Learning the tips and tricks that improve your odds of winning online sweepstakes can become a lucrative hobby once you start to streamline your operation with time-saving tools and a little know-how!
Assembling your toolkit
The payoff for entering online sweepstakes can be large but it’s easy and inexpensive to start. The basics are:
- A computer
- An internet connection
- Sweepstakes to enter
While this is all you really need there are computer programs that can considerably increase your efficiency:
- A form-filling program eg Roboform
- Tweetdeck can help organize Twitter sweepstakes entries
- Excel, a spreadsheet can be an excellent way to records and track your entries
Get your information together
Before you dive it’s worth getting your personal information in order. You can avoid problems claiming prizes if you make sure to provide your name exactly as it appears on your official ID.
Avoid using PO boxes as many prizes cannot be delivered to them. Use your home address.
Consider opening a new email account and using an email address dedicated solely to your sweepstakes entries.
Google “online sweepstakes directory” and bookmark any results that you like the look of. This is where you’ll find the sweepstakes that you’re going to enter.
Enter…again and again and again!
Now we’re down to the nitty gritty. The keys here are persistence and patience. Keeping a positive attitude is the secret. Sometimes the wins can start rolling in within days, sometimes it takes months. But ultimately, if you keep going you will win. It is that simple!
Claim your prizes
Most often the winning process begins with a notification that you are a “potential winner”. This is because you will not be considered to have actually won until you have completed the claim process.
Usually all you are required to do is confirm your details but be sure to read the instructions you have been given very carefully so as not to miss anything. Also remember to record the details of your win. If you live in the US you are required to pay tax on your winnings so having these details to hand will make things a lot easier.
Lastly, remember – you don’t need to be lucky, just persistent!