Twenty-Five (25) Tips for Sweepers
by Christine DeGraff, Editor

Here are our twenty-five (25) sweepstakes tips to keep in mind when you enter sweepstakes.

1) Follow the rules. The job of the sweepstakes administrator is to ensure that the rules are being followed and you will be disqualified if you are caught breaking the rules.

2) Enter often. Maximize your chances of winning by entering as often as the rules allow.

3) Bigger is not always better. While larger sponsors may have bigger prizes, they also have a bigger marketing budget - which means more people know about it and more people will enter, lowering the odds for everyone. Look for the "little" sweepstakes for better odds of winning.

4) Tell your friends. Many sweepstakes offer chances to earn additional entries by telling your friends. This can improve your odds dramatically.

5) Do not cheat. Again, you must follow the rules. Cheating will likely get your entries immediately disqualified.

6) Never give out sensitive information. A legitimate sweepstakes would not require you to provide your social security number, mother's maiden name or other sensitive information in order to enter their sweepstakes.

7) Join a sweepstakes club. If you are serious about sweeping, starting or joining a club will allow you to share tips and advice.

8) "Un-check" the optin. This will help you reduce unwanted email and spam.

9) Focus on the sweepstakes you really want to win. With so many sweepstakes available, it can become impossible to enter them all or to enter them effectively by maximizing your entries. Choose the ones you really want to win and enter them often.

10) Think like a winner. If you enter enough times in enough sweepstakes, the odds are that you will eventually win one or more of them!

11) Surround yourself with winners! Join a forum and learn from the "experts" their "secret winning sweepstakes formulas".

12) NO PURCHASE NECESSARY! You should NEVER pay to enter a sweepstakes!

13) Set up a separate email account. By having one or more emails dedicating to sweeping, you can manage SPAM and unwanted email.

14) Be patient. Winning sweepstakes does not happen overnight!

15) Set up Google Alerts. Be on the lookout for new sweepstakes by setting up Google alerts for the word "sweepstakes".

16) Get excited. "This is a tip for you, I keep a Photo Album to keep my notices of my wins, when I am having a ""dry"" spell I can look at my wins and get excited again." - Jeanette

17) Check again. "Periodically check places that have sponsored sweepstakes in the past. Many sites will offer sweepstakes on a regular basis." - Beverly

18) Think local. Check local magazine and newspaper websites, radio and television stations' sites, local sports teams, and your town or state website for sweepstakes available only in your viewing area.

19) Subscribe to The Sweepstakes Wire! New sweepstakes are added often.

20) Enter early. The first sweepstakes drawing usually has the best odds as entrants may be eligible for subsequent drawings.

21) Read the rules carefully. Follow the rules to the letter and read them carefully to learn about additional ways to enter.

22) Take a second chance! Look for second chance drawings for additional chances to win.

23) Learn to spot the fakes. A legitimate sweepstakes should have a sponsor, an end date in the not to distant future and should not require you to make a purchase in order to enter.

24) Don't go overboard. Sweepstaking can become an obsession - learn to do your sweeping within a set time limit and then walk away.

25) Know when to quit. Just like any addiction, if "sweeping" has begun to consume all of your time or thoughts or interferes with your life, it may be time to quit. Get help if you cannot quit on your own.

Do you have a tip you would like to share with our readers? Please submit your tips to the editor: editor@NOSPAM.sweepstakes.bz (remove the "NOSPAM." before sending an email).