What Kinds of Sweepstakes Can I Enter?

By Sandra Grauschopf, About.com Guide

How enter sweepstakes affects the cost of your hobby as well as your chances to win. Some common entry methods include:

1. Online Sweepstakes

   Online sweepstakes allow you to enter using your computer and your internet connection.
   • Advantages: Easy to enter, free of charge.
   • Disadvantages: Because online sweepstakes are free and easy to enter, there is usually more competition for the prizes, and therefore a lower chance to win.

2. Email Sweepstakes

   Email sweepstakes are a type of online sweepstakes where you send the sponsor an email with your entry information.
   • Advantages: Free to enter, better odds than other online sweepstakes
   • Disadvantages: Usually more time-consuming than regular online sweepstakes.

3. Mail-In Sweepstakes

   Mail-In sweepstakes involve sending your entry to the sponsor by postal mail.
   • Advantages: Fewer people tend to enter mail-in sweepstakes, so the odds are higher.
   • Disadvantages: Time consuming to enter. You must pay for postage.

4. Call-In Sweepstakes

   Call-in sweepstakes have a phone number that you use to give your entry information to a representative.
   • Advantages: Less known than online sweepstakes.
   • Disadvantages: Must be careful of hidden phone charges. More time-consuming than online entries.

5. Drop Boxes

   Drop boxes are often found at supermarkets, malls, conventions, and local businesses. You fill out an entry form and drop it in a box.
   • Advantages: Free and easy to enter. Oftentimes, drop box sweepstakes are local entry only, meaning your odds of winning are significantly higher.
   • Disadvantages: You must be at the location of the drop box to enter. It can be difficult to tell if the sweepstakes are legitimate.

6. Text Message Sweepstakes

   Use your cell phone to enter sweepstakes. Some sweepstakes use text sweepstakes as an alternate entry method, while other sweepstakes can only be entered by text.
   • Advantages: Entering text sweepstakes is as easy as sending a text message to a short code.
   • Disadvantages: By entering, you may be agreeing to receive marketing messages by text. You may also be subject to standard and premium text message charges.
   • All about Entering Text Message Sweepstakes
   • What SMS Short Codes Are
   • How to Send Texts to Short Codes

7. Twitter Sweepstakes

   Twitter is a micro-blogging platform that companies are using to give away prizes.
   • Advantages: Not all sweepers have jumped on the Twitter bandwagon yet, meaning that your odds of winning are high.
   • Disadvantages: You have to be careful that the sweepstakes you are entering are legitimate. There is a learning curve for using Twitter, and it might seem difficult to use at first (though it's easy once you get the hang of it).
   • How to Enter and Win Twitter Contests
   • Twitter Review for Sweepstakes Fans
   • Twitter Contests on the Sweepstakes Forum

8. Facebook Sweepstakes

   Facebook is a very popular social media website, which many companies are using to offer sweepstakes.
   • Advantages: Fewer people tend to enter sweepstakes on Facebook than online sweepstakes, so the odds of winning may be good.
   • Disadvantages: To enter Facebook sweepstakes, you usually need to "like" the company's pages, and sometimes you need to allow applications access to your Facebook account. Be sure to Remove Facebook Applications that you're not using anymore.
   • How to Win Prizes on Facebook
   • Sweepers Share Opinions of Facebook Sweepstakes
   • How to Share Facebook Sweepstakes without Annoying Your Friends
   • Facebook Contests and Sweepstakes to Enter

9. Radio Contests

   Many radio stations offer giveaways with prizes ranging from concert and movie tickets to cars and cash.
   • Advantages: Many of these giveaways are local, so you aren't competing with sweepers from around the country.
   • Disadvantages: You have to be alert as well as lucky to win.
   • How to Win Radio Contests

10. Blog Contests

    Blogs are a powerful voice on the internet, so companies are turning to them to offer giveaways promoting their products.
    • Advantages: Fewer people enter blog contests, raising the odds of winning.
    • Disadvantages: Not all blog contests are fair about giving away prizes. It can be hard to sort through all of the blogs.
    • How to Win Blog Contests

Previous

• What Kinds of Sweepstakes Can I Enter?
• Sweepstakes Organized by How You Win
• Sweepstakes Organized by Entry Method
• Sweepstakes Organized by Entry Frequency
• Sweepstakes Organized by Prize
• Sweepstakes Organized by Who Can Enter
• Types of Contests

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