When you look for sweepstakes online, you will likely come across lotteries and contests, in addition to sweeps. So, how different are these three forms of promotions? And, if you are a sweeps enthusiast, should you also try entering lotteries and contests? Read on to know.
What is a lottery?
In the United States, you will need to pay to participate in a lottery drawing. Also, unlike sweepstakes, companies that run lotteries typically offer cash prizes. Lottery drawings are almost always completely random. Every single individual who participates has an equal chance of winning.
What are sweepstakes?
Sweepstakes are a type of promotion conducted by businesses to boost their engagement. Due to this, they don’t require participants to pay a fee to submit their entry. Even if a purchase is required, sweepstake sponsors are legally required to provide an alternate method of free entry. While luck plays a role, sponsors usually offer additional entries for performing activities like sharing posts on social media, visiting a certain website, watching a video, or referring friends, thus increasing one’s chances of winning. Like lotteries, sweepstakes winners are typically chosen at random.
What is a contest?
Contests or competitions usually require participants to complete a certain skill-based action for their entry to be counted. For instance, a contest run by a restaurant may require you to shoot a video of you trying out a recipe or post a photo. The winner is usually judged based on the quality of their entry as opposed to being selected through a random draw, like in the case of sweepstakes and lotteries.
Which type of promotion should you enter?
If you are serious about winning, it’s best to enter all three -- lotteries, sweepstakes, and contests -- promotions. Not only will diversifying your entries increase your odds of winning, but it will also help keep things interesting for you.
