Looking for free betting apps but not sure which ones are worth signing up for?
There is a lot of confusion surrounding free money betting apps, and this guide will help clear things up once and for all.
We explain how social sportsbook apps let you bet for free, while also clarifying that they do not pay out real-money winnings directly. Instead, you will learn how to use each brand's virtual currencies to enter sweepstakes and redeem your Sweeps Coins winnings for cash prizes, a process that is legal in most U.S. states.
What people mean by 'free money betting apps'
Pretty much all sports fans will love the idea of being able to use an app to bet on sports for free and then win real money in the process. While that's still not totally possible, the current generation of social betting apps come pretty close. Here's why:
- Social betting apps have to let you bet on sports with no purchase necessary
- Social sportsbooks are legal in most states across the US
- You can redeem Sweeps Coins for cash prizes at social sportsbook, provided you have met the playthrough and eligibility requirements
As such, more and more sports fans are turning to use these social betting apps rather than real money betting apps. While the use of virtual currencies might take some getting used to, they still offer you a similar range of sports odds to bet on, and there is much less risk involved because you aren't wagering with your own cash. Sounds like a win-win situation to us.
Spend $25 Get $50 in Coins
100% purchase match for up to 100 in Onyx Cash Free Picks
Spend $50, Get up to $100 in Fliff Coins
Check out our recommended social betting apps
Now that you know how free betting apps allow you to bet without spending any money, you'll probably be keen to give one of them a try. So take your pick of any of the free social sportsbook apps to get started:
| Social sportsbook app | App Store rating | Google Play Store rating | Welcome offer | Legal states |
| Fliff | 4.8 | 4.8 | 5,000 Fliff Coins and one Fliff Cash | All states except Washington, Idaho, Tennessee, Hawaii, and Nevada |
| Thrillzz | 4.4 | 4.7 | 3,000 Thrillzz Coins and 3 Thrillzz Sweeps Coins | All states except Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, Ohio, Tennessee, and Washington |
| Novig | 4.9 | 4.6 | 1,000 Novig Coins and five Novig Cash | All states except Alabama, Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, and Tennessee |
Fliff - Hugely popular social betting brand
- Wide sports coverage
- User-friendly app
- 24/7 customer support
- Not available on desktop
Chances are that you are already familiar with the Fliff brand name as this is one of the biggest social betting apps in the business. As soon as you download its app you'll get to enjoy social betting on a huge range of sports and there will also be hundreds of betting lines for elite-level sporting events.
The Fliff app is nicely user-friendly to use and it's packed with social features that make it a whole lot of fun to take part in leaderboard challenges, chat with friends and so on. Plus the brand isn't shy about putting on lots of special offers that range from a huge welcome bonus to all manner of login bonuses and purchase promos. A solid introduction to social betting on your mobile.
Thrillzz - Simply an excellent free betting app
- More than 10 sports supported
- Easy sign up process
- No bonus code needed
- Generous welcome bonus
- No web access
Since launching in 2024, Thrillzz has become a go-to for anyone with an interest in betting on sports for free. After all, everything about this brand's app looks and feels just like a regular sportsbook app, only that you are betting with Thrillzz Coins and Thrillzz Sweeps Coins. You'll get a massive amount of these virtual currencies when signing up here to get you started on being able to redeem your Thrillzz Sweeps Coins winnings for real money prizes.
The Thrillzz app is packed full of bets for all major sports and a good amount of college sports too. This allows you to explore the full range of betting lines for the money line, points spread and even try some player props bets. Just note that there is no desktop betting here and so you'll have to download the brand's app to experience this kind of social betting.
Novig - Check out this new social betting app
- Sign-up bonus includes 1,000 Novig Coins and 5 Novig Cash
- Live chat support available
- Intuitive interface
- No VIP program
Novig hasn't been around too long but it's already achieved its primary objective - letting you bet on sport without any vig impacting on your potential returns. Not that there's any real money gambling involved at this social sportsbook but it's still a noble statement of intent.
You'll get 1,000 free Novig Coins and five Novig Cash for signing up here and can use this to bet on anything from ATP tennis through to WNBA basketball. There is also an impressive range of betting markets that take in everything from a simple moneyline through to some seriously unique player props. What's best you can even enjoy making some crazy parlays and do it all for free while having the potential to redeem your Novig Cash winnings for real money prizes. Definitely worthy of a closer look.
How to use these free betting apps
You'll notice that all of these social betting apps will have different bonuses and be available in different states. While that's true, they should be usable in a fairly similar manner. As a result, you just have to take these steps to start betting for free:
- Visit the websites of any of these featured social sportsbooks by clicking on the relevant tabs in the banners of this page
- Download the social betting apps by hitting the relevant link on the site's homepage
- Register your first account by adding in personal details like your full name, home address and date of birth into the registration form
- Enter any promo codes that are required to activate the sign up offer
- Submit your application and then login and verify your identity with the required documentation
- Swipe through the available betting odds and then tap on the odds to add them to your bet slip
- Select whether you want to bet in Sweeps Coins or Gold Coins mode
- Enter your virtual betting stake and submit your bets
A closer look at the mechanics of these social betting apps
It's worth taking a closer look at how these free betting apps operate as there are certain things that are very different to regular real money sportsbook apps. Here's what you need to know:
💰 Virtual Currencies vs Real Money
There is no real money gambling on social sportsbook apps. Instead, you will be betting on the sports with virtual currencies that are usually called Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins. Just note that certain social sportsbooks will call them something else. For example, Fliff calls its virtual currencies Fliff Coins and Fliff Cash.
🎟️ Bet for Free vs Pay to Bet
You'll always have to spend your own cash to use a real money online sportsbook, but all social sportsbooks have to let you enter their sweepstakes with no purchase required. This basically means that you can expect to always get free Sweeps Coins as a new and existing customer.
🏆 Redeem Prizes vs Make Real Money Winnings
Don't go thinking that you can use these free betting apps to directly win money. Instead of this, you can only redeem your Sweeps Coins winnings for real prizes like cash and gift cards. This is only possible once you have verified your account, played through your Sweeps Coins the required number of times, and won back the minimum amount of Sweeps Coins.
🪙 Optional GC Purchases vs Real Money Deposits
You cannot make real money deposits at social betting apps like you can at their real money counterparts. Instead, you are given the option to purchase a variety of Gold Coins packages with a one-off payment. Just note that these Gold Coins can only ever be used to play for entertainment purposes, meaning that no prizes can be redeemed.
Don't want to download an app? Use these social betting sites instead
The good news is that there are also lots of free betting sites that you can use to bet on sports from all across the US without having to spend a single dime. This means that you don't have to download any apps or software to your already over-worked device and can instead enjoy betting from your browser.
You'll find that social betting brands like Onyx Odds and Legendz have some wonderfully mobile-friendly betting sites, despite not having any of their own apps. In contrast, brands such as Fliff, Thrillzz and Novig have covered both bases by having mobile apps and fully mobile-optimized sites too.
So that whether you want to bet on sports via an app or a mobile-friendly site, you can do it all for free and from most US states too.
Pros and cons of using free betting apps vs real money sportsbook apps
So, why is everyone so keen to use these social betting apps rather than their real money counterparts? Here are a few of the key pros and cons to keep in mind:
- No purchase required to bet
- Less risky than real money gambling
- Available in most US states
- Redeem Sweeps Coins winnings for prizes
- Cannot directly win money
Conclusion - Demystifying free betting apps once and for all
If you've made it this far, you will understand that many of the nation's top social sportsbooks have successfully created some stunning betting apps that each let you bet on sports without having to spend any of your own money. Plus you even have the potential of redeeming your Sweeps Coins winnings for cash prizes once all playthrough and eligibility requirements have been met.
This should hopefully have cleared up how social sportsbooks work in that they don't feature any real money gambling and that you cannot directly win cash at their sites. As long as you understand this, there should be little stopping you from making the most of what these betting apps have to offer. If you're interested in exploring more options, check out our comprehensive sportsbook reviews or explore DFS platforms for alternative ways to play. So sign up and start betting.
Get off to a great start with these social sportsbook bonuses
Spend $25 Get $50 in Coins
100% purchase match for up to 100 in Onyx Cash Free Picks
Spend $50, Get up to $100 in Fliff Coins
Up to 200 Prophet Cash in first 30 days
Get up to 103 SC + 20,500 GC for FREE with Legendz!
Free money betting apps FAQ
Which betting app gives you free money for signing up?
We've got an entire guide dedicated to free betting apps who are each happy to give you complementary virtual currencies just for registering your account. The likes of Fliff, Thrillzz and Novig offer some good examples of this - and it's the closest you will get to free money betting apps.
Can I use these free betting apps with no deposit?
Yes, you cannot actually make deposits with the social sportsbooks behind these free betting apps. The closest that you get to this is to purchase a Gold Coins package so that you can bet for fun.
Which are the best free betting apps?
Good question, and we think that the apps from Fliff, Novig and Thrillzz are all worthy of a closer look. After all, the apps are easy to use, let you bet on sports for free, and you can use them in the majority of US states.
Where can I bet on sports with real money?
There are currently 38 states in the US that have some form of legalized sports betting. While this is an impressive amount, it's still fewer than the number of states where you can use most of our featured social sportsbook apps.
Who has the best sign up bonus for sports betting?
We think that the sign up offers at Novig, Fliff and Thrillz all offer you an excellent introduction to their betting apps. After all, they are all free to get and they can each give you plenty of virtual currencies that you can use to bet on sports for free.
