Sweepstakes betting sites let you make sportsbook-style predictions online for chances to win real cash prizes in states that lack legal online sports betting.
The best social sportsbooks operate legally in 40+ states, are widely accessible, and they’re rapidly evolving. Some sweepstakes sportsbooks focus on casual, social-friendly gameplay. Others are essentially no-vig sports exchanges, where fans trade predictions among one another.
This guide explains everything you need to know before creating an account.
Looking for online sweepstakes casinos? See our definitive sweepstakes casinos guide.
Legal Sweepstakes Sportsbooks
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Fliff Social Sportsbook
Fliff is the most widely used social sportsbook, designed for casual sports fans who want a sportsbook-style interface without real-money wagering. Lines are posted quickly, menus mirror those of regulated sportsbooks, and the app is stable and intuitive.
- Best for: Casual fans who want convenience, availability, and similarity to standard online sports betting
- Pros: Wide coverage, fast posting, most appropriate option for parlays, high-value daily login bonuses
- Cons: Higher pricing, especially on popular sides/totals; weaker value for sharp users
- Visit: getfliff.com
Thrillzz
Thrillzz is newer but aggressive with props, alternates, and creative rewards. The Thrillzz model leans more social, with boosts and challenges built into the daily experience.
- Best for: Action-seekers who prioritize variety and social features over pure pricing efficiency
- Pros: Fun promos, creative markets, consistent availability
- Cons: Pricing is among the highest in our research; alternate lines can be expensive
- Visit: thrillzz.com
ProphetX
ProphetX uses a peer-to-peer exchange model where users trade Yes/No outcomes. Pricing is efficient, typically far better than house-style sweeps sportsbooks.
- Pros: Ultra-low vig when lines are active, transparent pricing, great for straight plays
- Cons: Tends to post lines late; thin liquidity can cause partial fills; learning curve if you’re not familiar with prediction markets
- Best for: Value hunters and fans who prefer market-driven pricing over house-set odds
- Visit: prophetx.co
Novig.us
Novig is the most advanced exchange-style sweepstakes sportsbook, with a powerful matching engine and some of the lowest effective vig we’ve ever recorded.
- Pros: Best pricing in our sample, clean UI, modern execution.
- Cons: Liquidity depends heavily on user volume; fewer props and alternates (but expanding as liquidity improves)
- Best for: Users who want the fairest pricing and closest-to-zero-vig lines
- Visit: novig.us
What Are Social Sportsbooks?
Sweepstakes sportsbooks take the familiar concepts of point spreads, totals, and props and apply them inside a sweepstakes-based business model in order to operate legally in most states, even those that haven’t yet legalized online sports betting.
Operators deliberately design sweepstakes betting sites to resemble the sportsbook apps that most sports fans already know.
From a fan’s perspective, it feels intuitive. But legally speaking, it is very different. Social sportsbooks don’t accept wagers; they offer prize promotions structured as sweepstakes contests.
Instead of risking real money on each wager, you participate in contests using Sweeps Coins (SCs) that you’ve earned through login bonuses, promotions, or mail-in entries. If your picks settle in your favor, you win more SCs, which you can later redeem for cash or digital prizes.
That distinction allows them to operate in most states, but it also means the rules, currencies, and payout expectations differ from traditional online sportsbooks.
How Sweepstakes Betting Sites Work
Social sportsbooks operate under sweepstakes laws to avoid classification as gambling, which is why they’re available in more states than traditional sportsbooks.
Legitimate social sportsbooks operate on a dual-currency model:
- Gold Coins (GCs): Play-for-fun tokens. Use GCs to test strategies, climb leaderboards, or just play for fun. GCs have no monetary value.
- Sweeps Coins (SCs): Entries into sweepstakes contests that mimic online sports betting. Winnings from wagers placed with SCs are redeemable for cash prizes.
GCs and SCs appear side-by-side in the interface, but only SCs have prize redemption potential. This model is what gives social sportsbooks their broad availability.
Once inside the app, the experience feels like using a standard online sportsbook. You choose a game, browse available markets, and enter picks using SCs if you want a chance to redeem winnings later.
Social sportsbooks also express payouts in SCs, using familiar moneyline-style odds. For example, a selection might show +250 or -145, just like at a sportsbook.
Types of Social Sportsbooks
Sweepstakes sportsbooks fall into two broad categories, each offering a distinct experience.
Both models have strengths and limitations, and neither is inherently “better.” Most fans benefit from having an account with at least one operator in each category because house-style platforms provide regular bonuses and full boards, while exchange-style platforms offer pricing efficiency and value.
House-Style Social Sportsbooks
House-style social sportsbooks are the closest alternative to traditional sports betting apps. They set their own lines, provide a wide menu of mainstream markets, offer frequent promotions, and prioritize maintaining a speedy, smooth user interface.
These platforms post spreads, totals, and props early, and they’re designed with recreational players in mind. They’re predictable and easy to use, although the pricing tends to include more vigorish than traditional sportsbooks and exchange-style sweepstakes betting sites.
Pros:
- Lines available quickly
- Broadest market coverage
- Intuitive and stable user interface
- Best for casual bettors
Cons:
- Higher effective vig
Exchange-Style Sweepstakes Sportsbooks
Exchange-style social sportsbooks function like sports prediction markets. Users either accept the current market price or post their own odds, and the order book automatically matches opposing wagers that meet on price.
When liquidity (interest in a specific wager) is strong, exchange-style sweepstakes betting sites offer remarkably low vig.
However, when liquidity is thin, the platform can be slower to post markets, and entire categories of wagers may not be available for select games. Partial fills, price gaps, and slippage become part of the experience, especially for less popular matchups.
Pros:
- Lowest pricing (sometimes near 0% vig)
- Fairer, market-driven odds
- Great for sharp users and value hunters
Cons:
- Less per-game market depth
- Thin liquidity can cause slippage and partial fills
- Slower to post lines
Social Sportsbooks Odds: Pricing and Vig Comparison
Social sportsbooks vary dramatically in pricing, even on the same game. House-style apps tend to have higher vig, while exchange-style platforms usually provide the best value when there’s adequate liquidity.
Pricing is the single biggest differentiator among sweepstakes sportsbooks. Because they operate outside traditional sportsbook models, there’s no standardized approach to setting lines or payouts.
In our testing, the same NFL game produced effective vig ranging from under 1% on exchange-style platforms to 8% or more on house-style sites.
To make pricing comparable, we measured effective vigorish across four social sportsbooks (plus FanDuel Sportsbook as a reference point) on three markets: a moneyline, a total, and a point spread.
Panthers vs. 49ers Moneyline
| 49ers | Panthers | Vig | |
| Fliff | -405 | +285 | 5.81% |
| Thrillzz | -526 | +296 | 8.49% |
| ProphetX | -345 | +330 | 0.78% |
| Novig.us | -344 | +337 | 0.36% |
| FanDuel | -400 | +315 | 3.94% |
Chiefs vs. Cowboys Total
| Over | Under | Vig | |
| Fliff | 51.5 (-115) | 51.5 (-110) | 5.54% |
| Thrillzz | 52.5 (-112) | 52.5 (-123) | 7.40% |
| ProphetX | 51.5 (-112) | 51.5 (+105) | 1.59% |
| Novig.us | 51.5 (-114) | 51.5 (+108) | 1.33% |
| FanDuel | 51.5 (-120) | 51.5 (-102) | 4.80% |
Rams vs. Panthers Point Spread
| Rams | Panthers | Vig | |
| Fliff | -9.5 (-120) | +9.5 (-105) | 5.45% |
| Thrillzz | -10.5 (-109) | +10.5 (-128) | 7.66% |
| ProphetX | Line not yet posted | Line not yet posted | N/A |
| Novig.us | Line not yet posted | Line not yet posted | N/A |
| FanDuel | -10.5 (-102) | +10.5 (-120) | 4.80% |
The results show a consistent trend: exchange-style platforms like ProphetX and Novig.us provided the best pricing when their markets were available.
Both operators delivered sub-1% vig in the moneyline sample, beating even FanDuel Sportsbook. House-style platforms like Fliff and Thrillzz showed higher vig across the board, with figures in the five to eight percent range depending on the market.
Why doesn’t everyone use sweepstakes betting exchanges?
Our test results also highlight the trade-offs that come with exchange-style pricing and its reliance on liquidity:
- Lines post slower
- Not all games/markets available
- May not get your exact preferred odds
- Limited bet sizes on less popular markets
Furthermore,
- You must understand exchange trading mechanics
- You have to balance patience against opportunity costs when waiting for bets to match
- Exchange trading requires more active management
How to Pick the Best Category for Your Needs
Here’s what to consider if you’re a casual fan and prioritize having fun over ruthlessly seeking every edge:
- Juice matters less if you’re playing with bonus funds
- Focus on user experience and social features
- Fliff and Thrillzz are excellent choices
Here’s what value-focused bettors should consider when choosing which type of social sportsbook to use:
- Exchanges like ProphetX and Novig offer 4-6x better odds
- The liquidity trade-offs are worth it for popular markets
- Exchanges are the best for large bets on high-profile games
And finally, here are some tips everyone can use:
- Use exchanges for popular markets and planned bets
- Use traditional social books for last-minute, live, or niche markets
- Line shop across platforms when possible
Banking and Redemptions at Sweepstakes Betting Sites
Redemptions are a key part of the sweepstakes betting model. You cannot deposit cash to wager, but you can redeem SCs won through accurate predictions for real cash or gift cards.
Most social sportsbooks offer a mix of bank transfers and digital gift cards through providers like Prizeout. Some social sportsbooks also offer cryptocurrency redemptions.
Redemption speeds vary widely. Established sweepstakes sportsbooks with large user bases tend to process payouts quickly (sometimes within a day), while newer operators may take longer as they manage demand and implement identity checks.
First-time redemptions almost always require users to verify their identity by providing documents such as a driver’s license and a utility bill. This requirement is standard across all legitimate social sportsbooks due to federal Know Your Customer (KYC) laws.
Users should also expect occasional settlement delays. Sports outcomes sometimes change after official stat adjustments, and operators generally wait for final data before processing redemptions.
Typical payout times:
- 24-72 hours for smooth accounts
- Up to 5-7 days during heavy demand or for first redemptions
Methods:
- Bank transfer
- Prizeout gift cards
- Crypto (limited to certain operators)
Are Social Sportsbooks Legal?
Sweepstakes sportsbooks rely on longstanding sweepstakes laws rather than gambling regulations, even in states that have not yet legalized online sports betting.
Their contests require no purchase to enter, offer free methods of obtaining SCs, and award prizes through promotional contests tied to sports outcomes and designed to look like standard sports wagers.
That said, social sportsbooks operate in a rapidly changing environment. A growing number of states have begun scrutinizing online sweepstakes platforms, particularly those that closely resemble sports betting.
Regulations, legal interpretations, and enforcement priorities can vary between jurisdictions. Fans should be aware that operators are likely to restrict access to specific states or adjust their terms over time in response to regulatory changes.
For a comprehensive breakdown of state-by-state sweepstakes laws, alternative method of entry (AMOE) requirements, and recent enforcement actions, see our full sweepstakes casinos guide (legal section).
Responsible Play
Despite avoiding most states’ legal definition of “gambling,” sweepstakes-style sports contests can lead to irresponsible and damaging behavior patterns. Furthermore, social sportsbooks aren’t subject to the same responsible gambling regulations as regulated gambling sites.
The constant flow of games, player props, and multi-leg combinations makes it easy to play longer than intended or spend more than you’re comfortable losing.
Fans should decide in advance how much time they want to spend or SCs they’re willing to risk, and treat sweepstakes picks as a form of entertainment with a known cost.
Sweepstakes operators offer varying levels of optional limits or self-control settings. Where available, we strongly encourage readers to:
- Enable time reminders
- Set custom limits on picks you can submit each day
- Set daily, weekly, and monthly spending limits on Gold Coin purchases
- Taking frequent breaks.
Social Sportsbooks FAQ
Wes Burns has more than a decade’s worth of experience as a writer, researcher and analyst in the legal gambling industry and is co-founder of BettingUSA.com. As a former professional online poker player, Wes approaches his work from the viewpoint of players.