How to Win Sweepstakes
Find any sweepstakes to enter., Choose which sweepstakes to enter., Know your odds of winning., Read the rules carefully and follow them to the letter., Print legibly., Provide the right answer., Enter as many times as possible., Distinguish your...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Find any sweepstakes to enter.
It's not too hard to find sweepstakes.
You can enter them at the grocery store, at the bank, at fundraisers, or on the internet.
You might even get invitations to enter sweepstakes in the mail! You probably want to enter most of these sweepstakes of course, but if you're really serious about winning, you need to actively seek out sweepstakes.
Start reading the newspaper and going through your mail more carefully.
Carry a notepad and pen with you to jot down the details of any sweepstakes you might see on TV or hear on the radio.
Search the Internet.
There are even online databases, some free and some by subscription only, that can clue you in to hundreds or thousands of sweepstakes. -
Step 2: Choose which sweepstakes to enter.
Not all sweepstakes are created equal.
For one thing, if you have to buy something to have a chance to win, don't enter.
If you have to complete some sort of program (which usually entails buying things) to enter—–those annoying pop-ups for free iPods come to mind—–don't enter (unless it's realistic to complete and free); remember that a lot of these opportunities are about gathering personal information to bug you with advertising down the track.
There are plenty of chances to win without jumping through hoops or wasting your money.
Beyond that, your decision to enter should be based on your own preferences.
Here are a few things to consider.
What can you win? Sweepstakes with a large sum of prize money are almost always worth entering, just because it's so much money.
Sweepstakes with smaller prizes can be great because you generally have a more realistic chance of winning.
However, don't waste your time entering a sweepstakes for a prize you don't want or couldn't easily sell for a good profit.
Will your privacy be protected? Unfortunately, the answer to this question is almost certainly "no".
Ask yourself: is a lifetime of junk mail, spam, or even sales calls worth the small chance of winning the prize? Probably not.
Different sweepstakes offer different degrees of privacy, and they should disclose what they will do with your personal information.
Read the fine print, and if you're not comfortable with their use of your information, don't enter.
Keep in mind that even companies who claim to respect your privacy will probably sell it anyway; this type of fraud, though illegal, is very common and very difficult to enforce against.
This is an especially pervasive problem with online sweepstakes, as they'll often sell your email address to spammers who will bombard you with unwanted emails.
That said, keep in mind that you can't really expect something for nothing, and sometimes you may decide that giving away some information is worth the chance of winning the prize. , You usually don't know what the exact odds of winning are because it will depend on the number of entries.
You can, however, estimate the odds.
If you get an entry form in the mail for a sweepstakes with a huge prize, you can be assured of a ridiculous number of entries.
If you see a jar at a local restaurant for a free lunch, however, you know your odds of winning will be much greater––you may even be able to see how many entries are in the jar.
The number of entries will generally depend on the size of the prize, the range of the target audience (local contests usually have better odds than national contests), the duration of the sweepstakes (a weekly drawing is better than a monthly drawing), and how well publicized the sweepstakes is.
You'll also want to consider how many prizes will be given away.
A contest that receives hundreds of thousands of entries but offers a thousand prizes has odds of hundreds-to-one.
That means you would likely need to enter hundreds of times in order to win even a single prize.
Does this all mean that you shouldn't bother with big contests? Maybe not, unless they're offering big prizes or plentiful prizes. , You can't expect to win if you don't play by the rules.
Go through the contest rules with a fine-tooth comb.
Some are very simple, but others are not.
If you don't follow the rules exactly, your entry will be disqualified.
The good news is that many people don't follow the rules, a fact which increases your chances of winning.
One rule that almost all sweepstakes have is an entry deadline.
You've got to beat the deadline or you won't win. , Make sure that other people can read everything you write on your sweepstakes entries, particularly your contact information.
If you have atrocious handwriting, consider typing your entries if the rules allow it.
If not, ask someone with neat handwriting to write it out for you. , Some sweepstakes require that you answer a question correctly.
There's no point in entering these if you don't have the right answer, so check and double-check the accuracy of your answer before sending in your entry. , The more times you enter, the better your odds.
It's as simple as that.
Before you send in a million entries, however, make sure you know how many entries the rules allow you.
If you send in one too many, you'll be disqualified.
Additionally, rules may stipulate "one entry per day" or "one entry per envelope." If you're having to pay postage for each entry, consider your budget, and don't get carried away, especially if the prize isn't worth much.
Bring entry forms home.
If you can just drop your entries into a box, take some entry forms home with you so that you can fill out as many as the rules permit without feeling crunched for time.
Space out your entries.
Assuming that the number of times you can enter is constrained, either by the rules or by your budget, don't send in or drop in all your entries at one time.
Wait a few days or weeks (depending on the contest) between entries so that when the entries get mixed together you've got a better chance of one of your entries landing on top. , There isn't much you can do to distinguish your entry online, but for paper entries it doesn't hurt to give yourself a little competitive edge.
Use a large envelope.
Many mail-in sweepstakes simply drop the envelopes into a big bin and have someone pull one out.
A bigger envelope has a better chance of being pulled.
Many sweepstakes, however, have rules regarding the size of envelope or postcard you can use, so you can't always use this trick.
Decorate your entry.
Sometimes the person picking the entry will be blindfolded, but many times they will not be.
Set your entry apart by using a brightly colored envelope, applying stickers, or otherwise decorating the entry (within the rules, of course) so that it catches the eye.
Fold your entry in a unique way.
For drop-your-entry-in-the-box sweepstakes, fold each entry so that it's attractive and bulky.
An accordion-style folding job or some simple origami may make your entry more likely to be picked over all those entries that are simply folded down the middle. , Once you've won, you've still got to make sure you get your prize, and that usually requires you filling out some affidavits, possibly notarized, or completing some kind of paperwork in a timely fashion.
Follow through on claiming your prize, and make sure you meet any deadlines.
Watch out for scams, though (see Warnings section below).
You may need to agree to being photographed and having your photo displayed online or in a newspaper article.
If this isn't something you want to happen, read the fine print before entering. -
Step 3: Know your odds of winning.
-
Step 4: Read the rules carefully and follow them to the letter.
-
Step 5: Print legibly.
-
Step 6: Provide the right answer.
-
Step 7: Enter as many times as possible.
-
Step 8: Distinguish your entry.
-
Step 9: Follow the requirements to claim your prize.
Detailed Guide
It's not too hard to find sweepstakes.
You can enter them at the grocery store, at the bank, at fundraisers, or on the internet.
You might even get invitations to enter sweepstakes in the mail! You probably want to enter most of these sweepstakes of course, but if you're really serious about winning, you need to actively seek out sweepstakes.
Start reading the newspaper and going through your mail more carefully.
Carry a notepad and pen with you to jot down the details of any sweepstakes you might see on TV or hear on the radio.
Search the Internet.
There are even online databases, some free and some by subscription only, that can clue you in to hundreds or thousands of sweepstakes.
Not all sweepstakes are created equal.
For one thing, if you have to buy something to have a chance to win, don't enter.
If you have to complete some sort of program (which usually entails buying things) to enter—–those annoying pop-ups for free iPods come to mind—–don't enter (unless it's realistic to complete and free); remember that a lot of these opportunities are about gathering personal information to bug you with advertising down the track.
There are plenty of chances to win without jumping through hoops or wasting your money.
Beyond that, your decision to enter should be based on your own preferences.
Here are a few things to consider.
What can you win? Sweepstakes with a large sum of prize money are almost always worth entering, just because it's so much money.
Sweepstakes with smaller prizes can be great because you generally have a more realistic chance of winning.
However, don't waste your time entering a sweepstakes for a prize you don't want or couldn't easily sell for a good profit.
Will your privacy be protected? Unfortunately, the answer to this question is almost certainly "no".
Ask yourself: is a lifetime of junk mail, spam, or even sales calls worth the small chance of winning the prize? Probably not.
Different sweepstakes offer different degrees of privacy, and they should disclose what they will do with your personal information.
Read the fine print, and if you're not comfortable with their use of your information, don't enter.
Keep in mind that even companies who claim to respect your privacy will probably sell it anyway; this type of fraud, though illegal, is very common and very difficult to enforce against.
This is an especially pervasive problem with online sweepstakes, as they'll often sell your email address to spammers who will bombard you with unwanted emails.
That said, keep in mind that you can't really expect something for nothing, and sometimes you may decide that giving away some information is worth the chance of winning the prize. , You usually don't know what the exact odds of winning are because it will depend on the number of entries.
You can, however, estimate the odds.
If you get an entry form in the mail for a sweepstakes with a huge prize, you can be assured of a ridiculous number of entries.
If you see a jar at a local restaurant for a free lunch, however, you know your odds of winning will be much greater––you may even be able to see how many entries are in the jar.
The number of entries will generally depend on the size of the prize, the range of the target audience (local contests usually have better odds than national contests), the duration of the sweepstakes (a weekly drawing is better than a monthly drawing), and how well publicized the sweepstakes is.
You'll also want to consider how many prizes will be given away.
A contest that receives hundreds of thousands of entries but offers a thousand prizes has odds of hundreds-to-one.
That means you would likely need to enter hundreds of times in order to win even a single prize.
Does this all mean that you shouldn't bother with big contests? Maybe not, unless they're offering big prizes or plentiful prizes. , You can't expect to win if you don't play by the rules.
Go through the contest rules with a fine-tooth comb.
Some are very simple, but others are not.
If you don't follow the rules exactly, your entry will be disqualified.
The good news is that many people don't follow the rules, a fact which increases your chances of winning.
One rule that almost all sweepstakes have is an entry deadline.
You've got to beat the deadline or you won't win. , Make sure that other people can read everything you write on your sweepstakes entries, particularly your contact information.
If you have atrocious handwriting, consider typing your entries if the rules allow it.
If not, ask someone with neat handwriting to write it out for you. , Some sweepstakes require that you answer a question correctly.
There's no point in entering these if you don't have the right answer, so check and double-check the accuracy of your answer before sending in your entry. , The more times you enter, the better your odds.
It's as simple as that.
Before you send in a million entries, however, make sure you know how many entries the rules allow you.
If you send in one too many, you'll be disqualified.
Additionally, rules may stipulate "one entry per day" or "one entry per envelope." If you're having to pay postage for each entry, consider your budget, and don't get carried away, especially if the prize isn't worth much.
Bring entry forms home.
If you can just drop your entries into a box, take some entry forms home with you so that you can fill out as many as the rules permit without feeling crunched for time.
Space out your entries.
Assuming that the number of times you can enter is constrained, either by the rules or by your budget, don't send in or drop in all your entries at one time.
Wait a few days or weeks (depending on the contest) between entries so that when the entries get mixed together you've got a better chance of one of your entries landing on top. , There isn't much you can do to distinguish your entry online, but for paper entries it doesn't hurt to give yourself a little competitive edge.
Use a large envelope.
Many mail-in sweepstakes simply drop the envelopes into a big bin and have someone pull one out.
A bigger envelope has a better chance of being pulled.
Many sweepstakes, however, have rules regarding the size of envelope or postcard you can use, so you can't always use this trick.
Decorate your entry.
Sometimes the person picking the entry will be blindfolded, but many times they will not be.
Set your entry apart by using a brightly colored envelope, applying stickers, or otherwise decorating the entry (within the rules, of course) so that it catches the eye.
Fold your entry in a unique way.
For drop-your-entry-in-the-box sweepstakes, fold each entry so that it's attractive and bulky.
An accordion-style folding job or some simple origami may make your entry more likely to be picked over all those entries that are simply folded down the middle. , Once you've won, you've still got to make sure you get your prize, and that usually requires you filling out some affidavits, possibly notarized, or completing some kind of paperwork in a timely fashion.
Follow through on claiming your prize, and make sure you meet any deadlines.
Watch out for scams, though (see Warnings section below).
You may need to agree to being photographed and having your photo displayed online or in a newspaper article.
If this isn't something you want to happen, read the fine print before entering.
About the Author
Angela Harvey
Enthusiastic about teaching organization techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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