Sports betting has evolved a lot over the past five years.

One of the biggest changes has been the arrival of ‘social sportsbooks’.

These aren’t your typical sportsbooks and they’ve become extremely popular with Gen Z and Millennials, particularly throughout the US.

And with Dabble, one of the leading social sportsbooks, recently passing 2.5 million users, it’s safe to say the hype is very much real.

Social Sportsbooks Let You Bet on Sports for Free 

So, what’s the deal with social sportsbooks?

They’re a new type of online sportsbook that lets you bet on the major sports and leagues for free, such as the NFL, NBA, or WNBA.

Onyx Odds is highly rated on BettingTools, with this particular social sportsbook allowing you to bet on the NFL, NCAAF, NBA, NCAAB, NHL, UFC & Boxing, and tennis, so there’s plenty of choice.

No matter which social sportsbook you join, though, you’re not allowed to directly bet real money, nor can you win real money either.

Instead, players use virtual coins:

• Gold Coins (GC) 

• Sweeps Coins (SC)

The Gold Coins allow you to bet on any sports game you like for free. These coins exist purely for entertainment purposes. For instance, at Super Bowl LIX, you might’ve bet 100,000 Gold Coins on the Eagles to beat the Chiefs. The coins themselves hold no value, so most members use them to just have fun, test their sporting knowledge, or make practice bets.

Sweeps Coins, however, are different. These coins are actually valuable and if you collect enough of them, it’s then possible to redeem the Sweeps Coins you have for different prizes. We’re talking gift cards, cryptocurrencies, and even cash transfers. But, of course, you have to place enough winning bets before any type of prize redemption is possible.

Essentially, social sportsbooks provide you with two options: Play for free using Gold Coins or compete for prizes with Sweeps Coins. Most of the time, Gold Coins appeal to casual players or ex-gamblers, while Sweeps Coins are perfect for the more serious players who actually want to bet on sports and win something.

Social Sportsbook Prizes and How to Redeem Them 

Let’s say you join a social sportsbook today and decide to build an NBA preseason parlay:

You bet on the Lakers to beat the Suns, Thunder to beat the Hornets, and, just for good measure, the 76ers to get over 105.5 points against the Knicks, giving you total odds of +400. Your parlay then wins, returning you 50 Sweeps Coins back to your account. 

With the coins you’ve won, you could then head to the prize redemption menu of your social sportsbook and redeem those coins for any of the available prizes. Remember, 50 Sweeps Coins convert to around $50, so you could go with a simple cash transfer or even a selection of gift cards. That’s the great thing about social sportsbooks: the prizes are stacked.

Every social sportsbook is different, though, so make sure to check their prize pool before joining. For example, Fliff, the most popular social sportsbook in the US, actually only lets you redeem cash, whereas Sportzino has cash transfers and gift cards.

How Social Sportsbooks Have Taken Advantage of an Untapped Market

The rise of social sportsbooks in the US doesn’t come as that much of a shock.

In the post-COVID era, more people are gambling than ever, with close to $1.4bn being bet on the 2025 Super Bowl.

Interestingly, this explosion of betting comes during a time when the global economy is struggling and people have less cash to actually spend, so a market has sprung open for sports bettors who, ideally, want to bet for free.

At the same time, social sportsbooks prioritize social interaction, community building, and also bring a truckload of gamification elements to the table, such as allowing members to earn points, enter tournaments, climb league tables, and even take part in draft-style betting. In a way, it’s a little bit like betting and fantasy sports have collided.

This has, unsurprisingly, led us to a place where millions of Americans have signed up with social sportsbooks like Fliff, Thrillzz, and Rebet. The sign-ups are continuing to flood in, too, with the general belief being that the social betting market is only just getting started.

Are Social Sportsbooks Legal? 

Yes, social sportsbooks are legal in almost every US state.

The reason for this is because social sportsbooks don’t let you bet or win real money. As a result, they don’t have to follow the same gambling laws and restrictions that traditional gambling sites, such as DraftKings and BetUS, have to.

In a nutshell, social sportsbooks are following a ‘sweepstakes’ model by using Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins. In real-life, these coins have absolutely no value, allowing these sites to, smartly, use a legal loophole and bypass most state laws.

However, there is a chance that social sportsbooks will, indeed, have to follow tighter laws moving into the future. At the moment, there’s ongoing controversy surrounding social casinos, which are being banned in a growing number of states, so there’s every chance that social sportsbooks might also be impacted.

But let’s not forget that the US is much more lenient towards sports gambling than casino gambling. For now, at least, social sportsbooks will keep growing in popularity, and even if they do get restricted in the future, it will likely only be in a handful of states.

The Best Social Sportsbooks 

So, what are the best social sportsbooks?

Because the social gambling market is getting more and more popular as each year goes by, new social sportsbooks keep launching.

As things stand, the current best social sportsbooks are:

• Fliff ➜ Spend $50, get $100 in Coins and free Fliff Cash ➜ 100+ sports betting markets
• Thrillzz ➜ 10 Bonus Picks Free and 400% Purchase Match welcome offer ➜ Daily rewards and a Loyalty Program
• Sportzino ➜ Up to 1.5 million Gold Coins and 42 Sweeps Coins Welcome Bonus ➜ 100+ sports betting markets
• Legendz ➜ 500 Gold Coins and 3 Sweeps Coins for new users ➜ Bet on 30+ sports
• Rebet ➜ 100 Rebet Coins and 1 Rebet Cash sign up offer ➜ Bet on over 60 sports with 3,000+ betting markets

These sites are all free to sign up with as well, which, again, is why they’re incredibly popular at the moment.

Whether you’re a first-time bettor looking to practice for free or an experienced pro aiming to collect prizes, there really is something for everyone, and it’s easy to see why these particular sites have experienced such incredible growth since 2020.

Why Social Sportsbooks Look Set to Keep Growing 

Sports betting is no longer just about betting.

Younger generations, primarily Gen Z and Millennials, want more from the experience.

They love climbing leaderboards, collecting points, and interacting with other players, which is something that most traditional sportsbooks, primarily focused on taking your money, simply don’t offer.

With social sportsbooks, though, it’s completely different. They are, in a way, like gaming sites. And when you throw on top the fact it’s possible to bet for free and still win prizes, signing up is something of a no-brainer, especially for young fans of the NBA, NFL, and other major sports leagues.

Between now and 2030, there’s certainly going to be a battle between regular sportsbooks and the new wave of social sportsbooks. For now, DraftKings and FanDuel might dominate the market, but that could be about to change as more fans start catching on to the social betting wave.