Looking to avoid the dodgy sites and scammers? Fear not dear friends, as I’m here to teach you how to tell if a sweepstakes is legitimate. And you can trust me by the way, I am an expert.
The top three things to look out for are clearly written rules, proper privacy and free entry. You should never legally be charged, which is why all legit sweepstakes casinos give you free SC. As well as expanding on these points and raising a few potential red flags, I’ll also introduce you to my top five legit sweepstakes casinos.
How to tell if a sweepstakes is legitimate – Common signs and red flags
There are many
sweepstakes casinos online, and even some of the dodgiest sites can look legit at first glance. First of all, here are a few things that I strongly recommend looking out for:
The rules of the sweepstakes casino should be written clearly, leaving nothing ambiguous or designed to trip you up.
In the US, Canada and most other countries, sweepstakes operators are not allowed to charge for entry.
The sweepstakes operator should keep your personal and financial data private, not steal it or sell it on.
Always check that the operator and any sponsors can be easily located and contacted.
Red flags – Warning Signs of Sweepstakes Scams
Now that we’ve covered how to tell if a sweepstakes is legitimate, here are some potential red flags to help you identify sweeps hacks and scams:
- Payment for entries
- Unnecessary requests for your sensitive info
- Little or no company contact or background info
My top tips to identify legit sites and avoid sweepstakes scams
The first thing that I recommend is using
guides to online sweepstakes
like this one. Trusted experts like myself, and platforms like GameChampions.com, only recommend authentic and verified sweepstakes casino sites.
In the following section of this article, I have recommended five legit sweepstakes casinos that you can trust.
How to tell if a sweepstakes is legitimate – Top five most trusted sites
Now that we’ve covered the theory, here is a quick look at the top legit sweepstakes casino sites:
Sweepstakes siteBonus offerStake.comExclusive $25 no deposit, 250,000 Gold Coins and 5% rakeback with code ‘CHAMPIONS’SweeptasticUp to 27,777 Lucky Coins and 2 free SCGolden Hearts Games6,250 free SC when you spend $10Fortune CoinsUp to 360,000 Gold Coins and 1,000 Fortune CoinsChumba Casino2 million Gold Coins and 2 free SC
Stake.us – Exclusive welcome offer with code ‘CHAMPIONS’
Stake.us Pros & Cons
- Exclusive welcome bonus
- 400+ games
- Only place to play ‘Stake Originals’
- Innovative site design
- Mobile play on the website only
Stake.us is a legit and verified sweepstakes casino with exclusive games and real money prizes. To make it better, I’ve got an exclusive welcome offer for you when you sign up with the promo code ‘CHAMPIONS’. This will get you $25 no deposit SC, 250,000 GC and 5% rakeback on your losses every week.
Unlock 560K Gold Coins
+
56 SC
Stake.us Highlights
- Amazing Stake Originals
- Great community
- Fantastic VIP program
Sweeptastic – 1,000+ casino-style games
Sweeptastic Pros & Cons
- Free welcome offer
- Biggest games lobby
- Save 100% on first LC purchase
- VIP club
- High minimum redemption limit
As well as being a legit sweepstakes casino, Sweeptastic is also one of the biggest. I’ve never gotten bored when working my way through the 1,000+ games here and I doubt you will either. When you sign up and verify your profile, you can get up to 27,777 Lucky Coins and 2 SC completely free.
Our Exclusive Deal:
125 SC
+ 625K GC
Real Prize Highlights
- 100k GC + 2 FREE SC no deposit welcome offer
- 150+ casino-style games and slots
- Real money and gift card prize redemption with SC
Golden Hearts Games – A charity-based sweepstakes casino
Golden Hearts Games Pros & Cons
- Spend $10 get 6,250 free SC
- 2% of all spend donated to charity
- Video poker
- Real money prizes
Another way how to tell if a sweepstakes is legitimate is by looking at where your money goes. At Golden Hearts games, 2% of everything you spend gets donated to a charity of your choice. And when you spend $10 or more, you can get 6,250 free SC.
Our Exclusive Deal:
125 SC
+ 625K GC
Real Prize Highlights
- 100k GC + 2 FREE SC no deposit welcome offer
- 150+ casino-style games and slots
- Real money and gift card prize redemption with SC
Fortune Coins – Legit sweepstakes progressive jackpots
Fortune Coins Pros & Cons
- Massive welcome offer
- Progressive jackpots
- Fish tables
- Unique games
This is one of the long sweepstakes casinos that I’ve come across that offers progressive jackpots and fish tables. The welcome offer is also massive, as you can get up to 360,000 Gold Coins and 1,000 FC when you sign up, complete your profile and complete some other tasks.
Get 650K Gold Coins
for free +
1K FC
Fortune Coins Highlights
- Welcome bonus
- Fish-based games
- Famous slots
Chumba Casino – One of the oldest sweepstakes
Chumba Casino Pros & Cons
- 2 free SC on signup
- Trusted and established site
- Official social casino app
- Real money prizes
I’ve been playing at this sweepstakes casino since 2017 and the experience has remained consistent. If you’re looking for an established and trusted provider, you can’t go wrong with Chumba.
Our Exclusive Deal:
125 SC
+ 625K GC
Real Prize Highlights
- 100k GC + 2 FREE SC no deposit welcome offer
- 150+ casino-style games and slots
- Real money and gift card prize redemption with SC
How to tell if a sweepstakes is legitimate – Conclusion
In summary, the first thing that you need to do is check that no purchases are needed to enter the sweepstakes. Then, I strongly recommend reading the rules, privacy policy and T&Cs. It might be boring but this is really where you will find out if a sweepstakes casino is a scam or not. To make life easier, you can always check out my reviews of the top five legit and established social casinos of 2025.
Our top social casino bonuses of 2025
1.
Our Exclusive Deal:
125 SC
+ 625K GC
2.
Unlock 560K Gold Coins
+
56 SC
Wagering (WR): 3x
3.
150% First Purchase Offer: Up to 200K Gold Coins +
101 SC
FREE
4.
Get 200% More Coins on First Purchase – 1.5M CC +
75 SC
Wagering (WR): 1x Bonus
5.
Exclusive 100K Gold Coins +
30 SC
How to tell if a sweepstakes is legitimate FAQ
🔍 How to tell if a sweepstakes is legitimate online?
A legit sweepstakes casino shouldn’t charge you for prize entries (SC), should have a safe privacy policy, and should have clearly listed contact info. Other things to look at include the sweepstakes casino verification time and process.
🤝 Should I trust sweepstakes casinos?
Always approach with caution and make sure that the sweepstakes casino site is legit before you sign up and trust them. You can check out my top five rated sites here at GameChampions.com.
🎰 What are the chances of winning at a sweepstakes casino?
That depends on a number of factors, including what games you play, how many SC you have, and what site you are using. For more info, check out my guide here at GameChampions.com.
