We found that the three social sportsbooks reviewed below create an approachable, fun community where users can enjoy all the excitement of betting on games—minus any anxiety of losing hard-earned cash.
There's no doubt about it: Online sportsbooks are surging in popularity, with an unprecedented amount being wagered in states that allow legal betting.
However, traditional books may not appeal to everyone. They may not live where possible, shy away from the financial risk, or be more invested in the social element of following and betting on sports.
That’s why we’ve researched, tested, and reviewed the best social betting sites so you can make the most of the options wherever you are.
Launched in mid-2024, SportsMillions has already established itself as a significant player in the social betting scene. SportsMillions is available on Apple or Android platforms, and the browser-based experience for desktop users is virtually identical.
The book offers plenty, allowing casual play with Gold Coins and real-prize sweepstakes sports betting with Sweepstakes Coins. And while SportsMillions does have a conventional Daily Fantasy Sports platform that uses real cash as a currency, the Blitz’em game (available in most states) strictly adheres to the social betting model.
So what is Blitz’em? It’s a unique and interesting take on social sports betting where you can select what sports, specific games, and stakes you want to play for, but your plays will be randomly generated. (Think of it like a quick pick in any numbers-based lottery game.)
You’ll also get to decide how many legs you want in your parlay and whether you’re going for a flex play, where you can miss a pick or two and still win, or fixed play, where every leg has to hit. After this, you’ll spin the Jackpot Wheel to get a payout multiplier from 3X to 1,200X.
Then, it’s time to enjoy the games with some additional rooting interest.
The elder statesman of the social and sweepstakes sports betting platforms reviewed here, Sportzino, was launched in late 2023. The book is accessible via web and mobile app (available for Android and iOS), which are streamlined, lag-free, and virtually identical, from the navigation and menus to the promos and betting markets on offer.
Without a doubt, Sportzino looks and feels more like a traditional sportsbook than some other social betting platforms. It still uses gold coins for casual play and sweepstakes to unlock real prizes.
The site has a strong social component, with a large community on social media platforms. You can snag special offers and extras by keeping tabs on Sportzino’s posts and then use your bonuses on same-game parlays, player props, and even live betting options.
The variety of bet types and betting markets is an actual check in the plus column for this operator. (You can even bet on entertainment and pop culture events!)
If Sportzino can add even more leagues and sports to its social betting lineup, it will level up an area where it already has a noteworthy advantage.
ProphetX is a unique social sportsbook for several reasons. It launched in August 2022 as Prophet Exchange, a real-money betting exchange (a platform where users can collectively back certain bets and lines, resulting in better odds than you typically get from a conventional sportsbook).
In late 2024, the platform relaunched as ProphetX, still using the exchange model but switching to a social and sweepstakes sports betting format. The new experience uses Prophet Points for casual play, while Prophet Cash can be exchanged for a shot at real cash and prizes.
As an established brand, ProphetX has already shown it’s an operator with the chops to create a smooth and seamless experience across desktop browsers, Apple, and Android formats. The brand has a strong social presence, often hosting giveaways and contests via various social media platforms. And the exchange betting format only serves to drive more interaction between players.
With the ability to find or create custom odds and a growing variety of betting markets, ProphetX might be a good match for you.
Your favorite social betting site will be based on your personal preferences, so your top choice may differ from ours.
Gambling.com Group has been reviewing sportsbooks in the U.S. since 2018, winning eGaming Review’s Affiliate of the Year award in 2018 and 2021. The sports betting landscape is constantly changing, but here at Gambling.com, we keep up with the latest emerging trends, including social sportsbooks.
We only recommend social betting sites that have received a license to launch in the state. We verify if they are legally operational across various U.S. states.
Our team includes experts with decades of combined experience in the sports and sports betting industries. We continuously update our rankings to reflect the latest available features and offers, ensuring you get reliable recommendations on today’s best social sportsbooks.
Our reviews are based on thorough, hands-on testing by experts who know the industry inside and out. We focus on what matters most to you—security, fair play, competitive odds, and user-friendliness. To determine this list, our reviews weighted each site's availability, welcome offer value, and user experience.
Our reviewers signed up with each one, made deposits, claimed promotions, placed wagers, requested withdrawals, and contacted support.
This thorough testing allowed us to gather extensive evidence about each site, enabling us to compare and contrast them.
Each review is honest, unbiased, and regularly updated to reflect the latest changes. We’re committed to helping you find the best and safest options for your gaming needs so you can confidently make informed decisions.
When evaluating online sportsbooks in the United States, we focus on 12 key criteria to ensure you find the best options:
We consider feedback from real users on app stores and forums to gauge overall satisfaction, identifying common issues and the app’s strengths.
We’ve included verified user reviews—the good and the bad—for each of our recommended betting apps from the App Store and Google Play Store.
The main difference between social betting sites and traditional online sportsbooks is that social betting sites do not use real cash as currency for wagers.
There are usually two currencies in play: some form of virtual currency for casual play and another separate currency that can be used to compete or redeem for cash and other real prizes. Frequently, these will be called variations of gold coins and sweepstakes coins.
As you might expect from the name, social sportsbooks and sports sweepstakes sites place a much heavier emphasis on the social component of betting, as we’ll discuss in the following section.
The fundamental differences are that social sportsbooks use virtual currency instead of cash, are legal in more locations as a result, and generally attract a different type of player. Social sportsbooks place a much heavier emphasis on socializing and being part of a community interested in (and invested in) following sports.
On the other hand, traditional sportsbooks offer an exciting, but perhaps more solitary, experience.
Many players at conventional books will never check the books’ social media accounts, whereas players on social betting platforms can follow daily posts for promos, bonuses, and special events. Some social sportsbooks will have in-app messaging features as well.
Removing real cash from the equation reduces some of the inherent anxiety or excitement (depending on who you ask) from sports betting, too. For some people, this won’t be where their bread is buttered, but for others, it’s a great way to get extra rooting interest without taking on unwanted risk.
Last, we should note that social sportsbooks generally offer far fewer betting options and markets.
Daily Fantasy Sites (DFS) are similar to traditional and social sports betting.
Like typical betting sites, you put real money into your account and use it to play different lineups and bets. Like social betting sites, the bet options are less plentiful, but some argue that they are more streamlined and intuitive. It can take some time to get used to reading odds, learning different betting markets, and building bet slips, so DFS offers a happy medium.
You get real action with real cash but generally have to invest less time in learning about the markets and placing bets, opening up more opportunities to connect and interact with other players.
The definition of what is and what isn’t gambling is still decided on a state-by-state basis, but the main takeaway for social sports betting is that it’s legal in most states—certainly more at the moment than standard sports betting.
The key factor is that people on social sports betting platforms are not betting real money, so their wagers aren’t considered gambling. As such, there is no official standard for a minimum age or distinct agency for regulation.
However, individual operators will establish specific guidelines, often requiring players to be 18 years of age.
Here's a look at which states allow social sportsbooks:
State | Social Betting Allowed? |
---|---|
Alabama | Yes |
Alaska | Yes |
Arizona | Yes |
Arkansas | Yes |
California | Yes |
Colorado | Yes |
Connecticut | Yes |
Washington D.C. | Yes |
Delaware | Yes |
Georgia | Yes |
Florida | Yes |
Hawaii | Yes |
Idaho | No |
Iowa | Yes |
Illinois | Yes |
Indiana | Yes |
Kansas | Yes |
Kentucky | Yes |
Louisiana | Yes |
Maine | Yes |
Massachusetts | Yes |
Maryland | Yes |
Michigan | Yes |
Minnesota | Yes |
Mississippi | Yes |
Missouri | Yes |
Montana | Yes |
Nebraska | Yes |
Nevada | Yes |
New Hampshire | Yes |
New Jersey | Yes |
New Mexico | Yes |
New York | Yes |
North Carolina | Yes |
North Dakota | Yes |
Ohio | Yes |
Oklahoma | Yes |
Oregon | Yes |
Pennsylvania | Yes |
Rhode Island | Yes |
South Carolina | Yes |
South Dakota | Yes |
Tennessee | Yes |
Texas | Yes |
Utah | Yes |
Virginia | Yes |
Washington | Yes |
Wisconsin | Yes |
West Virginia | Yes |
Wyoming | Yes |
Gold Coins and Sweepstakes Coins (sometimes by slightly modified names, like Prophet Points and Prophet Cash) are the way to play on social betting apps. You’ll have to buy some to get started, but you’ll usually get a kind of welcome bonus that awards you some of both.
From there, you can use your coins or points for casual, social play or your Sweeps coins or cash to redeem or enter contests for real prizes. Beyond purchasing more of these currencies, there will typically be plenty of opportunities to earn a little (or sometimes a lot) of extra virtual dough via contests, giveaways, referrals, or even just following an operator on social media.
Absolutely! Most social sportsbooks have apps you can download, which is often the preferred way to interact with the brand.
Similar to popular real-money books, it’s rare to find a social betting site that doesn’t have an app or, at least, a browser-based experience wrapped in the shell of a standalone app (meaning you open the app and it automatically directs you to the correct web experience.)
All the apps reviewed above have an app for use on mobile devices.
Even more than traditional books, social sportsbooks are all about bonuses! Since the currencies in play have significantly less value than cash, you’ll find many more promos, discounts, and extras.
Here’s a quick rundown of the social sportsbook promos you can take advantage of:
At the beginning of this article, we outlined the welcome offers for the three social betting sites reviewed on this page. Still, it’s important to remember that every social sportsbook will have a welcome promotion for new players.
Typically, rookies to a given book can score free Gold Coins and Sweepstakes Coins, often just for signing up.
Like many non-betting social games, social sportsbooks grant players a login bonus for every day they log in. This will usually be in the form of the casual play currency, but there are some exceptions for significant events, holidays, or other dates circled on sports fans’ calendars.
Daily login bonuses will not have any minimum play requirement. All you have to do is sign into your account.
Like many non-betting social games, social sportsbooks grant players a login bonus for every day they log in. This will usually be in the form of the casual play currency, but there are some exceptions for significant events, holidays, or other dates circled on sports fans’ calendars.
Daily login bonuses will not have any minimum play requirement. All you have to do is sign into your account.
Parlay boosts are exclusive to muti-leg parlays, and when you use them on a given bet, your payout will be multiplied by a certain percentage.
Sometimes, these bonuses require you to wager a minimum amount of coins or specific minimum odds to qualify for the boost. Boosts commonly range anywhere from 20% up to 100%.
Giveaways usually take on a couple of different forms. First, there are straight-up giveaways that don’t require you to play a bet. You’ll typically find out about these via social media or the book's homepage; to claim them, you have to log in.
Other giveaways give you free entries into sweeps or chances at big virtual currency prizes for playing. The more you play, the more chances you have to win. Each entry often gives you a spin of a prize wheel or something similar.
Spread the word, and the books will spread the wealth! With social sportsbooks’ referral programs, you can usually navigate to the referral page to find a unique link you can send to friends and family or a form to fill in the email address of anyone you’d like to invite.
When someone signs up using your link or message, you’ll get a bonus of coins, virtual cash, or sometimes both.
You can think of the loyalty programs at social betting sites like ongoing leaderboards. If you reach specific play or winning thresholds, you’ll qualify for single- or multi-tiered loyalty programs at some books, which grant you different monthly rewards, like bonus coins, virtual cash, access to exclusive tournaments, and more.
Sportzino even gives higher-level players a personal coach.
Playing responsibly is essential whether using virtual currency or cold, hard cash. Most players will still be purchasing virtual currency, and playing irresponsibly or on tilt can lead to adverse financial effects, along with the development of habits that can be dangerous for your mental and, in some cases, physical health.
The lack of structured regulation and “lighter” format may make you think that social betting is safe for anyone, but only players who meet the age requirements for each book must have access.
Never share your account info; take account security as seriously as you would on a traditional sportsbook. Most social betting apps will have a section dedicated to responsible gaming, including helpful information and links.
Sweepstakes sportsbooks use virtual currency with no direct real-world value. Instead, you purchase or earn virtual currency or sweepstakes coins to enter tournaments or compete for the chance to earn real prizes. Sometimes, you can exchange sweeps bucks for real money in your account. You cannot deposit or play with real money.
States determine whether social sports betting is legal on a state-by-state basis. Currently, most states categorize it as a game of skill or a legal form of gambling (based on existing state laws). If you live in a location where that’s the case, you’ll be able to create accounts and play.
While you can find many opportunities to pile up virtual currency without spending any money, most players will need to purchase virtual coins or sweeps at some point to play regularly on a given platform.
Though you cannot win real money directly from sports wagers or plays you make, you can earn virtual currency that can be converted into entries into contests or sweepstakes for real prizes. As referenced above, “gold coins” are for casual play (but can be used to earn “sweeps coins”), while “sweeps coins” can be used to enter those contests or, in some cases, exchanged for real-money prizes.