Talk:Sweepstake/Archives/2012

suggestions
There is much good information here, but it would be helpful to add a section about fraudulent sweepstakes. Most of the sweepstakes on the web are legitimate. It helps to visit a website that pre-screen sweepstakes. However, as most sweepers know, once you start sweeping, your email will starting collecting fake win notices. Of course no one wants to throw away the chance at a million dollars, so how do you know whether or not it's real?

Here are some tips for spotting fraudulent sweepstakes "wins":


 * Did you enter the sweepstakes? If you didn't enter, you didn't win.  Don't believe notices that tell you that entries were put in on your behalf.


 * Removed the Apple ipod advertisement that was probably added by apple corps. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.224.105.23 (talk) 18:37, 22 March 2012 (UTC)


 * Is the 'win' from an overseas sweepstakes? No one wins the Irish Lottery - it's a fake.


 * Does the sponsor ask you for fees of any kind to 'release' your prize? Never pay for a win.  If it's real, the prize is yours and you don't pay anything.


 * Does the sponsor ask for bank account or social security information? Never give out this information!  Only scammers ask for it.


 * Should you cash the mysterious check that shows up in the mail? Only if you know where it came from.  If it's not from a legitimate sponsor, it's from a scammer who will get your bank account information from the cancelled check.


 * Does the company contact for the big cash prize have a hotmail or yahoo.uk email address? If a company is big enough to award a giant prize, it's big enough to have its own email addresses.  Don't trust wins that come from web-based email addresses.

Tip: Seasoned sweepers advise setting up an email account that you use only for sweepstakes entries. It will keep your personal email separate from your sweepstakes email.

SweepsAdvantage (talk) 23:45, 26 July 2009 (UTC)SweepsAdvantage

how they work
This article does not cover - HOW sweepstakes work - i.e.: A prize of say $1000 would have 200 entrants paying $5 to enter the game and a single winner being pulled from a hat...

It would be great if this very basic concept was covered in this article. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Chateauxc (talk • contribs).

Tennessee
There is important information redarding Tennessee residents that was removed so what is left is partially incorrect. Tennessee residents CAN enter liquor & wine sweeps by mail they just can't enter online. I am a TN resident & sweeper 11yrs+. I win a lot and I know the law. Tncat (talk)TNcatTncat (talk) —Preceding comment was added at 03:23, 28 January 2008 (UTC)

yikes!
This article has gone downhill in terms of Wikipedia format. It originally had a fairly decent general introduction:

A sweepstake is technically a lottery in which the prize is financed through the tickets sold. In the United States the word has become associated with promotions where prizes are given away for free. In other words, they specifically do not require a purchase to enter (these are called prize draws in the United Kingdom). Sweepstakes sponsors are very careful to disassociate themselves from any suggestion that players must pay to enter, as this would bring them into conflict with lottery laws. The popularity of the term sweepstakes may derive from the Irish Sweepstakes, which was very popular throughout the world from the 1930s to the 1980s.

Now it starts out with a U.S. specific paragraph more suited to the middle of the article:

In the United States consumer sales promotions known as sweepstakes or simply sweeps (both single and plural) have become associated with marketing promotions targeted generating enthusiasm and an incentive toward action among customers by enticing consumers to submit free entries into drawings of chance (and not skill) that are tied to product or service awareness wherein the featured prizes are given away by sponsoring companies. Prizes can vary in value from less than one dollar to more than one million U.S. dollars and can be in the form of cash, cars, homes, electronics, etc.

I'm inclined to change it back. Any objections? --- Dhodges (talk) 19:05, 16 November 2007 (UTC)


 * I have a problem with the first sentence. Sweepstakes are not lotteries, as they do not require you to pay to play (as explained later in the article). Other than that, it looks good. Trvsdrlng (talk) 07:20, 17 November 2007 (UTC)


 * You've missed my point. In the U.S., sweepstakes are not financed by selling tickets, as they are free to enter. Giveaways such as the one described are called raffles, at least in the States. Trvsdrlng (talk) 00:11, 21 November 2007 (UTC)


 * The distinction is between what the word actually means and the popular meaning that has been adopted by the operators of such prize draws. -Dhodges (talk) 06:19, 21 November 2007 (UTC)


 * Fair enough. I can live with the way it's written now. Thanks for putting up with my complaining. :-) Trvsdrlng (talk) 18:25, 25 November 2007 (UTC)

Image copyright problem with Image:Lbookmarks.jpg
The image Image:Lbookmarks.jpg is used in this article under a claim of fair use, but it does not have an adequate explanation for why it meets the requirements for such images when used here. In particular, for each page the image is used on, it must have an explanation linking to that page which explains why it needs to be used on that page. Please check


 * That there is a non-free use rationale on the image's description page for the use in this article.
 * That this article is linked to from the image description page.

This is an automated notice by FairuseBot. For assistance on the image use policy, see Media copyright questions. --09:13, 18 September 2008 (UTC)

SweepsPlay.com
I added a link to SweepsPlay.com in the external links section of this article. It was removed and I contacted the person that removed it. That person suggested that I bring it up here for discussion on wether or not it is an appropriate link. After reading the rules links that I was given, I still believe that it is appropriate. Here is why...

The rules defined spam as "consists of external links to websites which primarily exist to sell goods or services, use objectionable amounts of advertising, or require payment to view the relevant content". SweepsPlay.com does not sell good or services (advertisers can pay to be listed but everything listed on there has been free to date), only has a one adsense section, and requires no payments to view any of the content.

It appears that SweepsPlay was caught up in a purge of external links. I know that other sites that were listed along side it did require fees to see part of the content and that is against the Wikipedia rules, but SweepsPlay does not. I feel that the link to SweepsPlay gives the reader an opportunity to, at no cost, view hundreds of sweepstakes that go along perfectly with the topic of the article. A person could come to Wikipedia to learn about the sweepstake concept and then explore real life examples through this link.

I would love to discuss this further so please folks, let me know if I am looking at this from the wrong perspective. Thanks! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.167.187.30 (talk) 14:31, 31 January 2010 (UTC)


 * External links exist to provide information about the subject (ie: expands on the subject matter with authorative information), they are not the place to advertise external websites. Wikipedia is not an internet directory, nor is it a repository of links associated to a subject.  If a directory is needed, then the external links policies recommend using a neutral directory site such as dmoz.  An example link would be:
 * that link can be created using this template:
 * --- Barek (talk • contribs) - 15:56, 19 February 2010 (UTC)
 * --- Barek (talk • contribs) - 15:56, 19 February 2010 (UTC)
 * --- Barek (talk • contribs) - 15:56, 19 February 2010 (UTC)

I see what you mean about Wikipedia not being a directory. I wouldn't imagine that Wikipedia would ever try to list sweepstakes on the sweepstakes article page. I can also see why Wikipedia wouldn't want to list sites that require payments to view their content. Some that are trying to get listed on here do just that.

The problem with a trying to get a meaningful link from Dmoz or somewhere like that is they are not a directory of sweepstakes either. The link is little more than a Google search and the visitor still has to dig through those sites that require payments. SweepsPlay offers true value without looking for payments or having excessive advertisements, so it fits into what I understand the guidelines to be.

Am I wrong about my interpretation in regards to this specific website? If not would it be something more appropiately referenced in the body as opposed to in the external links section?

Thanks for helping me understand how to contribute meaningfully to Wikipedia. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.167.187.30 (talk) 02:13, 20 February 2010 (UTC)
 * DMOZ use is appropriate for these types of cases per WP:EL and other WP policies and guidelines.
 * The Sweepsplay site does not meet WP requirements for being a reliable source, so it's no more appropriate in a ref tag than it is in the EL section. Wikipedia is not the place to advertise links to Sweepsplay.  --- Barek (talk • contribs) - 15:57, 22 February 2010 (UTC)

I do not think it should be added. What makes your website special that the reader must see it to get information on this subject. When you look up televisions, cars etc. they don't tell you where to find them. Besides, there are many other websites that have put far more time into their website, list way better sweepstakes, and have been around way longer. If there were to be example websites, they should be the leading websites in the niche! I vote this down. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.201.0.105 (talk) 06:43, 9 February 2011 (UTC)

Removed original research
I removed the section "Sweepstakes on the Internet" because it appears to be entirely original research. If anyone can find a reliable source providing the same analysis herein, please re-add the relevant portions. The full text appears below. RJaguar3 &#124; u  &#124;  t  06:45, 2 September 2011 (UTC)

Entering sweepstakes by mail is declining in popularity, and many more sweepers are choosing to enter online sweepstakes. Online sweepstakes are most often quick and easy to enter, provide confirmation when an entry is received from the sweeper, and require no investment in postage, card stock, and envelopes. Online sweepstakes are becoming more popular in the tech review community, which generally is for a tech item, and is known as a "giveaway".

Cost
The direct costs associated with internet sweepstakes are negligible.

Most U.S. sweepstakes promotion agencies require that most postal mail entries have three components:
 * an entry form, most often a 3" × 5" piece of paper or index card hand-printed with name, address, zip code, telephone number, and email address
 * an envelope, most often measuring 4$1/8$" × 9$1/2$", and;
 * first class U.S. postage stamp.

Many other U.S. sweepstakes rules permit postal mail entry on the less expensive 4" × 6" U.S. postal cards.

It is reasonable to conclude that a traditional, first class mail entry costs the typical U.S. sweeper 50 cents (excluding time or travel) to submit each sweepstakes entry via the U.S. mail. Internet sweepstaking permits one to potentially enter hundreds of sweepstakes each day without the stationery and postage expense.

Efficiency
Internet sweeping allows sweepers to research and find online sweepstakes forms, to bookmark and organize sweepstakes URLs as a file within web browser software, and to use the web browser "form fill" tools to paste required personal contact information onto the online sweepstakes forms.

There are many online sweepstakes directories, some offering advanced features such as tracking which sweepstakes have been entered and possibly providing many different categorizations for the competitions listed.

Online sweepstaking web sites offer additional organizational methods for keeping track of your entries, and finding sweepstakes with the best odds for you to win. Some include local/restricted promotions, which limit the amount of registrations into a particular sweepstakes.



There are also other online services, which automatically enter members into sweepstakes. Members sign up once and are entered to various sweepstakes each month. This saves entrants time and effort; however, some sponsors of sweepstakes prohibit entries those kinds of automated sweepstakes entries since they want entrants to interact with the online presentation at the prize sponsors' websites; these sweepstakes promotions often employ CAPTCHA (an acronym meaning Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) and reCAPTCHA screening technologies to prohibit automated entry.

More and more sweepstakes include Captcha features of some kind to discourage people from using automated programs. Check a sweepstakes' rules, and you will often find that entries made via an automated "bot" program will be disqualified. Remember, the sponsor has set up the sweepstakes to get visitors to look at their products and services. Using a "bot" program thwarts this goal and discourages sponsors from running sweepstakes.

An autofill program is not the same thing as a "bot" program. An autofill program is essentially a typing aid. A visitor still needs to go to the website to enter the sweepstakes, but an autofill program fills in (most of) the form with the click of a button. There are many different autofill programs available and using them will not disqualify an entrant from winning.

Lead is far too specific
If you consult a dictionary, like here, you will see that the word 'sweepstakes' has several meanings, not even listing the sales promotion use of the term that has become the sole meaning that is treated (but left unexplained) in the lead. A reader who did not already know the meaning before they start reading this article will be totally confused after consulting it. --Lambiam 06:58, 24 July 2012 (UTC)

"require entrants to subscribe or promotional mailing list"
Sorry... English is not my native lanugage... but this sounds strange... is this proper English? Thanks! -- 92.226.101.113 (talk) 04:53, 14 October 2012 (UTC)


 * It is not proper English. Perhaps its author intended to write "... subscribe to a promotional ..." Kilopi (talk) 06:09, 14 October 2012 (UTC)