Sweepstakes 101 - Introduction to Contests and Sweepstakes

Learn the basics about contests and sweepstakes - what they are, what rules govern them, and why sponsors offer great prizes for free.

Subscribe to the free sweepstakes newsletter at About.com Contests to receive the latest sweepstakes news, tips, and advice. Find out what to expect from the newsletter, get answers to your privacy concerns, learn how to unsubscribe, and more.

Tips and hints to walk you through the process of entering sweepstakes from beginning to end.

Sweepstakes can be broken down by a number of different categories. Learn about the different types of sweepstakes to help you find the ones you most want to enter.

Have you been putting off entering sweepstakes because you don't think you can ever win? Find out what it takes to really win sweepstakes - it's easier than you expect!

Share your sweepstakes opinions with these fun sweepstakes polls.

Sweepstakes is a great hobby in many ways above and beyond what you can win by entering. What about sweepstakes makes you thankful? Share your favorite things about sweeping here, or read why other people love sweepstakes.

Mentions of sweepstakes can pop up where you least expect them. Read about mentions of sweepstakes, contests, and lotteries on TV or in the movies. If you see a sweepstakes mention in a fictional show, share your story, too.

Find out how to change the email address that you use for sweepstakes entries, while losing as few of your sweepstakes entries as possible.

I had to change the email address I use to enter sweepstakes unexpectedly when my email provider went out of business overnight. About.com readers share their tips for making a smooth transition between email addresses, without wasting their sweepstakes entries.

Are you a sweepaholic? This fun article shares tips on how you can tell the difference between someone who enters sweepstakes and true sweepaholics.

If your odds of winning sweepstakes are so long, why should you bother entering? Learn about some of the top reasons why people love sweeping, aside from the prizes they can win.

Throughout my years of entering sweepstakes, I've heard some of the same myths repeated over and over again. Here, I'll do my best to dispel some of the most common sweepstakes myths and misconceptions.

Tommy Rollins, who was in charge of sweepstakes at Circuit City before the electronics retailer went out of business, answers questions about the sweepstakes hobby from the sponsors' perspective.

Winnie the Pooh

About.com readers share tips on using sweepstakes prizes as holiday gifts. Find out what works, what doesn't work, and whether it's worth giving away prizes as presents over the holidays.

Do sweepstakes effectively increase brand loyalty for companies? About.com readers share their stories about the times that they have become fans of a product, service, or television show after hearing about them from sweepstakes. See submissions

If you've ever wondered how the winners of the Nobel Peace Prize are chosen, About.com Contests explains the process

Are you looking for new contests and sweepstakes to enter? Here are some ideas to help you find as many sweeps as you can enter.

If you're new to sweepstakes entry and are wondering how many sweepstakes you need to enter daily to win, this article will help.

Entering as many sweepstakes as possible is the best way to win sweepstakes. But sometimes there are good reasons to pass some sweeps by. Here are five reasons not to enter sweepstakes.

Do you ever wonder if anyone ever really wins sweepstakes, and who those lucky winners are? Every month, I ask my readers who has won prizes in the month before. Here, you can easily find their answers. Just click on the month you want to hear about the prizes, both big and small, that my readers have won. Let their luck motivate you to keep entering more sweepstakes!

I have a list of sweepstakes that I try to enter every day, but sometimes I need to go through and weed out the ones that aren't worth entering anymore. Do you do the same thing? What makes you give up on entering a particular sweepstakes?

Ed McMahon was famous for his association with sweepstakes. Read more about Ed McMahon's life, and frequent misconceptions about his work.

Are you determined to win more in the New Year? Share your sweepstakes resolutions here!

Successful sweepers find time in their busy schedules to enter sweepstakes every day. When is your favorite time to enter sweepstakes? Share your opinion.

Do you have to use your real birthday to enter sweepstakes? Or can you fudge the date to throw off identity thieves? Find out here.

Are you thinking of running sweepstakes for your company? Here are some tips from Tommy Rollins, the former sweepstakes administrator for electronics retailer Circuit City.

What is the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest all about? Find out here!

Need help staying motivated to enter sweepstakes? These songs, with themes that center around winning and luck, could be just what you need to play while entering to keep your spirits up, your will strong, and your fingers entering those sweeps!

Would you like an easy way to stay up-to-date on the latest contest and sweepstakes news? If you use Gmail as your email service, you're in luck. Here's an easy way to stay informed about sweepstakes news.

Some prizes are popular with sweepstakes sponsors because so many people enjoy receiving them that the sponsors can be sure that they will be a good draw for their giveaways. Luckily, this also means that many people will also love to receive them as gifts. Here are ten popular sweepstakes prizes that are given away in such quantity that they...

Do people really win sweepstakes? The answer is a resounding yes! Read winning stories from real people who have won amazing sweepstakes prizes.

Over time, any dedicated sweeper is bound to accumulate a pile of unwanted wins. Here are some ideas for finding good homes for prizes that you don't want or can't use, ensuring that they don't go to waste.

Learn how to follow good sweepstakes etiquette and encourage sponsors to hold more sweepstakes.

Entering sweepstakes is a lot of fun, but it is time consuming. If you're having trouble finding time to enter sweepstakes , there's good news: you can win prizes for things you are doing anywhere. Here are some ways you can win prizes without making any extra effort.

I resisted setting up a sweepstakes email account on Gmail, because I didn't want to have to log out of my personal email account to check my mail. But then I stumbled across this easy trick for forwarding my sweepstakes email to my regular Gmail account. Find out how.

Do you think no one really wins sweepstakes? The truth is that lots of people win sweepstakes every month, and you can read all about them. Sweepstakes winners share their stories about their most recent prizes here. You can share the news about your prize wins, too!See submissions