Crosswashing

Overview: Crosswashing means betting both sides of the same roulette spin or baccarat hand on 2+ different sites, so one bet wins while the other loses. It doesn't make playthrough cheaper. However, it makes the cost predictable, so one bad run can't wipe out the value of a good deal. Crosswashing can carry account risks: sites can see it, and their terms give them room to cut your bonuses or close your account. Read the pitfalls before you try it for yourself.

If you're new, start with our new player guide. This guide assumes you know what Sweeps Coins and playthrough are.

Why players do it

Before you can cash out Sweeps Coins, most sites make you bet them at least once (playthrough). Every bet has a small built-in cost (the house edge), so clearing playthrough costs you a little bit on average.

The trouble is that "on average" hides big swings. Clear 100 SC on a single color at roulette and you might finish with 85 or 115. Your profit will average out over several months, but volatility can hurt in the short run.

Crosswashing removes most of the volatility. If you bet the same amount on red and on black, one wins and one loses. Your balance barely moves, and both bets count toward playthrough. Optimal crosswashing makes your playthrough costs 100% predictable and consistent.

The cost stays the same

This is the part most people get wrong. Covering both sides doesn't lower the house edge. Each bet still carries its own edge, so the average cost of clearing playthrough is about the same as betting one side. What changes is how much the result can swing:

Figures come from each bet's standard house edge. When possible, avoid American roulette or any other roulette variant with more than 1 green zero.

Playthrough multiplies the cost. At a site with 3× playthrough, you bet every coin three times, so European roulette costs about 8.1 SC per 100 SC you start with.

Roulette, step by step

On a European wheel, there are 18 red numbers, 18 black numbers, and 1 green zero.

1. Bet the same amount on red and on black on the same spin. Players usually do this on two sites that show the same live table (ex., ICONIC21 Live Roulette).
2. On any red or black number, one bet wins, one loses, and you're even.
3. Cover the zero with 1/36 of your total bet amount, as zero will hit a couple percent of the time. Over time, you can and will hit the zero, even if your individual chance each spin is relatively low.

Always cover the zero

Always add a small bet on zero so a green result doesn't hit both sides at once. A zero bet pays 35 to 1, so to break even on a zero, your zero bet needs to be about 1/36 of your total wager. With 18 SC on each color, that's about 1 SC on zero.

This doesn't change the average cost, but it turns an occasional big loss into a small, steady loss on every spin. Check the table minimum for single-number bets: if it's 1 SC, each color bet needs to be about 18 SC for the zero cover to fit.

Baccarat, step by step

Baccarat has two main bets: Banker and Player. A tie is a push, so you get your bets back.

1. Bet the same amount on Banker and on Player, usually on two sites showing the same live table.
2. If Player wins, you're even.
3. If Banker wins, the site keeps a 5% commission on the Banker win, so you lose 5% of one bet.
4. On a tie, both bets push.

That works out to about 1.15 SC per 100 SC of playthrough, making it the cheapest common option. Two cautions:

• Ties and playthrough. Some sites may not count a pushed bet toward playthrough. If they don't, the cost per coin cleared rises to about 1.27 SC per 100. Check the site's rules before crosswashing.
• "No commission" tables don't charge 5% on Banker wins, but they adjust the payout differently, often paying half on a Banker win with a total of six. Read the table's rules before assuming the math above applies. In general, avoid "no commission" tables.

The pitfalls

Sites watch for crosswashers

Most sweepstakes terms we've read don't ban "betting both sides" by name, but they do give the site broad room to act. Terms commonly let a site:

• Withhold or cancel bonuses it thinks you're using "to gain an advantage".
• Close accounts for coordinated play with other players on the same games.
• Ban "systematic" methods of play or collusion.
• Keep your balance if your account is closed for breaking the terms.

Betting red and black from one account on the same spin is the easiest pattern for a site to spot. Two-site crosswashing is harder to see, which is why players use it, but it still leaves patterns.

Bet sizes that look like crosswashing

Many sites flag bets in multiples of 36, and other common roulette crosswashing patterns. Those sizes are typical because they make the zero cover come out even: 18 on each color with 1 on zero, or totals of 36, 72, or 360. The same sizes at the same table, spin after spin, are easy to spot.

As a rule of thumb, vary your bet sizes, amounts, and how you structure each session. No one has shown this helps, but there's no reason to make the pattern easy to spot.

Sites owned by the same company

Many sites share a parent company, and companies can share account data and risk teams across their sites. If you bet red on one and black on its sister site, both bets can land in front of the same people, tied to the same name and ID.

Some examples of companies that run several sites:

• B2 runs McLuck, Hello Millions, PlayFame, SpinBlitz, Jackpota, and MegaBonanza.
• VGW runs Chumba Casino, LuckyLand, and Global Poker.

Each site page on Smart Money Sweeps names its parent company when we've confirmed it, and our companies page lists every site under each one. Always pair sites from different parent companies.

Two people, two accounts

Splitting bets with a friend (you bet red, they bet black) is what "coordinated play" clauses describe, as is using someone else's account. Every account, card, and bank account must be in the player's name, and identity checks link accounts to people. Do this at your own risk.

One side doesn't go through

If one bet fails to place, lags, or gets rejected before the spin, you're left with an ordinary bet on one color. Make sure both bets are accepted and that both sites show the same result afterward. For example, WOW Vegas has a history of dropping bets, so use reliable sites for crosswashing.

Games that don't count

Some sites don't count table or live games toward playthrough, or count them at a lower rate. Crosswashing there burns coins without clearing anything. Check each site's rules first. Some sites also pay less than the standard rules; check the game's rules or paytable.

The usual result is a promo ban

The most common consequence players report is a promo ban. The site stops sending you sale offers and bonus coins, but your daily login bonus may still come through. Account closures happen less often, but they happen, and a closed account can mean losing your SC balance.

Should you crosswash?

Crosswashing makes sense when you've just bought a good deal and a bad run would cost you more than you can comfortably lose. For daily login coins, regular low-swing play is usually enough and carries no account risk.

Overall:

1. Use European roulette or baccarat. Skip American roulette or other version of roulette with a double or triple 0. Each additional zero significantly cuts your RTP.
2. Always pair sites from different parent companies.
3. Use only your own accounts.
4. Vary your bet sizes, amounts, and session structure.
5. Check that the game counts toward playthrough.
6. Accept that you may lose access to the site's offers if done incorrectly.