The Difference Between Sweepstakes And Contests
Many websites online offer enormous prize thru sweepstakes, contests, instant games and lottos. That is why it is straightforward to puzzle them and use these terms interchangeably. But sweepstakes are not the same as contests. The difference is sort of easy.
Contests require afactor of skill. You deliver the goods, be it a poem, an essay or a recipe and you win if you are good enough. Naturally, the product you deliver is generally employed by the promoter; failing which there could be an entry fee for collusion.
Sweepstakes on the other hand give away prizes solely on chance. They’re winnings of luck; no element of ability comes in. A random winner is picked from the entries and offered anything from a TV set to an opportunity to tour a favored vacation destination or big cash payments. Prizes rely on the promoter and the item they are promoting and may alter from basic items like t-shirts or scents to cars, houses, travel deals and huge cash rewards.
In the US, sweepstakes are legal while lotteries are not. Three common elements define both sweepstakes and lotteries. They’re : Prizes/Chance winners/Compensation
To avoid becoming an illegal lotto, a sweepstake must ensure that it doesnot have all of the three elements. It can have any two, but not all of them. Obviously, the 1st two elements can’t be evaded so that the 3rd one is left out. That is why legitimate sweepstakes NEVER ask for an entry fee or compensation. In brief free sweepstakes are legitimate, paid ones are fraudulent! Sweepstakes cannot even demand a little of your winnings.
So, what are some of the things you must watch out for while entering sweepstakes? First, check out if the sweepstake applies to your location. Some locations like Quebec, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island and Florida are thought to be void locations, meaning if you belong to this locality, you cannot enter.
Secondly, find if your age fits the factors of the particular sweepstake. Most sweepstakes are open to the over 18 and over 21 classes. However some promoters allow children over the age of 13 to participate under adult supervision.
Finally, see whether there is any limit on the amount of entries you can send in. For example, some promotions are single-entry contests; others let you enter once daily. Many allow unlimited entries. Frequency depends completely on the sponsor. You can discern it by going through the Rules section.
Remember, before you enter any contest, it is vital to check out the guidelines governing it. Why? It would be a pain to fill out all the info and then discover at the bottom of the page ( or when you hit the submit button ) that you are not eligible for whatever reason, isn’t it?
Tags: Internet Sweepstaking, Sweepstake Advantage, Sweepstakes
