Dedicated contest and sweepstakes sites.

Contest and sweepstakes hints and tips #9.

Article September 2003 © Copyright Lots of Luck Advertising

As you are here at www.lots-of-luck.com, you are already on the right path, to using sites dedicated to finding and listing contests and sweepstakes.   This will save you time in finding which contests and sweepstakes to enter.

Visit www.lots-of-luck.com for more contest and sweepstakes hints and tips, as well as access to lots of contest and sweepstakes entries.

As you are aware, there are vast numbers of contest and sweepstakes sites out there.  How do you find them, and what to look for?

It's easy enough to find any web page with contests and sweepstakes, including contest and sweepstakes dedicated sites. Using the search directory www.google.com: In June of 2005, there were over 31 million web pages with the search word of 'contests'... this has increased to over 217 million web pages in July of 2006; In June of 2005, there were over 6 million web pages with the search word of 'sweepstakes'... this has increased to over 50 million web pages in July of 2006.   - Yikes!  Of all the contest and sweepstakes pages and sites listed, there are some that are misleading in that they actually don't have contests or sweepstakes that you want to enter, some are out-of-date, some apply to other parts of the world, some contain only an individual contest or sweepstake, and some are sites dedicated to contests and sweepstakes.

There is lots of competition out there in the contest and sweepstakes dedicated sites. Some site just list contests and sweepstakes. Other site offer services that for a fee, they will enter the contests and sweepstakes on your behalf. So whether you find a contest and sweepstakes site through search directories, or through word-of-mouth, what should you look for?  Personal preference comes into play here, as does of course common sense.  Here are a few areas of concern you might want to consider in using the services of dedicated sites:

• Are the contests and sweepstakes free to enter?
  
• Are the contest or sweepstakes sponsors identified?   (ie. is the sponsor name prominently displayed?)
  
• How is the site content?  (ie. is the content useful, helpful, etc?)
  
• How is the site organized?  (ie. are the contests and sweepstakes sorted by date, prize, residency, etc?)
  
• How often is the site updated?  (ie. daily, occasionally, weekly, monthly, yearly, etc?)
  
• Does the site link to 'inappropriate' sites?  (ie. pornography, gambling, etc?)
  
• Does the site have links that are difficult to get out of?  (ie. disabling the 'back' function browser key, linking to a different site when you attempt to exit, numerous pop-up windows, etc?)
  
• Is it worthwhile to enter the contests and sweepstakes?  (ie. what are the prizes?)
  
• Do you have to pay a fee to enter the contests and sweepstakes, or to collect a prize?  (you shouldn't have to)
  
• Are the rules and regulations of the contest or sweepstakes listed or linked to?  (if you can't read the rules, then how can you ensure that your entry will be valid?)
  
• Do you know the closing date of the contest or sweepstakes?  (if the closing date is not published in the rules, then how can you be sure that the contest isn't already over?)
  
• Does the dedicated contest and sweepstakes site, or the contest or sweepstakes sponsor, have a 'privacy policy' listed on their web page?  (they should)

These hints and tips articles are listed as guidelines only.  They are listed as information to help you to develop your own strategy in entering contests and sweepstakes. Click on a hints and tips article from the list below, and you will be taken to a more detailed page:

Contest and Sweepstakes Hints and Tips

1. Always read and follow all the Rules and Regulations of any contest or sweepstakes.
   
2. Keep a journal of your entries into contests and sweepstakes.
   
3. More important things to be aware of.
   
4. Where to find contests and sweepstakes.
   
5. A trend in rules and regulations.
   
6. Original entry forms only.
   
7. The best time to enter contests and sweepstakes.
   
8. Be aware of scams.
   
9. Dedicated contest and sweepstakes sites.
   
10. Automated entries.
    
11. The 'UPC'.
12. The four leaf clover.

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