Many people are confused about the difference between contests and
sweepstakes. The basic difference is that contests
are games of skill, while sweepstakes are games of chance.
Drawings and raffles are sweepstakes. Checkers, baseball and darts
are contests.
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SKILL
In a contest the winner is determined entirely based on skill.
You can improve your chances by becoming more skillful, by practicing,
and by working carefully.
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LUCK
In a sweepstakes the winner is determined strictly by luck.
There is absolutely nothing you can do to improve your chances,
other than following the rules.
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BETTER ODDS
The odds of winning a sweepstakes are extremely small. In big sweepstakes
the odds can be less than 1 in 100,000,000. It is rarely even worth a
postage stamp to enter. In our contests we usually have less than
100 entries. Your chance of winning is typically around 1 in 4.
That is more than a million times better than many sweepstakes.
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ENTRY FEES
Since sweepstakes are games of chance, it is illegal to charge an
entry fee. That would be gambling. Gambling by mail or by phone
is illegal.
Contests usually charge an entry fee. It is worth the fee
because the odds are so much better.
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TRICKERY
Sweepstakes often deliberately try to trick people. They make it look
like your chance of winning is very high, when it is really very low.
So sweepstakes have a very bad reputation.
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CONFUSION
Some sweepstakes try to appear legitimate by calling themselves contests.
This is very confusing to people. They cannot tell real contests, like the
ones at The Contest Center, from sweepstakes.
That is exactly what sweepstakes promoters want. Don't be fooled.
Many people believe that it is illegal for contests to charge
entry fees. This is because so many sweepstakes call themselves
contests. Sweepstakes are not contests.
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OUR ADVICE
Our advice is this: if you enjoy sweepstakes, enter as many as you
like on the Internet, where they cost nothing. Never enter sweepstakes
through the mails. They are not worth the cost of the stamp.
If you want good winning odds, however, stick to genuine puzzle contests,
and skip the sweepstakes. Puzzle contests are worth the entry fee
because your chances of winning are vastly better.
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