How to Start the Casino Letter Writing Side Hustle: A Complete Beginner’s Checklist
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you sign up through certain links below, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Help! I’m New is dedicated to helping you earn money and gain freedom online, honestly and practically.
So you have heard about writing letters to sweepstakes casinos and you want to know exactly what to do from day one. This post is for you. No hype, no fluff, just the practical checklist of what you need, what to do in what order, and what will get your letters rejected if you are not careful.
This is the setup guide I wish had existed when I first started looking into this.
Before You Write a Single Letter
There is groundwork to lay before you touch a pen or buy a stamp, and skipping it is one of the most common beginner mistakes.
Check your state eligibility. Sweepstakes casinos are not available everywhere. States where participation is generally not permitted include Connecticut, Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, and Washington. Some casinos have additional state restrictions on top of these. Always verify your specific state against each casino’s terms before setting up an account.
Create and fully verify your casino accounts. Before any letter you mail can be processed, your account must be ID verified and address verified. This means submitting a government-issued photo ID for identity and a utility bill or bank statement for address confirmation. If your account is not verified, the casino will not process your letters and your coins will not drop. This step can take a day or two and needs to happen before you mail anything.
Make sure your name and address are consistent everywhere. The name and address on your casino account, on your ID, on your request card, and on your return envelope must all match exactly. Even a missing middle initial or a slightly different address format can void a letter. Decide on one exact version and use it everywhere from the start.
Supplies You Need
The good news is that startup costs for this side hustle are genuinely low.
You will need blank 4×6 index cards (unlined, white), number 10 envelopes (standard business size), a blue or black ballpoint pen (check each casino’s ink color requirement), and stamps. A book of stamps runs around $14 for 20, putting each stamp at about $0.73. Buy in bulk if you plan to write volume.
An organizational system matters more than most people expect. A simple notebook or spreadsheet to track which casino you sent to, the date mailed, the postal request code used, and the expected processing window will save you significant frustration as your pipeline grows. Keep in mind that processing can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months, so tracking is the only way to know what is pending, what has dropped, and what may have been rejected.
The Letter Writing Process, Step by Step
Each casino has its own specific requirements, but this is the general framework that applies across most of them.
Log into your casino account and navigate to the Sweepstakes Rules page, usually linked at the bottom of the homepage. Find the mail-in entry section and locate the link to generate your Postal Request Code. Each code is unique, valid for a limited window (often 30 to 60 days), and can only be used once. Write it down immediately.
On a blank 4×6 card, handwrite your full name exactly as it appears on your verified ID, your email address associated with the account, your full return address exactly as it appears on your verified account, the postal request code, and the required statement. The required statement is something like “I wish to receive Sweeps Coins to participate in the sweepstakes promotions offered by [Casino Name].” Copy it word for word. Misspelling a single word can void the letter.
Place the card inside a stamped number 10 envelope. On the front of the envelope, write your return address in the top left and the casino’s mailing address in the center. Some casinos also require specific words on the envelope front such as “Sweepstakes Entry” or “Sweeps Coins Credits.” Check the specific requirement for each casino.
Do not fold the card. Do not use lined paper. Do not print anything. Everything must be genuinely handwritten.
Common Rejection Reasons (and How to Avoid Them)
This is the section most beginners skip and then wonder why their letters are not paying out months down the line.
Using lined paper instead of blank paper. Every casino requires a blank, unlined card or paper. Spiral notebook pages get rejected.
Wrong ink color. Several casinos, including Chumba, specify blue ink only. Using black ink on those letters gets them voided.
Address mismatch. Your return address on the envelope and the address on the request card must match your verified account exactly. If you moved recently and have not updated your casino account, your letters will not process.
Expired postal request code. Most codes expire 30 to 60 days after generation. If you generate codes and let them sit too long before mailing, they become invalid.
Wrong envelope or card size. Number 10 envelopes are the standard requirement. The 4×6 card dimension is specific. Do not substitute.
Sending too many letters too quickly. Some casinos cap the number of requests you can send per month. Sending above that limit can result in all your entries being disqualified, or worse, your account being flagged.
Corrections. If you make a mistake while writing, the correct fix is white correction fluid (Wite-Out). Do not cross out or write over errors. Some casinos will reject letters with visible corrections, so writing carefully the first time is always better.
The Wait and What to Do During It
After you mail a letter, processing takes anywhere from a few weeks to several months depending on the casino and their current volume. During holidays and high-volume periods, it can stretch even longer. This is normal and expected. It is not a sign something went wrong.
The most important thing during this period is not to resend letters you think were lost. Sending duplicate entries can look like an attempt to game the system and get your account flagged. Wait out the full processing window before assuming a letter was not received.
Use this time to set up your organization system, work through any remaining account verification steps at new casinos, and learn which games at each casino work best for playing through your coins when they arrive. Low-volatility slots with high return to player rates are where most experienced letter writers play through their Sweeps Coins to protect their balance.
When Your Coins Drop
When coins land in your account, you have a required playthrough before you can withdraw. Most casinos require a 1x playthrough, meaning you wager the coins once in games before redeeming. Some require more. Check the specific requirement for each casino.
Most experienced letter writers play low-volatility games for their playthrough rather than high-volatility slots. Lower risk means your balance is less likely to swing dramatically during the required wagering period.
Once the playthrough requirement is met and you have reached the casino’s minimum redemption amount (often 50 Sweeps Coins), you can request a payout via PayPal or bank transfer, depending on the casino.
Getting Your First Letters Right
Everything in this checklist is achievable on your own. The process is not secret and the core information is available publicly.
The part that trips most beginners up is the detail variation between casinos and the lack of feedback on their own work before mailing at volume. Given that it can take weeks to months before you know whether a letter was accepted, getting your format right before sending a big batch matters enormously. A mistake you made in month one might not show up as missing coins until month three.
Send It Academy offers organized, updated templates for each casino, a personal review of your notecard before you scale, and a community of active letter writers who track drop times and share what is currently working. If you want to skip the trial-and-error phase, that is where to start.
If you prefer to figure things out independently, use this checklist as your framework and take your time with the first casino before expanding to more. Either way, good luck. This is a real side hustle with real people earning from it, and the details are learnable.
