Keep Your Eyes Out for Chances to Win - Even Where You Wouldn't Expect It
Yes, you read that right, and no, it wasn't Starlight Express. It was the Texas Lonestar Rollergirls, a punk-inspired roller derby league that competes on a banked track, and boy was it fun. It offered competitors in costume, fans dressed up in big clown wigs to support skater "Curly Su-icide," humorous announcers who kept us clueless audience members informed about what was happening on the track, and some really serious competition that had us ooohing and cheering throughout the bout. And best of all for us sweepers, they offered great chances to win at half time.
One of the referees (on rollerblades, of course) would attach prizes like hats or t-shirts to a broom handle, and skate around the track, waving the items like a flag. The eager crowd would try to snatch the prize off of the broom while the ref taunted them by waving it tantalizingly close. Now that's an interesting way to hand out prizes, for those of us used to filling out form after form. I'm proud to say that I snatched a very nice gray shirt for my husband, which is not only a great souvenir, but also a pretty useful prize.
Not everyone is close enough to Texas to attend one of these fun roller derby events (unfortunately! I'd attend every week, if I weren't only in town for a conference), but the point I wanted to make is that chances to win are all around you - and some of the best odds may be in the places you'd least expect them. Keep your eyes open for local sweepstakes and other unusual chances to win, even as you go about your daily sweepstakes routine.
Comments
I’ve noticed that in some sweepstakes there is a rule stating that a cash prize, in the form of a check, “may be” used for/toward a certain thing (e.g. cleaning services or a vacation). Do the sweepstakes sponsors and judging agencies consider “may be” to really mean “may ONLY be”, or are they using this wording to imply that the winner has the option of using the money for other purposes?
That’s a great question, and to get the answer you need to read the rules of the sweepstake carefully. Most of the time, “may be used” indicates that you can also use the cash for something else, but sometimes you still need to use it for their intended purpose. Usually, the description of the prize or details in the rules will clarify the situation for that specific sweep.
I won passes to see the Toronto Rocks (our lacrosse team) and during 1/2 time they also threw t-shirts into the audience but many times during the game they announced several sweepstakes to be entered on your cellphone during the came and in the 4th quarter they would call the winner. So always take your fully charged cellphone to sporting events.
I’m glad that you enjoyed yourself.
Roller derby is enjoying a national resurgence, as a real sport I might add, although the Lonestar Rollergirls are one of only a very few who skate on the banked track. It’s costly!
However, chances are that your local flat track league will give away “swag,” everything from t-shirts to buttons and stickers many just for the asking, and admission is very reasonable, a bit more than a movie, generally.
Go to your favorite search engine and type in the name of your city or town and “roller derby” and find your local roller derby league.
It’s great entertainment for very little money, and you stand a chance to pick up some very cool and unique swag. How many of your friends have a roller derby team on their t-shirt?
That’s a great tip, Carolyn, thank you!
Mike, that was a great tip. We did a search and found some teams in our area, which was really exciting! I also saw on the TXRD website that you can buy webisodes of the bouts online. That might be a way to catch up on the skaters that we grew to love last week!