HOW TO WIN SWEEPSTAKES AND CONTESTS

Welcome to the world of sweepstakes. You will find sweepstakestaking to be a very exciting and rewarding hobby. This guide will show you how you can "beat the odds" and win frequently. Anyone can, and we can help you win through our newsletters.

What Are Sweepstakes?

sweepstakes are random drawings for prizes sponsored by various organizations to draw attention to their product or service. When an organization offers a sweepstakes it must adhere to many state and federal laws. One of the most important laws for you to understand is that no purchase is required to enter a sweepstakes. Many people believe that you won't win unless you buy the sponsors product, this is not true. Many winners of sweepstakes do not purchase the sponsors product. The sponsor is hoping you will become aware of and try their product by offering a sweepstakes to draw your attention to the product. Most sweepstakes are handled by an outside judging agency. This helps the promoter insure that everything will be handled properly and legally.

Skill Contests

Do not confuse sweepstakes with contests. Contests winners are judged to win by their skill. When an organization offers a contest, it usually will require a proof of purchase. This is legal because a contest is not a random drawing, winners are chosen by judges for their skill. Some of the more common contests are for recipes, writing, or drawing. Winning contests can be easy if you are skilled in the area required. There are usually far fewer entries in a contest than a sweepstakes.

Game Sweepstakes And Lotteries

Game sweepstakes are different from other sweepstakes because they have predetermined odds. There are only so many game pieces printed so the odds can be calculated. The odds are displayed in the rules. There are many types of game sweepstakes. Some of the more common ones are instant win games, match and win games, and collect to win games.

Instant win games are the easiest to play, usually you scratch off the game piece with a coin and see if you are a winner. In match to win games you usually must bring the game piece to a display (if you can find one) to determine if you are a winner. Collect and win games require that you save game pieces and try to complete a phrase or complete a picture, etc. These usually have one rare piece, necessary to win. In most games the odds are very remote of winning a major prize. Occasionally you will find a game that has quite reasonable odds, and it is worth the effort to send for additional game pieces. I have found this to be rare though. The best part about game sweepstakes is the second chance drawing that many of them offer to win prizes that go unclaimed in the game portion of the sweepstakes. This is explained later.

Lotteries are not really a good investment. Winning depends only on luck. Unlike sweepstakes you must pay for a lottery ticket. The value of the prizes offered must be less than the amount taken in for all the lottery tickets sold. For this reason on the average if you kept buying lottery tickets until you won, you would spend more than you would win. sweepstakes prizes on the other hand, are paid for by the promoter and an entry is the cost of a stamp. Many sweepstakes entries have a far greater value than the postage they cost. When this is the case, you can win a far greater amount than you spend entering the sweepstakes.

Finding Sweepstakes To Enter

sweepstakes are everywhere. On the TV, in the newspaper, on the radio, in magazines and in stores. Once you decide to enter sweepstakes, the problem won't be finding sweepstakes, the problem will be deciding which ones to enter. Learn to keep your ears and eyes open for interesting sweepstakes. Keep a pen and paper near the TV or radio so you can jot down the information needed to enter. When your shopping, look for ``take one'' forms offering sweepstakes. The inserts in the Sunday newspaper are usually full of sweepstakes.

Reading The Sweepstakes Rules

This is a very important aspect of entering sweepstakes. You may need a magnifying glass to do it, but don't enter a sweepstakes without first reading the rules. Most entries will consist of a 3X5 card or a 3x5 piece of paper with your name and address on it. Some sweepstakes will require a ``qualifier'' to be sent with your entry. A qualifier is usually a phrase or the name of the sponsors product on a 3X5 card or paper. Most sweepstakes you may enter as often as you like, but on some only one entry is allowed. Every sweepstakes is different so you must follow the rules. Why go to the work of preparing several entries in a particular sweepstakes, only to have them disqualified because you did not prepare the entries correctly? Always hand print your entries, any mechanically produced entries will be disqualified.

Entering Sweepstakes

Before entering a sweepstakes, you should go down to the local office supply store and purchase these items: plain 3x5 cards, plain 3x5 paper, #10 or smaller envelopes, pens and possibly a clipboard. Work on one job at a time. Filling out 3x5's at one time and addressing envelopes at another. This way you will be more productive than if you assembled one entry at a time. You may want to put your name and address on 3x5's and stockpile them for future entries. Remember to always enter exactly as the rules state.

Internet Sweepstakes

Many sweepstakes can be entered on the Internet. The big advantage to entering online sweepstakes is there are no postage costs, although you do have to subscribe to an online service. The disadvantage is time. It takes time to hunt down and find sweepstakes to enter. Many Internet sweepstakes are ongoing without deadlines, and offer smaller prizes, on average, then mail-in sweepstakes. Most online sweepstakes are limited to one entry per person (sometimes one entry per day), so multiple entries are usually not an advantage. More and more sweepstakes are being offered online all the time. Many companies find sweepstakes a good way to attract people to their web-site and often ask for you to register, give a referral, or complete a survey or game in order to enter.

Picking The Right sweepstakes

Entering as many sweepstakes as you can find that appeal to you is one good way to start winning, but being selective can help you win without as much time and effort. Being selective of what you enter is one of the best ways to win often. Obviously, a sweepstakes that offers thousands of valuable prizes is a better sweepstakes than one that offers only one large prize. Entering several sweepstakes many times is also better than entering many different sweepstakes one time each. Think of the difference of entering a sweepstakes with one prize once as opposed to entering a sweepstakes with thousands of prizes 50 times. The latter example would have thousands of times better of a chance to win than the first example. What you want to do is win, and you can win by getting the odds in your favor. Below are some examples of good and bad sweepstakes, I will explain each of these below.

Here is a brief discussion of the aspects of a good sweepstakes, enter these!

Many valuable prizes--this one is obvious. The more prizes available, the better your odds of winning one will be.

TV/radio sweepstakes--Because it is difficult to remember an address or difficult instructions on the TV, the number of entries goes way down. A VCR comes in handy here.

2nd chance drawings--Believe it or not! Most prizes in collect and win or match type games go unclaimed. Even in instant win type games a good percentage of prizes go unclaimed. Many of these games offer a second chance drawing for all prizes not claimed in the game portion of the sweepstakes. This is great for us since most people don't bother to enter the second chance drawing for unclaimed prizes. Your odds of winning some second chance drawings can be fantastic!

Local sweepstakes-- Because they are local there are far fewer entries than in a nationally advertised sweepstakes. Some local sweepstakes offer very nice prizes.

sweepstakes that are difficult to enter--These include a number of different types of sweepstakes, such as: sweepstakes that have long qualifiers. sweepstakes that require you to send a self addressed stamped envelope to receive each entry. sweepstakes that require you to answer a difficult question that requires some research. Many types of sweepstakes could fit into this category.

Hard to find sweepstakes--These are sweepstakes that are not heavily advertised and are not found in the typically high circulation magazines and newspapers. sweepstakes that have a very short entry deadline-These sweepstakes you must enter fast. There is not time for many people to enter them especially with multiple entries.

sweepstakes that are to a targeted audience--These are sweepstakes that are open to certain people. For example, a sweepstakes might be restricted to a certain age group.

Now you will see what kind of sweepstakes to stay away from:

One or few prizes--Chances are slim of winning with only one prize offered, even with many entries.

Multiple ways of entering--You see a lot of these lately. The ones you can enter via a coupon or a rebate form. These sweepstakes should have more than an average amount of entries, lowering your chances of winning.

Only one entry allowed--It is tough to win a sweepstakes with one entry. Multiple entries is your best way of getting the odds of winning in your favor.

Heavily advertised sweepstakes--You know the ones! They are everywhere, on TV on the radio, in the newspaper. These sweepstakes will draw huge amounts of entries.

sweepstakes with a very long duration--These sweepstakes give the promoter a lot of time to advertise the sweepstakes and also allows the entrants a lot of time to enter and enter again and again.

Now you're starting to get an idea of what to look for. Once you find a desirable sweepstakes to enter, remember to enter often.

Enter Sweepstakes Often

Entering often, is the key to winning. The more entries you send in, the better chance you have of winning. The number of times you enter a sweepstakes depends on your budget and what your willing to risk for the prizes offered. Keep in mind that you're not going to win in every sweepstakes you enter but if you follow these guidelines you will win and win frequently.

When You Win Sweepstakes

First off a warning! If you receive a notice or phone call stating you won a sweepstakes, and they ask for a fee to claim your prize, or require a purchase, THIS IS A SCAM! NEVER SEND MONEY TO CLAIM A PRIZE! It is very exciting when you win your first sweepstakes prize. You will almost always be notified by mail. Usually you will be required to fill out an affidavit and have it notarized and send it back to the judging agency. When you win a smaller prize you may just receive the prize in the mail. Most winners will be notified within a month or two of the end of the sweepstakes but occasionally it will take longer. Trust the judging agency, if you're a winner they will notify you. Some people will send for the winners list to see if they are on it, if you're on it you will already know, so don't bother.

"Best Sweepstakes Newsletters''

In our monthly Newsletter, "Best sweepstakes Newsletter'', we feature several of the best sweepstakes available every month along with listing about 50 other current sweepstakes. We also decipher all the rules so you know exactly how to enter a particular sweepstakes. Every month we offer subscriber articles, announce winners, and answer subscribers questions about sweepstakes. For the serious sweepstakestaker we also offer "Best Extra" a 4-page newsletter mailed the 1st and 15th of each month first class mail. "Best Extra" contains about 20 more sweepstakes and contests that cannot be published in "Best sweepstakes Newsletter" because of their quick closing dates. These sweepstakes typically have fewer entrants than other sweepstakes. "Best Weekly" is a 6 page newsletter published weekly and lists 30 sweepstakes each issue.

A Few More Sweepstakes Tips

1. When the word "plain" is used you must use white unlined papers & cards. Use paper for "paper", a card when rules ask for a "card". Only one entry per envelope. 3x5's must be mailed in envelopes. Always print legibly on your 3x5's, never use rubber stamps, labels, etc.
2. Avoid using a PO Box for your address or sending entries with metered mail, because this is sometimes not allowed.
3. Envelopes usually can be typed (I prefer to hand address all my envelopes to be safe), but never if the rules say "mail in a hand addressed envelope". Number 10 envelopes (business size 4-1/8x9-1/2) are preferred since they are larger and are often required.
4. Return addresses are optional. You can use labels or rubber stamps for return addresses if you like.
5. Postcards may be used only if the rules ask for a "postcard". Postcards can be 3-1/2x5 to 4-1/4x6. Postcards may be purchased at the Post Office for $.24 each.
6. sweepstakestaking is a hobby! Very few people win enough to live off of their winnings. Don't have too high of expectations.
7. Send at least one entry to each sweepstakes you would like to win. Most successful sweepstakestakers I talk to never send more than 20 or 30 entries to a sweepstakes (1000 entries doesn't guarantee a win).
8. Spread your entries over the life of the sweepstakes.
9. Enter more than the sweepstakes in this newsletter. be on the look out for in-store drawings, local drawings, Official entry form only sweepstakes, etc.
10. If it adds pleasure, decorate your envelopes. I don't believe it helps in national drawings, but it may give you an edge in local drawings.
11. If you don't want the prize offered, don't enter. A cash alternative is rarely offered.
12. Don' sweat the taxes! You only pay taxes on the "fair market value". Most people will have little if any tax burden from winning a trip, if you win a substantial prize it can always be sold.
13. sweepstakes scams do exist, never give out credit card numbers, or pay money to claim a prize, even if it supposed to be for taxes or shipping charges. Any letter requesting money to claim a prize is bogus!
14. Formulate a budget for your hobby and stick to it.

15. Enter contests if you have a knack for writing short essays, photography, or cooking. They have far fewer entries than sweepstakes. A purchase is sometimes required to enter a skill contest though.