Pikkit QR CodeQR Download
Get the App

What Is Courtside? How the App Works

Author:  
Sam Bryan
Checked By:  
Ryan Bornemann
8 min read
Published:  
October 5, 2026

Courtside is a social sportsbook app where you make picks on NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and soccer with virtual currency. You never wager real money directly. It runs on a sweepstakes model. That structure lets it operate in states where regulated online sportsbooks are not available.

This guide covers how the Courtside app works and what its two currencies do. It also covers redemption, state availability, and whether Courtside is legit. If you are ready to sign up, the Courtside promo code page has the current welcome offer and full terms.

How the Courtside App Works

Courtside is built by Courtside Games Inc. You will find it on iOS and Android as Courtside - Social Sportsbook. The layout will feel familiar to anyone who has used a sportsbook. You browse games, choose outcomes, and build them into entries.

The difference is what you play with. On a regulated sportsbook, you deposit cash and bet it. On Courtside, you play with Courtside Coins or Courtside Cash. Coins are for entertainment. Cash is the sweepstakes currency that can be redeemed for prizes.

That model is what the word "social" means in social sportsbook. You are playing a sweepstakes game built around sports outcomes. It is not a real-money wager under state betting law. The practical upshot is reach. Courtside can serve players in many states that have no legal online sportsbook at all.

The app also carries arcade and social casino style games. They run on the same two currencies, so your balance works across the whole app.

Courtside Coins vs Courtside Cash

Every sweepstakes app runs two currencies. Knowing which is which is the key to understanding Courtside.

Courtside Coins: the freemium play currency. Coins carry no cash value. You buy them in packages or earn them through play. Use them to learn the app and make picks for fun.

Courtside Cash: the sweepstakes currency. This is the one that leads to real prizes. Cash is not sold directly. It arrives free as a bonus with eligible Coin purchases, through social media giveaways, or by mail-in request.

The mail-in route is worth knowing. Sweepstakes platforms have to offer a free way to play. Courtside's version is a handwritten request that returns 5 Courtside Cash each time. You can send up to 50 requests per entry period. That is a real path to a redeemable balance without spending anything.

Best for: anyone who wants to try the app first. Start with Coins, learn the markets, then move to Cash picks.

Watch for: the playthrough step on Cash. Play it once at -300 or longer and it counts toward redemption.

What You Can Make Picks On

Courtside picks cover the major US leagues plus soccer. The catalog leans toward the NBA and NFL, which suits anyone who follows basketball and football closely.

Leagues: NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, soccer and more.

Pick types: player outcomes and team outcomes, built into entries.

Other games: arcade and social casino style titles that use the same currencies.

If you already bet player props at a regulated book, the player side of Courtside will feel natural. You are choosing outcomes on stat lines and results. The currency underneath is the part that changes. Our sports betting terms glossary covers props, entries and the rest of the vocabulary.

How Courtside Redemption Works

Redemption is where Courtside Cash turns into a prize. Four rules decide how you get there.

1. Play your Cash through once. Use Courtside Cash in a Cash game at odds of -300 or longer. Most standard picks qualify. Courtside's rules allow up to twenty uses.

2. Reach 50 Courtside Cash. That is the minimum balance for a redemption request.

3. Verify your identity. Redemption runs a standard KYC check with a government-issued ID and a biometric scan. Processing takes up to 30 days.

4. Redeem up to $5,000. That is the cap per sweepstakes entry period.

Here is how the playthrough looks in practice. Say you hold 60 Courtside Cash. You play it on a pick at -150, which clears the -300 line. Once that Cash has been used, your eligible balance counts toward the 50 minimum. From there you submit a request and complete the ID check.

Multi-use playthrough rules are standard across the sweepstakes category. Clear the step once and your balance is ready to redeem.

Where Courtside Is Available

Courtside is live across most of the country for players 18 and older. Eligibility is based on where you are when you play, not where you live.

Not available in: California, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee and Washington.

Sweepstakes eligibility shifts as state rules change. Treat any list as a snapshot and confirm in the app before you sign up.

Best for: players in states without a legal online sportsbook who want picks on the major leagues.

Watch for: your location at sign-up. Confirm Courtside is live where you are and the rest is simple.

Is Courtside Legit?

Yes. Courtside is operated by Courtside Games Inc and published on both the App Store and Google Play. It runs under published sweepstakes rules. Those rules include a free mail-in method of entry, which is the legal backbone of any sweepstakes platform.

Prizes are paid after a standard identity check. The redemption minimum, the processing window and the per-period cap are all stated in the official rules. You know exactly what your balance is worth before you spend anything.

The best sign of a legitimate sweepstakes app is that it tells you how to play for free and how to cash out. Courtside does both.

Courtside vs a Traditional Sportsbook

Courtside and a regulated sportsbook look similar on screen. Underneath, they work differently.

Currency: a sportsbook takes cash deposits. Courtside uses Coins and Cash.

Legal model: a sportsbook is licensed state by state under betting law. Courtside runs under sweepstakes rules, which is why it reaches more states.

Getting paid: a sportsbook pays winnings straight to your balance. Courtside pays prizes through a redemption request once Cash is played through.

Age: most regulated sportsbooks require you to be 21. Courtside is 18 and older.

For a wider look at how sportsbooks, DFS apps, sweepstakes apps and prediction markets differ, see our guide to betting app types. For current offers across the category, the sweepstakes sportsbook bonuses page has every live promo.

Track Your Courtside Picks on Pikkit

Courtside syncs to Pikkit through BookSync. Once synced, your Courtside Cash picks import into Pikkit's bet tracker automatically. They sit next to every other sportsbook, DFS app and sweepstakes app you play on.

Only Courtside Cash syncs, since it is the currency with real prize value. Your Cash balance shows up too. Coins play stays in the Courtside app. Pikkit shows your results by platform and pick type, so you can see what is actually working. Our step-by-step guide on how to sync Courtside to Pikkit walks through the setup in about a minute.

Read next: the Courtside promo code and sign-up bonus page covers the current welcome offer and how to claim it.

Download Pikkit to track your Courtside picks alongside every other account.

FAQ

What is the Courtside app?

Courtside is a social sportsbook app from Courtside Games Inc, available on iOS and Android. You make picks on NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and soccer using virtual currency. It runs on a sweepstakes model, so Courtside Cash can be redeemed for prizes.

Is Courtside a real sportsbook?

Courtside is a social sportsbook, not a regulated real-money sportsbook. You play with Courtside Coins and Courtside Cash rather than wagering cash directly. That sweepstakes structure is what lets it operate in states without legal online sports betting.

Is Courtside legit?

Yes. Courtside is published on the App Store and Google Play and runs under published sweepstakes rules. It offers a free mail-in entry method and pays prizes after a standard identity check.

Can you win real money on Courtside?

Yes, through Courtside Cash. Play your Cash through once at odds of -300 or longer, then request a redemption once you hold at least 50. Redemptions run an ID check and process within 30 days. The cap is $5,000 per entry period.

What states is Courtside available in?

Courtside is available to players 18 and older across most of the US. It is not available in California, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee or Washington.

Do you have to pay to play Courtside?

No purchase is necessary. You can earn Courtside Cash through social giveaways or the free mail-in method, which returns 5 Cash per request. Coin purchases are optional and can include Courtside Cash as a bonus.

How old do you have to be to use Courtside?

You must be 18 or older and physically located in an eligible state. Courtside checks your location when you play, so travel can change what is available to you.

Can I track Courtside picks with Pikkit?

Yes. Your Courtside Cash picks and Cash balance sync through BookSync automatically. Coins play does not sync. Pikkit shows your Courtside results next to every other account you sync, split by platform and pick type.

Responsible Gaming

Play responsibly. Social and sweepstakes gaming is entertainment, not a way to make money. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. Must be 18 or older and physically located in an eligible state.

Last updated: September 2026. Sweepstakes rules and state availability are subject to change.

Pikkit QR CodeQR Download
Pikkit QR CodeQR Download