Read the fine print
Winning a contest can feel great, but businesses don’t give out prizes out of generosity.
They want as much data as possible, and not just from the lucky winners. Of course, you will need to provide contact information to receive any prize, but you may be asked for additional information.
The amount of data you provide should be minimal and should not be used for any purpose without your consent.
For example, a supermarket cannot pass your details on to a travel company without your express permission.
According to general data protection regulations, an organization can only request information that is necessary. For example, if it asks for your date of birth, it would have to have some relevance to the competition.
The only exception to handing over data would be for an in-person event where you may only need to provide your details if you win.
Know the rules for the entry of children
Marketers may not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 12 without first obtaining the verifiable consent of their parent or guardian.
Manufacturers of food products with high fat, salt or sugar content should under no circumstances target people under 16 years of age.
Children are not permitted to participate in alcohol competitions and age verification will be required prior to the awarding of age-restricted prizes.
Companies are also prohibited from targeting children with promotions that involve a purchase requirement.
Generally, companies and organizations will ask a parent or guardian for consent for each child who wishes to participate in a competition.
Create a new email address
Most, if not all, competition providers will confirm your participation by email and possibly send you the newsletters and marketing you have signed up for.
Set up an email account dedicated to your records so messages don’t clog up your inbox. Check your junk folder and social media alerts regularly as many prizes remain unclaimed.
Enter lottery tickets
You have to be in it to win it. Think of it as a cheap and fun hobby where the prizes are bonuses, and don’t get discouraged if you don’t start winning right away.
Look for contests with lots of prizes. You may have less chance of winning something if there is only one grand prize.
However, try to avoid addictive contests that use raffle promotions and premium rate texting.
Try
Look for the ones that require a bit of work as this should increase your chances of winning.
15 years ago money blogger Emma Bradley started taking part in competitions and won £10,000 in cash and products in her first year. He recommends those who ask to submit a video to enter, as they have fewer participants.
Di Coke, who writes the SuperLucky blog, has won prizes worth around £350,000 and helps others win big. He suggests contests that include sharing a selfie on Instagram, taking part in a radio quiz, buying a specific product at the supermarket, playing on apps or creating a TikTok.
Use your skills
For example, if you are good at writing, choose a contest related to something you know and write about.
Cyber and security expert James Bore won $750 (£587) using his knowledge of the Luddites and the film WarGames.
He recommends finding people involved in judging and adapting and promoting your work accordingly. He says, “You don’t have to be a master writer, but spend some time writing related articles to keep your skills sharp,” he says.
Use listing websites
These sites will help you quickly and easily find lots of competitions to enter. They provide links to prize draws and giveaway information that includes social media posts. TravelScoop links to numerous holiday contests, while Prize Finder lists contests where you can win just about anything.
Consider the price
Most prizes are non-transferable, so focus your efforts on the best ones for you. Also think about the prices for the gifts.
Kimba Cooper-Martin helps businesses use games in their marketing. He says, “Look for businesses that sell something you want and see if they’ve run contests on their social media. If the prizes on offer are things you’d like to win, sign up for their email list or get notified of their posts on this social media channel.”
Share the fun
Cola advises to join forces with friends. “They’ll help you win more by tagging you in giveaways and even sharing prizes.”
You can join groups for advice, support and collaboration. Her free Lucky Learners Facebook group has over 22,000 members.
Be aware of the scam
“You’ve won” emails are commonplace. Never click on any links in emails or texts where you do not know the sender.
Scammers create fake social media profiles, fake websites and often ask you to enter your credit card details to pay for the delivery of your prize. Don’t react.
Follow the rules
Jeremy Stern, founder of PromoVeritas, which organizes promotions for big brands around the world, refers to people who try to win by breaking the rules as “scampers.”
On one occasion, his company received 385 listings with different names from the same address in an attempt to circumvent the “one listing per household” rule. He also says to remember copyrights and permissions. PromoVeritas was once caught up in a dispute over who should win a prize for a horse photo – the horse’s owner argued that it should be them, rather than the person who took the photo and entered the contest.
Stern warns that while AI is increasingly being used for listings, his company uses software that can remove images, and if it looks like a scam, it gets deleted.