Visit: Global Poker
Florida’s sweepstakes poker sites are a legal and legitimate way to win cash prizes while playing poker online. The most popular, Global Poker, boasts one of the largest player pools in the country, making it a viable place to play ring games, sit ‘n’ go, and tournaments close to 24 hours a day.
Since it doesn’t look like Florida will be legalizing online poker or online casinos for real money anytime soon, sweepstakes poker is the best option for poker enthusiasts in the state.
Florida’s Best And Most Popular Sweepstakes Poker Site: Global Poker
Global Poker is the best sweepstakes online poker site available to people in Florida. And until legal online poker sites enter the state’s market, it’s the only legitimate place to win cash prizes by playing poker against other people online.
Sweepstakes poker sites are not “fun play” poker sites. And you do not win a “chance” at a cash prize. You play with Sweeps Coins that can be directly redeemed for cash prizes or gift cards.
When you first join Global Poker, you’re invited to receive 20 Sweeps Coins for free by verifying your identity. To do so, you need to create an account, upload your photo ID, and have it verified by the Global Poker team. You’ll then have 20 Sweeps Coins added to your account.
You can then play any of the different game types, which include:
- Ring Games
- Sit ‘n’ Go
- Jackpot Sit ‘n’ Go
- Tournaments
These are the same types of games that you’d find at the major real-money online casinos.
Guide To Playing Sweepstakes Poker In Florida
How People In Florida Can Play Sweepstakes Poker
The State of Washington and Quebec are the only US and Canadian territories that outlaw Global Poker. That means the potential player pool is in the hundreds of millions. No other online poker site, sweepstakes nor real money, can compare.
However, players should note that Florida is one of the few states, in addition to New York, that places a cap on the potential sweepstakes winnings. Florida state law limits Global Poker cash prizes to $5,000.
To play at Global Poker, you’ll simply need to create an account while you’re physically located in the state. You’ll need to be 18 or older and verify your identity by uploading your ID. You’ll receive free Sweeps Coins, and you have the option to purchase Gold Coin packages that include Sweeps Coins.
You then have access to all the different types of games. However, the buy-in ranges from high to micro, so you may need to purchase additional coins to participate in bigger poker games.
How Do Cash Prizes Work At Sweepstakes Poker Sites?
Whatever Sweeps Coins you win at the table are redeemable for a cash prize. You can also play with Gold Coins to practice your skills and play for fun against other players, but Gold Coins can’t be redeemed for anything.
Sweeps Coins that you receive through the signup bonus or by purchasing Gold Coins are not redeemable. They need to be played at Global Poker at ring games at least once, or used as entry fees for Sit ‘n’ Go or multi-table tournaments.
However, the Sweeps Coins do not need to be used all at once. You can work your way through a bit at a time. As long as all of the initial Sweeps Coins are used, everything else is redeemable.
To redeem for a cash prize on Global Poker, you need at least 50 won Sweeps Coins.
For players in Florida, there is no maximum on the amount of Sweeps Coins you can redeem for an equivalent cash prize.
How Can You Access Global Poker From Florida?
Global Poker is only available via a web browser. There is no app for Android or iOS.
A different poker app with the same name is listed in Google Play and the App Store. That is a completely different company that does not have a website, just a Facebook page – we recommend avoiding it. Notice how Global Poker Official has a blue checkmark while the unrelated app game does not.
The other Global Poker is not sweepstakes poker, it’s just a play-for-fun poker app with no cash prizes. If the real Global Poker offers an iOS or Android app, they’ll make it known on their website.
In the meantime, you can play the desktop version of Global Poker on any platform including your mobile phone, or tablet as long as you have a reliable network connection.
How People In Florida Can Receive Sweeps Coins At Global Poker
When you first verify your account, you’ll receive 20 Sweeps Coins without the need to purchase. But if you want more Sweeps Coins beyond that, you’ll have to go beyond uploading your ID.
The easiest option is to purchase Gold Coins that include Sweeps Coins. For example, you can purchase millions of Gold Coins for a small payment, like $20, and receive the equivalent amount of Sweeps Coins.
However, some Gold Coin packages do not include Sweeps Coins, so make sure you’re getting one that does (unless you only want Gold Coins, in which case disregard).
Another way to receive Sweeps Coins from Florida is by participating in their social media contests and by mailing a request to the Global Poker Sweepstakes Department in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
What Type Of Payment Options Does Global Poker Accept?
To purchase Gold Coin packages (that can include Sweeps Coins), Global Poker accepts the following payment methods:
- Direct bank deposit
- Credit or debit card
- Skrill (e-wallet)
Global Poker does not currently accept purchase or redemption requests through PayPal.
To redeem a cash prize, you can do so via direct bank deposit or skrill. Gift card codes will be sent directly to your email.
How To Request Sweeps Coins Through USPS
You can receive 5 Sweeps Coins by sending an entry by mail. You’ll send a postcard with legible handwritten information using the exact details that match your ID. Be sure to follow their instructions perfectly by going to:
Get Coins → Play For Free → And click on the “Sweeps Rules page” hyperlink.
Sweepstakes Poker Sites Vs. Online Poker Sites In Florida
At online poker sites, you deposit money, play with that money, and withdraw any remaining money. At sweepstakes sites, you play with Sweeps Coins that can be redeemed for cash prizes.
Fundamentally, that’s the only difference between Global Poker and the online poker sites.
From there, things get a bit more nuanced, and both versions of poker have their pros and cons.
Best Bonus Offers: Online Poker
Online poker sites have more traditional bonus offers, such as deposit bonus matching, reload bonuses, and lucrative loyalty programs.
The more you play at online poker sites, the better the bonuses become. At most sites, you can cash in your loyalty points for free tournament entries, some of which could qualify Florida players for the annual World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.
Biggest Player Pool: Sweepstakes Poker
Because 49 of 50 states and Washington, DC can play at Global Poker, the player pool is absolutely incredible. There’s not a time day or night where you can’t find a game at Global Poker.
Win Potential: Online Poker
Global Poker has tournaments that can net you large cash prizes. Some players have made six figures playing at the site. But that doesn’t compare to the millionaire-level prize potential at real-money poker apps like WSOP.com, PartyPoker, PokerStars, and 888Poker.
Ability To Play At The World Series Of Poker: Online Poker
The World Series Of Poker (WSOP) has its own online poker platform, and it has partnerships with other brands but is only available in New Jersey and Nevada. From home, poker players in states where it’s legal can qualify for the WSOP, the biggest poker tournament in the world.
You can qualify through in-person satellite games in Florida as well as through online poker sites. But you will never enter the WSOP by way of Global Poker.
How Safe Is Playing Sweepstakes Poker Sites From Florida?
Is Sweepstakes Poker Legal In Florida?
Yes, sweepstakes poker is legal in Florida. You’re not breaking the law by playing Global Poker in Florida, and there’s almost zero chance that will ever change.
Global Poker is a good introductory site for those who want to practice for the day online poker arrives in Florida. Someone who’s raking in the Sweeps Coins at Global Poker is likely to move on to stiffer competition – and the bigger prizes that come with it.
Also, despite the sweepstakes model being fairly simple, it can be confusing to those unfamiliar. Once online poker is available to folks in Florida, it’s a low likelihood that Global Poker offers much competition in terms of attracting new players.
Does Global Poker Keep My Personal Information Safe And Secure?
Yes. Global Poker employs an extremely high level of safety and security. It’s owned by Virtual Gaming World and you can read about their corporate governance.
However, this is a valid concern at any site that processes payments. And it’s an even bigger one when they require you to provide your photo ID.
That’s why Global Poker lists out a detailed description of their security protocols in the FAQ and Privacy Policy.
Global Poker has a huge incentive to keep user information safe and secure: staying under the radar. It stands to reason that if regulators chose to, they could easily block access to Global Poker from Florida and other states. If they had a security breach, it’d likely be game over, literally.
Playing Global Poker In Florida: The Types Of Games Explained
Ring Games
A ring game allows you to sit at a table at any time and leave at any time.
The ring games offered at Global Poker are available via the following formats:
- Texas Hold’em
- Omaha
- Crazy Pineapple
The most common game type is Texas Hold’em. Ring games feature a limited number of sweats, and buy-ins range from 0.01/0.05 Sweeps Coins to 10/20 Sweeps Coins. You can also play No Limit, Pot Limit, and Fixed Limit games.
To play the micro buy-ins, you’ll still need a minimum of 4 Sweeps Coins to sit at the table despite the big blind being 0.05.
You should be able to find a good number of Omaha games during peak hours. However, it’s difficult to find a Crazy Pineapple ring game, and if you start one yourself, you could find yourself waiting indefinitely for someone to join.
If you’re like the majority of sweepstakes poker players and strictly play Texas Hold’em, there will be a ring game with a seat open at every buy-in level almost every minute of the day.
Tournaments
Schedule multi-table tournaments occur about every 15 minutes day and night at Global Poker. They even have red-eye tournaments that kick off at 3:00 AM EST.
The type of tournaments offered at Global Poker include:
- Regular
- Guaranteed
- Satellite
- Rebuy
- Bounty
Weeknights usually have lower guaranteed prizes. For example, a high buy-in game of 200 Sweeps Coins can have 50,000 Sweeps Coins guaranteed. But on the weekend, you can find tournaments with over a million Sweeps Coins guaranteed.
A tournament is also your best chance to play Crazy Pineapple, as it’s a rare find outside of the scheduled tournaments.
To win a Global Poker tournament, you need to eliminate other players at each progressing table. The top few players win Sweeps Coins.
Sit ‘n’ Go
A Sit ‘n’ Go is a single-table, winner-take-all tournament where the goal is to simply eliminate all other players at the table.
A Sit ‘n’ Go tournament’s prize pool depends on the buy-in and the number of players that join. For example, a Sit ‘n’ Go tournament with a buy-in of 100 Sweeps Coins that has six players will have 600 Sweeps Coins go to the last remaining player.
Sit ‘n’ Go at Global Poker is available as Texas Hold’em or Omaha. While Crazy Pineapple is another option, it’s a somewhat rare sight.
Jackpot Sit ‘n’ Go
A Jackpot Sit ‘n’ Go is the exact same as a regular Sit ‘n’ Go, except a jackpot is randomly generated rather than a set prize pool based on the number of players.
The higher the price of the Jackpot Sit ‘n’ Go, the higher the potential random jackpot.
The highest potential Jackpot Sit ‘n’ Go Top Prize is 200,000 Sweeps Coins, which is higher than most multi-table tournaments.
Casino Games
If you want a break from playing against other players, Global Poker also offers a handful of sweepstakes online casino games.
At the time of writing this article, they offered Blackjack Classic, Blackjack Premium, and Caribbean Poker for card games as well as the slots Lightning Nudge Wild and Diamond Panther.
You can play these casino games using Sweeps Coins, win additional Sweeps Coins, and redeem them for a cash prize or take them back to the poker rooms, your choice.
The games are independently audited for randomness and fairness, just like at a real-money online casino.
Playing Sweepstakes Poker In Florida: Common Questions
When you win Sweeps Coins at Global Poker or another sweepstakes poker site, they can be redeemed for a cash prize. The amount of the cash prize directly correlates to how much you have in Sweeps Coins winnings.
This means you cannot receive Sweeps Coins for free, then redeem them for cash prizes. They must first be used on ring games, Sit ‘n’ Go, or tournaments. Whatever remains is cleared for withdrawal.
18. You must be at least 18 years old to play sweepstakes poker from the State of Florida. The same is true for all states where Global Poker is allowed.
No. Sweepstakes gaming sites are required to allow all players the opportunity to win for free. You will need to verify your age and identity to receive free Sweeps Coins as well as redeem cash prizes at Global Poker. However, you never need to purchase anything to play with Sweeps Coins for a chance to win a cash prize or gift card. But you can purchase Gold Coin packages that include Sweeps Coins at Global Poker if you so choose.
Peak hours at Global Poker are between 5 PM and midnight EST. Since Florida falls into this time zone, these hours are especially convenient for Florida players.
Don’t forget that the West Coast (except for Washington) has access to Global Poker, meaning you’ll have a good amount of traffic almost all times of the day or night. This is especially true for Saturdays and Sundays.
Yes, online poker players of all types will like sweepstakes poker at Global Poker for a few reasons. This includes a massive number of players, many of which are inexperienced and therefore easy for experienced players to beat. Also, you can win cash prizes without making a purchase, so there’s no good reason not to join and play at Global Poker if you like online poker.
Yes. Global Poker has a few different types of casino games in addition to multiplayer poker games. The casino games include five-reel and three-reel slots, Caribbean poker, and two types of blackjack. Global Poker also plans on releasing additional sweepstakes casino games to their site. These are different from the games offered at Chumba Casino despite both sites sharing a parent company. In fact, Global Poker’s blackjack is better than Chumba’s.
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