What Are Sweepstakes
Sweepstakes are promotional contests in which winners are selected entirely by random chance, rather than by skill or judgment. Participants typically enter by submitting their contact information, answering a survey, or simply registering on a website or entry form. Unlike skill-based competitions, sweepstakes do not require any purchase or payment to enter (though some may offer optional paid methods of entry). They are commonly used by companies, brands, and organizations as marketing tools to increase engagement, collect customer data, or generate excitement around a product or service. Prizes can range from cash and gift cards to vacations, cars, or high-value electronics. Because they rely on luck, sweepstakes are regulated by laws in many countries to ensure fairness and prevent them from functioning as illegal lotteries.
My Sweepstakes Experience
Sweepstakes and contests have really evolved since I started entering in 2001.
I started because my sister, who seemed to enter since she was able, had told me of her win that day, a t-shirt and cap. Hey, I said, I would love to win a T-shirt – how did you do that? And for me that was the beginning of my foray into entering.
Mostly she had entered by mail, mostly by post card and was always winning small things. She won bikes, luggage, pots & pans, t-shirts and the like. But now sweepstaking had taken a new turn – the internet had become a household word, and entering was free via this method. No more post cards, no more stamps – and since I am frugal by nature, made this something I definitely wanted to get my hands into.
I started entering in November 2001.
My sister helped me by telling me everything I needed to know to get started. I entered every single online sweepstakes I could find. Today, just as it was back then, there are several wonderful sites (some free, some not) that list the different sweepstakes that are available to enter. As a beginner I was thrilled to be able to type 120WPM and enter 20-40 a night. Later I learned there are programs to help you with that, but in the beginning I really just wanted to find the next one and type in my information, and get my chance at the prize.
My first win was at 12:15AM on 1/1/02 – and was a $200 gift certificate to Eluxury.com. Once that was under my belt, there was no stopping me – and because I was “new” to this, I had thousands of sweepstakes to enter. Not being one to do things “half-way” I then decided the more I entered the more my chances of winning, and off I went.
My first trip win was to Super Bowl XXXVII- Raiders VS Tampa Bay, courtesy of WetOnes Wipes. It was more than spectacular and only pushed me to enter more.
I still enter to this day and I call it a hobby, but it takes a few hours usually out of every one of my evenings. I am happy I can spend that time because when the UPS or FEDEX man pulls up, my hopes soar for another one of those once in a lifetime wins.
Today you can enter through the internet online, by text, through facebook, twitter, instagram, mail and iphone. The types of sweepstakes and giveaways now include what I would deem traditional and new. Traditional ones are ones that are done by major manufacturers, big name brands, and companies. The new ones are text, blog, twitter, and facebook ones. The new variety are being done by regular bloggers, as well as the big name companies everyone would easily recognize. The prizes are from the smallest free item to a trip or car.
So if you’re interested in winning something, get entering, it’s the only way to put you name in the hat and have the FEDEX man deliver you that overnight package telling YOU – that you indeed are a winner!
Sweepstakes Have Really Evolved
In days past, sweepstakes were entered by mail (mostly by post card), or on in store entry forms. Prizes where bikes, luggage, pots & pans, t-shirts and the like. You usually got your notice by mail or phone that you indeed had won.
But sweepstaking has taken a new brand new turn now that personal computers and the internet have become household words. Entering is now free and easy online. No more post cards, no more stamps, no more trips to the store. Sweepstakes and Contests can now be entered anytime of day or night from your home computer.
But sweepstaking has taken a new brand new turn now that personal computers and the internet have become household words. Entering is now free and easy online. No more post cards, no more stamps, no more trips to the store. Sweepstakes and Contests can now be entered anytime of day or night from your home computer.
Now that the volume of sweepstakes has grown significantly, YesUWon has created the YesUWon Sweepstakes Manager — a simple and organized way to enter and track sweepstakes. Manage hundreds of entries in one place, receive timely reminders, and never lose track of what you’ve entered.
Companies have made it very easy to enter online sweepstakes and many announce winners every day. Some online entries require you to return and check if you are the winner – so we at YesUWon want to step in to try and help you find out easily if you are one of those daily winners.
YesUWon will be scanning the web for all the latest winner’s, and bringing them all together in one place in an effort to help you learn if you won.
We’ll be adding a few sweepstakes each day – and hoping your the winner!
Sweepstakes US Law
In the U.S., sweepstakes sponsors are very careful to disassociate themselves from any suggestion that players must pay to enter, as this would bring them into conflict with federal lottery laws.
Sweepstakes typically involve enticements for a consumer to enter a sponsors’ promotion for prize that range from fantastic wins such as cars or large sums of money to smaller prizes that are currently popular with consumers in the United States such as Apple iPods. These enticements can include purchase of a product, signing up for email, or being a member of a certain loyalty club.
But, there should be no monetary cost to the entrant to participate in the sweepstakes prize drawing. There should always be an alternative way available in the rules to enter a U.S. sweepstakes without cost. Many times this will involve using regular mail for your entry, or to send in to receive a unique code which would then allows you to enter.
Winners should never be required to pay a fee of any type to receive their prizes. However, that doesn’t mean that acceptance of a prize will be “cost free”. In the U.S., you will report and pay income taxes on the fair market value of any prize that you win. Additionally, when winning a prize such as a trip, there will be portions that you will have to pay as not all trip wins cover things like food, some transportation costs, and incidentals.
Yes U Won, is here to help you find out if you have won one of the many sweepstakes / contests that are available in the world today. We do not give away any prizes ourselves. We simply list places you can go to enter, and some winners lists to check to see if you might have won.
More than anything we hope The Winner is YOU!
Although it seems impossible, sweepstakes are really being won by hundreds of ordinary people every day. Real prizes, like cars, trips, cash, cruises, computers, iPads, Kindles, and others, are being won by people just like you, everyday. The way to win them is to enter. If you are not in it, you can’t win it.
The larger companies usually have some sweepstakes, contests and giveaways going all the time. These sweepstakes offer lots of great prizes which run the gambit from caps, and t-shirts, and free product coupons to the more extreme ones like trips and cars! The larger companies will also hire judging and fulfillment companies to both administer and run these promotions for them. This insures full legal compliance, as well as assuring that the actual prizewinners will be chosen in an impartial manner.
Every sweepstakes you might want to enter, should have a way to enter that does not require you to purchase any of their products and services. You may have to read the rules to find out which “no purchase necessary” way is being provided. To comply with this rule – they might allow you to “ask” or “send” for an official game piece, or they may just ask that you mail in your entry instead of entering online. And while you might consider it an exception when you must mail in your entry, because this will actually require an envelope and a stamp, it still makes you a legitimate entry in the pool of possible winners.
It’s not really a sweepstakes if you have to purchase anything. The idea behind the sweepstakes rules in this country (United States) is that you cannot be required to buy anything to enter, and must not be required to pay anything to be declared the winner – or to them after you win (unless disclosed in the rules, and any of your costs associated with the prize will be listed in the rules). Examples of things you might have to pay after you are declared the winner and on your way to your dream trip location could be baggage fees, transportation to/from the hotel to the airport, any and all meals, and incidentals. The reason that you will pay for these, is that these items were not part of the prize package offered in the sweepstakes.
One thing you will absolutely have to pay if you live in the US is taxes. Uncle Sam will tax you on the “fair market value” of your win. Likely if it’s a large win, you will get a 1099 from the fulfillment house, or sponsor of the sweepstakes. Even if you don’t get a 1099, you do still owe taxes on the fair market value of any wins you receive.
Most wins will require you to provide information to the fulfillment company, usually by filling out a signed and notarized affidavit which lists all of your requirements and states the details of your prize. They may also include a copy of the rules, because you must comply with the rules and make sure you were actually eligible to win in the first place. If any point you are found not to be in compliance with the rules, the sponsor has the right to require you to give back the prize, the actual prize or the monetary equivalent. So do read the rules before you enter.
Since “You’re a Winner” is a common way for many scam artists to target you, make sure you enter legitimate contests from known companies that do not require a purchase, or any payment whatsoever. Requiring any payment to process, or administer your win is a common scam technique. If they do, move on and forget it. You do not want to be the victim in exchange for any prize. NO money needs to be spent to be declared the winner in any sweepstakes. Legitimate fulfillment houses, and companies will work with you if you have any doubts or concerns. Pay attention to the actual sweepstakes you are entering, so you know if you really did enter. You cannot win anything you didn’t enter.