Glossary of Sweepstakes Casino Terms

Whether you're playing for fun or for profit, chances are you'll run into some terms and slang as you get deeper into the world of sweepstakes casinos. Below is a glossary of common terms you'll see on casino sites themselves, in our Discord, and across other social media.

Dead Spins

A slot spin that pays out nothing. Uncommon in our Discord but you'll see it elsewhere online. Dead spins are normal - variance means a slot can go dozens of spins without a win, just like a roulette wheel can hit the same color 15-20 times in a row. Much rarer on low-volatility, high-RTP games.

Degen

Short for "degenerate." A degen plays sweeps casinos for the gambling thrill rather than strategic profit. The term isn't necessarily an insult. "Degen spins" refers to an otherwise disciplined player taking a high-risk shot on a volatile game.

Gold Coins (GC)

Gold coins are the play-money currency used on sweeps casino sites. A small amount is generally awarded as a daily login bonus, and every coin pack offered for purchase contains a certain amount of GC. Gold coins have no cash value, but some sites allow players to raise their VIP level by playing with GC, which can unlock better sales and deals.

KYC (Know Your Customer)

Know Your Customer, or KYC, is the identity verification process required before you can redeem SC for cash. This typically involves submitting a government-issued ID and sometimes a proof of address. Every legitimate sweeps casino requires KYC before releasing any redemption.

Playthrough

Before SC can be redeemed, it must be wagered a certain number of times. This is the playthrough requirement. Without it, players could simply buy a sale and immediately cash out the surplus SC. Most sites require 1x playthrough (each SC bet once before redeeming), though some go up to 3x, or even 10x on certain promotions.

While playing through, you can expect on average to lose the house edge of whatever game you're playing. For example, if you play 1,000 SC through a game with 99% RTP (1% house edge), your expected loss is about 10 SC. This is why game selection matters so much during playthrough. Most sites show how much of your balance has met playthrough under the "redeem" section. Our casino guide lists the current requirement for each site.

Further reading: Sweepstakes Casino Playthrough Strategy - a deep dive on the advantage player's mindset for clearing playthrough efficiently.

Promoban

When a site notices a player consistently profiting from sales and washing, it may "promoban" them, making them ineligible for future sales and big promotions. Promobans range from mild (no sale access) to severe (purchasing restrictions or account closure). Full account closures are rare. A sale-restricted promoban is a sad day, but also a rite of passage in the sweeps casino community.

Redeem / Redemption

Once SC has met the playthrough requirement, it can be redeemed for cash. This typically requires completing KYC verification and linking a bank account or debit card. Some sites support crypto withdrawals. Redemptions go through a short review period before being released, which ranges from a few hours to multiple weeks depending on the site. Our casino guide includes known redemption times.

Redemption Minimum

The minimum SC balance required to submit a redemption. On most sites this is $50 or $100, though some allow smaller redemptions (as low as $10 or $25) via gift cards.

RTP (Return to Player)

The theoretical percentage of wagered money a game returns to players over a very large sample size, often millions or billions of plays. RTP is sometimes visible in a game's settings and sometimes hidden. Most slots fall between 90% and 97% RTP. Table games like blackjack can exceed 99% with perfect play.

Sales and Promotions

Sweeps casinos run frequent sales, typically advertised as "% bonus SC" or "% off/discount" on a gold coin pack. A pack that normally comes with 50 SC might be advertised as "50% bonus SC" and include 75 SC instead. These sales are a primary way sweepstakes casinos can be profitable for disciplined players. Sales often carry higher playthrough requirements, so always check the terms before purchasing.

Further reading: How to Evaluate Sweepstakes Casino Sales - the math behind deciding which deals are worth buying.

Sweeps Coins (SC)

Sweeps coins are the redeemable currency on sweeps casino sites. They're never purchased directly. They're either given away as part of promotions or included for free with gold coin purchases. Sites often run sales where the SC included exceeds the dollar amount of the pack. See Sales and Promotions for more, and our Sales Strategy guide for how to evaluate deals.

Sweepstakes Casino

Sweepstakes casinos are online casinos that operate in a legal grey area where they do not directly sell cash-value chips to players. Instead, these sites sell "gold coins" and include a certain amount of "sweeps coins" for free with each purchase. Sweeps coins can be played in the casino just like gold coins, and can then be redeemed for cash. Because sweeps coins are technically never sold to the player, these sites avoid the regulation and scrutiny that comes with operating a true casino. They operate under US sweepstakes law, which requires certain promotions like the ability to mail in a letter to claim a small amount of free sweeps coins. This is also why you'll frequently see "No purchase necessary" disclaimers on these sites.

Further reading: How Sweepstakes Casinos Work - a full guide to the dual-currency system and how to start earning. New? See Getting Started: Your First 30 Days.

Variance

Variance is essentially just a fancy word for luck. It's the gap between expected and actual outcomes. Even a player doing everything right (low-volatility, high-RTP games) can run bad and lose money short term. More commonly, a player starts with a big SC surplus from a sale and ends up close to break-even after playthrough. Variance cuts both ways: positive variance is when you expected a small loss and walked away up.

VIP System

Many sites have a VIP system that affects the player experience, most often by giving higher-tier players access to better sales and bonuses. Some sites let you raise your VIP level by playing GC. Others require SC play only. Our casino guide notes which sites allow GC to count toward VIP.

Volatility

A slot's volatility describes how its payouts are distributed. Low-volatility slots pay out frequently in small amounts and usually cap at a modest max win (around 500x). High-volatility slots pay less often but hit bigger, with max wins of 5000x or more. Two slots can share the same RTP but feel completely different to play. Low-volatility slots tend toward small wins or losses, while high-volatility slots swing hard in either direction. Strategic players generally avoid high-volatility games.

Washing / Washer

To "wash" means to accumulate SC through sales or promotions and then play low-volatility, high-RTP games purely to meet the playthrough requirement. The goal isn't to win. It's to convert unredeemable SC into redeemable SC while losing as little as possible. This is the primary mechanism by which sweepstakes casinos can be profitable for disciplined players. Common wash games include blackjack, plinko, and certain slots like Epic Joker. Our casino guide lists the best wash games for each site under "Highest RTP."

Further reading: Playthrough Strategy - how to think about washing like an advantage player, not a gambler.