Tips to Winning Contests & Sweepstakes

[Ammi]

Two parts:

1. How about some tips for ORGANIZING your contests? My bookmark folder is getting very LONG... I read somewhere that someone is using an excel spreadsheet - what would that look like/include? wouldn't it take more time to fill that out than to enter the contests...?

2. I'm concerned after reading this thread about not c/p contest links into other windows before entering... I have won quite a bit in the past without doing this but now I'm wondering just how many times I may have been disqualified for coming from a contest site.... Any big winners out there who have entered without c/p-ing???

[misslollieputty]

I use a spread sheet - it's a pain to type everything out (daily or not/company/prize/website address/when they draw the prize)...but it's worth it so you don't forget!

[tvwatcher]

I use a spreadsheet too, with tabs for daily, weekly, monthly etc., plus a tab for my wins with the date I won, and the date I received the prize, and the value of the prize so I can tally it up at the end of the year to see how much, or how little, I won.

[noonefan]

Wow I wish I knew how to do all these neat ways of keeping track of contests. All I do is have different folders for daily, weekly monthly, 1 time only etc.

[Gchar]

awesome thread thanks!

[jamieasma]

Lots of good info. Thanks!

[Matt17]

Yeah, I wouldn't worry too much about it. I just can't for all my imagination think of a routine that would catch a script or a macro. If anyone can think of one please chime in.

Here's a sample taken from a set of contest rules that is really explicit and clear:

"Entries generated by script, macro, robotic, programmed, or any other automated means are prohibited and will be disqualified."

It's simple, clear and unequivocal.

The issue of whether you want to take what I've said and take a chance on it being true is entirely up to you. Maybe there's a piece of software out there that is really good at detecting scripts and macros. I just can't think of what it would do.

To my knowledge the only way to combat scripts/macros is by implementing a CAPTCHA (for those who aren't big nerds: the images you have to read-off and manually enter).

From Wikipedia:

CAPTCHA is vulnerable to a relay attack that uses humans to solve the puzzles. One approach involves relaying the puzzles to a group of human operators who can solve CAPTCHAs. In this scheme, a computer fills out a form and when it reaches a CAPTCHA, it gives the CAPTCHA to the human operator to solve.
Spammers pay about $0.80 to $1.20 for each 1,000 solved captchas to companies employing human solvers in Bangladesh, China and India.

What a crappy job filling in those CAPTCHAs everyday...poor guys.

[jomom75]

I saw someone ask about phone number options but there were no replies....so thought I would ask again to see if anyone has any suggestions .
We are going to be canceling our home phone in a couple of weeks because we never use it(tired of paying $55 a month just to have constant telemarketers to block) but I don't want to give my cel number for contests and risk increased spam calls and texts. Anyone else in the same boat? Any suggestions? I haven't been doing contests lately but really want to get back at it, just not sure what I should do about the phone thing.

[amyt0915]

I saw someone ask about phone number options but there were no replies....so thought I would ask again to see if anyone has any suggestions .
We are going to be canceling our home phone in a couple of weeks because we never use it(tired of paying $55 a month just to have constant telemarketers to block) but I don't want to give my cel number for contests and risk increased spam calls and texts. Anyone else in the same boat? Any suggestions? I haven't been doing contests lately but really want to get back at it, just not sure what I should do about the phone thing.

I always give my cell number, and I never get calls from people that I don't want calling I say go for it!

[CarsMommy]

I always give my cell number, and I never get calls from people that I don't want calling I say go for it!

Me too....telemarkers don't just get your numbers from contests that you sign up for...from my knowledge that's not how they do it.....When I did it (in my much younger days...and only lasted about 2 hours) we were given a legal size sheet with at number like this...604-555-11_ _ and the square #'ed 1 thru 99....so even if you have a "private" number they will still get it, unintentionally of course....but hey I haven't gotten any spam calls on my cell....my home number...landline...different story...got rid of it....happy with just the cell number Good Luck....I say go for it too!

[ghemotoc]

I saw someone ask about phone number options but there were no replies....so thought I would ask again to see if anyone has any suggestions .
We are going to be canceling our home phone in a couple of weeks because we never use it(tired of paying $55 a month just to have constant telemarketers to block) but I don't want to give my cel number for contests and risk increased spam calls and texts. Anyone else in the same boat? Any suggestions? I haven't been doing contests lately but really want to get back at it, just not sure what I should do about the phone thing.

http://www.freephoneline.ca/

[ILUVMYPUGTOADIE]

thanks for all the info!

[totobo]

I use a spreadsheet too, with tabs for daily, weekly, monthly etc., plus a tab for my wins with the date I won, and the date I received the prize, and the value of the prize so I can tally it up at the end of the year to see how much, or how little, I won.

Wow! You're so organized . I wouldn't have thought to add the date the prize will be received and values and everything but that must make everything so easy!

[kicklegs]

Thank you! I especially liked the tip about radio stations/newspapers. I never would have thought of that.

[kicklegs]

Me too....telemarkers don't just get your numbers from contests that you sign up for...from my knowledge that's not how they do it.....When I did it (in my much younger days...and only lasted about 2 hours) we were given a legal size sheet with at number like this...604-555-11_ _ and the square #'ed 1 thru 99....so even if you have a "private" number they will still get it, unintentionally of course...

When I did charity calls, the numbers were randomly generated by the computers, so I assume telemarketers these days do the same. But agreed, I don't think they buy numbers from contest sponsors. If anyone would do that, I'd bet on Readers Digest ...