
500 Gold Coins and 3 Sweeps Coins |
30+ |
| Kickr |
150,000 Bits and 4 free Bucks |
8+ |
| Sportzino |
170,000 Gold Coins + 7 Sweeps Coins |
40+ |
| Onyx Odds |
1,000 Onyx Coins |
7+ |
| ProphetX |
n/a |
7+ |
| Novig |
1,000 Novig Coins and 5 Novig Cash |
12+ |
Fliff - Best social betting site overall
Fliff reviews Pros and cons
- Social sportsbook action
- Badges and challenges
- Multiple sports covered
- Sweepstakes available
- Only available in 45 US states
Fliff is the number one on our list for its user-friendliness and great bonuses for new and existing bettors. Upon registering for an account using the promo code GAMEHAUS, the site will reward you with 5,000 Fliff Coins + 1 Fliff Cash to get started.
You can also claim an 100% extra Fliff Coins bonus if you choose to make an optional purchase. Depending on the package, you can claim up to 500,000 Fliff Coins, which is a great deal. With the rewards from these bonuses, you can make predictions on various popular US sports, including football, basketball, baseball, and soccer.
Stick around, and the operator gives you enough Fliff Coins and Fliff Cash through various ongoing promotions. We recommend looking out for the daily free rewards, which give you 5,000 Fliff Coins every 24 hours, and 1,000 Fliff Coins + 0.10 Fliff Cash every 2 hours. Better still, invite your friends to register for an account using your referral link and claim 20XP for every optional Fliff Coin purchase they make.
Legendz: Pros & Cons
- Exclusive games
- Live dealer games
- Sweepstakes casino and sportsbook
- Decent welcome offer
- No Legendz app
- No 24/7 live chat
Second on our list is Legendz, a sweepstakes platform that brings you casino-style games and social sports betting under one umbrella. This operator debuted in November 2024, making it one of the relatively newer platforms. Still, it has become one of the top choices for bettors looking for a reliable
sweepstakes social betting
site.
New bettors who create an account with Legendz will receive a no purchase bonus worth 500 Gold Coins and 3 Sweeps Coins. Like Fliff, this also comes with a 100% purchase boost, up to $100, on optional GC bundles.
You’ll also find lots of other ongoing promotions here, including daily credits of up to 1.5 Sweeps Coins, mail-in bonuses, refer-a-friend bonuses, and a VIP program.
To ensure you can properly leverage these bonuses, Legendz offers over 30 sports markets, one of the largest selections you'll find. Expect to find popular sports like football and basketball, as well as niche markets like water polo.
Kickr - Best social betting site for bonuses
Kickr Casino: Pros & Cons
- Receive free rewards every 30 minutes
- Generous new player offers
- Top class mobile site
Kickr is a sweepstakes platform that launched in 2023 and is now available to bettors in states where social gambling is legal. The operator takes a unique approach in its virtual currency system by renaming them. Instead of Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins, they go by Bits and Bucks, respectively.
To help you get started, Kickr credits you with a no purchase bonus of 150,000 Bits and 4 free Bucks after signing up, which is decent. There's also a 50% discount attached to it if you ever decide to purchase an optional Bits package.
Kickr does not compromise in its sports markets either, and allows you to make picks on basketball, football, and other mainstream sports. We also had no issues exploring these markets with various bet options like spreads, props, moneylines, and more, all featured here.
Sportzino - Best social betting apps
Sportzino: Pros & Cons
- Combines the thrill of social sportsbook and casino play
- Realistic sports picks on a wide range of fixtures and events
- Dedicated Android app
Sportzino is another premium platform that stands out for its good market selection and
social betting apps. If you decide to register here, the operator rewards you with a massive welcome bonus of 170,000 Gold Coins + 7 Sweeps Coins.
This gives you access to over 20 sports markets, including Football, Baseball, Soccer, and Basketball. Sportzino has ensured each market is in-depth, so expect to find popular leagues such as the NFL, NHL, Premier League, and NBA.
However, one area where this social betting site truly shines is in its dedicated social betting apps. It features native apps for iOS and Android devices, available on their respective app stores. As evidence of their reliability, these apps have 4.7 and 4.5-star ratings from thousands of users, respectively.
With these, you can claim bonuses and make predictions on the go from any state where social gambling is legal.
Onyx Odds - Best mobile-only social betting site
Onyx Odds: Pros and Cons
- Available in 34 states
- Lists all popular US leagues
- Low 20 Onyx Cash minimum redemption
Onyx Odds is also a relatively new social betting site, launched in 2024. It has given itself the tag "America's Premium Sportsbook," and it meets up with this expectation by offering some of the best
sweepstakes betting odds
you’ll find.
The app uses two virtual currencies, known as Onyx Coins (Gold Coins) and Onyx Cash (Sweeps Coins). Bettors who sign up here from any of the legal states will receive 1,000 Onyx Coins, which is enough to make predictions on the NBA, NFL, and College sports.
While the new bettor bonus is lower than what other social sportsbooks offer, the operator makes up for this with other ongoing promotions. You will find Onyx Coins purchase boosts, a mail-in bonus of up to 5 SC, and a referral bonus that gets you 15 Onyx Cash per eligible referral.
ProphetX - Best social sports prediction exchange
This is a 2024 sports prediction exchange that operates in accordance with the sweepstakes model. Unlike other platforms, ProphetX acts as a betting exchange. Instead of making bets against the social sportsbook, you wager against other bettors. This, in turn, translates to better odds since the social sportsbook is not adjusting the betting lines.
Like other alternatives, it features its own unique virtual currencies known as Prophet Points (Gold Coins) and Prophet Cash (Sweeps Coins). These let you make predictions on major leagues, including the NBA, MLB, and NFL.
ProphetX does not offer a regular no-purchase bonus like the other alternatives we've covered. Instead, upon registering, you become eligible for 1.5% rakeback up to 200 Prophet Cash if you choose to make an optional Prophet Points purchase.
Novig - Best social betting site for competitive gameplay
Our last pick is Novig, another relatively new sweepstakes sportsbook that launched in 2024. In this short time, this social betting site has become home to over 10 leagues, including the NBA, NHL, PGA, and NCAAF.
While it contains regular betting options like totals and props, Novig lets you create your own futures, parlays, and custom matches, allowing you to compete against friends and other bettors.
To get started, register for an account, and you can claim a no purchase bonus worth 1,000 Novig Coins and 5 Novig Cash.
Conclusion: Have fun at the top legal social betting sites
As you can see, not only is social gambling legal in the US, it is also quite popular. There are hundreds of social sportsbooks operating in the market today, and in this guide we featured 7 platforms that stand out for their bonus offerings and the quality of their services.
Want to give social betting a try? You can use the links around this page to visit any of the social sportsbooks we’ve featured in this guide.
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1.
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Is social gambling legal FAQs
🎲 What is social gambling?
This is a form of online betting activity that does not involve real money. Instead, you make predictions using virtual currencies known as Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins. This allows you to place social bets on your favorite sports in regions where online betting is restricted, without breaking any laws.
⚖️ Is social betting legal?
Yes, online social betting is legal, provided you register on a verified sweepstakes platform like those on our list. These social betting sites allow you to place social bets on your favorite events using Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins instead of real cash.
🏆 What are the best legal social sportsbooks?
This is dependent on what you want in a social sportsbook. It's best to choose based on factors such as the sports selection, welcome bonus, and available betting options. You can also check out our top list of platforms, which were selected based on the criteria above.
