Gambling is such a popular pastime in the United States that it is estimated that 80% of American adults have gambled at least once in their lifetimes and over 60% have gambled in the last year. However, the gambling industry provides a variety of different ways to engage in their games that can be suited to a variety of different people.
Choosing to play at a traditional casino, either online or in-person, or preferring sweepstakes options can depend on a variety of different reasons from state-wide regulations to personal preference.
In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the key differences between traditional casinos and sweepstakes in order to help you get a better idea of what kind of gambling might be best for you as an individual.
Traditional or Online Casinos
First of all, let’s briefly break down the key differences between traditional and online casinos. Where traditional casinos require gamblers to travel to a brick-and-mortar setting and gamble on-site, online casinos can be accessed anywhere at any time from any device that has an internet connection.
Not only are online casinos often more popular than their traditional counterparts because of ease of access, but the huge game libraries offering all the most popular games, the variety of payment methods that can be used on the sites, the bonuses offered to both new and seasoned players and the fast transactions speeds when it comes to wagering and withdrawing funds make these a desirable option for anyone looking to gamble on the go or from the comfort of their own home.
Understanding Sweepstakes
Sweepstakes, as a broad definition, refer to any kind of contest or promotional activity where individuals are awarded prizes for their participation.
In the context of casinos, sweepstake casinos do not require players to make real money wagers like their traditional online counterparts in order to play. Instead, players can earn virtual currencies such as sweep coins that can be used within the site itself but have no value outside of it.
These coins can then be handed in to access prizes, such as cash or vouchers which do themselves have real money value.
In essence, sweepstake casinos give gamblers the opportunity to play some of their favorite casino games without putting their own money at risk, making it infinitely easier to keep gambling and the rest of their lives separate.
Regulations
Perhaps the main reason that some gamblers might choose sweepstake casinos over traditional online casinos is due to the regulations within their state. Some states, such as California, Texas, and Florida have law-enforced bans on traditional casino gaming but do allow sweepstake casinos to run.
This is because sweepstakes are not operated under gambling laws, but instead under their own sweepstake laws. Because individuals don’t have to part with their own money to use sweepstakes, they are allowed in states where gambling for real money is not permitted.
Risk-Tolerance
Another reason people might choose sweepstake casinos over traditional online casinos is due to their personal risk tolerance. When gambling, the main advice is to never wager more than you are willing to lose.
Some people, due to economic background or simply a desire not to wager real money, may have no risk tolerance. Meaning they are unwilling to lose any money that they wager on gambling sites.
As such, these people may enjoy sweepstake casinos as they can provide them with the casino experience, but without the risk. Additionally, people can still win rewards and prizes on these sites, meaning the incentive to play is still there.
Game Libraries
That being said, some people prefer traditional casino wagering for the simple fact that these sites tend to have much larger game libraries than their sweepstakes counterparts. As humans, we desire choice, and traditional casinos can provide much more of that than sweepstakes can.
Traditional casinos offer slots, table games, poker, live dealers, and progressive jackpots as well as countless themed and exciting games. Sweepstakes, on the other hand, tend to be much more limited to slot-style games and a handful of table games.
The Chance to Win Big
Also, some people might be more drawn to traditional casino gaming over sweepstakes because they want the opportunity to win big from their gaming time.
Traditional casinos tend to offer bigger jackpots and larger payouts than sweepstakes and, as such, speak to individuals wanting to take their gambling time to the next level.
Although sweepstakes do offer rewards and prizes to players, these tend to come more infrequently than real-money prizes in traditional casinos and their value is usually less.
Ease and Choice
Finally, some people prefer traditional casinos over sweepstakes simply because of their ease. On traditional websites, it tends to be relatively easy to wager and withdraw funds quickly. Not only this, but many traditional casinos offer a variety of different payment methods, including cryptocurrency, which speaks to a variety of different gamblers.
On the other hand, it can be quite laborious and time-consuming to convert sweep coins to prizes, and this can often take away from the gaming experience.
Additionally, sweepstake casinos tend to offer very little choice when it comes to receiving prizes. Often, they are vouchers for specific retailers that have to be used before they expire.
Wrapping it up: Which is best for You?
If you live in a state where both traditional casinos and sweepstakes are legal, choosing whether to gamble on traditional online casinos or sweepstake casinos is entirely down to personal preference. As we’ve explored there are both positives and negatives to both methods and so it’s all about what suits your taste and risk-tolerance as a gambler.
