Whether you’re an experienced sweeper or new to the hobby, you might be making some of these common, but big mistakes. In this article, you’ll learn how to prevent such mistakes, and avoid disqualification.
Not Reading the Rules
Sweepstake rules can be full of legalese and lengthy, but it's still very important to take the time to read through them all. By reading the sweepstakes' rules, you could find new ways to get entries, avoid disqualification, and improve your odds of winning. After getting the hang of the terminologies and how the rules are laid out, reading the rules will be a lot faster and less frustrating. Plus, they’ll save you time that you might have spent entering contests you couldn't win.
Not Following the Rules to the Letter
All sweepstake sponsors take their rules very, very seriously. In fact, they can disqualify you for any deviation from their instructions. If you don't follow the sweepstakes' entry restrictions, your entries may be disqualified. If mail-in sweepstakes ask you to send an entry by postcard, don't mail your entries in an envelope. Also, if an online giveaway demands a code, don't just assume that your entry was accepted just because the form went through without one. If you follow the rules, you won't waste your time entering sweepstakes, just to be disqualified over a technicality.
Lying about Eligibility
If you happen to lie about fulfilling the qualifications, such as saying that you own a small business when you don't or if you’re a non-smoker entering a contest for smokers only, the sponsor will catch and disqualify you. What’s even worse is that you’ve made it more difficult for companies to reach their target audiences. This makes their giveaways less profitable and could reduce the number of sweepstake offers in the future. There are a ton of great sweepstakes out there to choose from. If you don't qualify for one, find another one to enter.
Complaining about Prizes
Sponsors put a lot of money, time, and effort into running big or small sweepstakes. If the sweepstake winners complain about their prizes, most sponsors are likely to stop running sweepstakes altogether and use their marketing budget in other ways instead. If the prize is as described in the rules, and you don't like it, thank the sponsor, and hope to win a better prize next time.
