How sweepstakes poker works

Sweepstakes poker sites run on two virtual currencies. We use Clubs Poker as the example because we quote its rules on this site; other sweepstakes sites use similar models with their own rules.

• Gold Coins are for play only. Clubs Poker's rules say Gold Coins "can be used for freemium play" and "cannot be redeemed for Prizes". You can purchase them, and the rules say all Gold Coin purchases are final.
• Sweeps Coins are the sweepstakes entries. The rules say Sweeps Coins "cannot be purchased under any circumstances" and "possess no real monetary value". Sweeps Coins you win in Sweeps Coins games can be redeemed for cash and prizes, subject to the rules.

The rules list four ways to get Sweeps Coins: as a free bonus with some Gold Coin packs, from no-cost giveaways on Clubs Poker's social channels, from a daily login bonus, and by mail.

Sweepstakes rules have to offer a way to take part without buying anything. Clubs Poker's rules open with "NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN".

Its mail-in route: get a Postal Request Code in your account (it expires 30 days after it is shown), then mail a 4" x 6" card inside a stamped #10 envelope, handwritten with the code, your name, your account email, your state and a set statement. Each valid card gets 3 Sweeps Coins, after account checks. One card per envelope.

What the same rules say about turning Sweeps Coins into prizes:

• Only Sweeps Coins won in play can be redeemed. Free Sweeps Coins must be played at least once first, and the site can require up to 20 plays.
• You must pass the site's verification checks before a redemption is approved.
• It may take up to 30 days to process a redemption in some circumstances, and Clubs Poker processes one request per account in any 5-day period.
• In Florida and New York, one player's redemptions are capped at US $5,000 per Sweepstakes Entry Period (a calendar month). The rest is deferred to the next period.
• The rules mention minimum redemption amounts, but we haven't verified the figure.
• Winners are responsible for taxes on prizes, and the site may withhold part of a prize and ask for a Social Security number. See poker taxes in 2026.

We use "purchase" and "redeem" on this site because those are the rules' own terms. Gold Coins are bought; Sweeps Coins are never sold.

The list that counts is the one in the site's own rules. Clubs Poker's Sweepstakes Official Rules (PDF) (opens in a new tab), dated Jun 30, 2026, exclude 13 states. We last checked them on Oct 19, 2026.

Third-party lists often differ from a site's rules, for three reasons we have seen:

• Two documents. A site's terms of use can cover more than poker. Clubs Poker's Terms of Use also cover Clubs Casino and name Indiana among places where "certain Games or Services" aren't available, while its sweepstakes rules don't list Indiana. Our Indiana story explains the difference.
• Old copies. Lists change when rules are updated. Maine was added to Clubs Poker's list before we caught it; our note has the dates.
• Laws with a start date. A state can pass a ban that takes effect later, and lists don't all update on the same day.

Oklahoma's SB 1589 has an effective date of Nov 1, 2026. Press reports say four sweepstakes casino brands are leaving or cutting back there. We found no notice from Clubs Poker about what it will do there, and we don't link Clubs Poker for Oklahoma.

When a ban takes effect, a site can stop taking players from that state, close games, or change its rules, and it can do that before or after the date. Read the site's notices and rules, not a third-party list. Our Oklahoma story and Oklahoma page have the details.

Pick your state to see which sites we cover take players there. We have pages for Oklahoma, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Texas, Florida. For adults 21+.