Hello to all the sweepers across the pond! I’m Di Coke, and I‘m thrilled to be guest posting here on Sweepstakes Advantage.
Here in the UK, the hobby of entering sweepstakes is known as “comping” (entering competitions), and we call ourselves “compers.” I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Kenneth for my own website, and it was fascinating to discuss the differences between prize-winning in the UK versus the US!
As a UK comper looking at the US sweeping scene, I’m fascinated by the strict laws, the tax implications and the detailed rules that often include the odds of winning a prize. In the UK, every single prize we win is 100% tax-free, which is a massive perk. We love PN (Purchase Necessary) promotions on brands like Coca-Cola, Cadbury and Walkers (Lays), but there’s no requirement for brands to offer a free Alternate Method of Entry (AMOE) for these promotions. And we get incredibly frustrated by big brands running odds-based instant win promotions where they don’t tell us the chance we have of winning a prize.
But while the legalities may differ, the strategies required to be a successful winner can work globally!
About Me
I have been comping for almost 30 years, winning over $500,000 worth of prizes, including a car and more than fifty vacations round the world. My last two prize trips were to NYC thanks to Brooklyn Brewery, and a 2-week European adventure with my best friend. I’ve also won multiple cash prizes on TV game shows and on the radio. I share my winning strategies on my website www.superlucky.me and in my books (available on Amazon).
I also run a free Facebook community called Lucky Learners, where almost 25,000 compers chat and share tips, as well as a premium paid membership called Lucky Legends. This includes access to a private competition listings and chat forum, and regular live Q&A broadcasts. I also publish a monthly ‘prize unboxing’ video at www.youtube.com/superluckydi, featuring every prize I win!
Whether you’re a UK comper or a US sweeper, I believe the secret to winning consistently comes down to effort and organisation. Here are my top tips to help you win more prizes!
Di’s Winning Tips
1. Enter effort-based contests and sweepstakes: Anything that involves buying a product, visiting a location, taking a photo/video or creating a written entry reduces the number of entrants significantly because the majority of casual sweepers will scroll right past them. Take photos of everything – home, pets, meals, vacations and more – as you never know when they will come in handy! If you’re taking a photo or video especially for a contest, read the rules before you enter, check the judging criteria and check the hashtag to see what you’re up against. Make your entry stand out!
2. Search for your own Giveaways Have fun hunting for prizes! Ask AI tools to find you current sweeps, or use Google to find hidden social media giveaways. Using Google, search for site:instagram.com followed by keywords like “sweepstakes” or “giveaway”, plus your local city or most wanted prizes. Then use the “Tools” button to filter the results to the “Past Week” or “Past 24 Hours” so you see the latest promotions!
3. Organise Daily Entries Consistency is key for daily entry sweeps. Use the My Sweepstakes tool on SA but also use Apple Reminders or Google Tasks if you need reminders when you’re out and about!
4. Track Special Event Days Brands love an excuse to run a giveaway. On days like National Pizza Day, World Chocolate Day, or International Women’s Day there should be loads of low-entry, short-running sweepstakes so make sure you’re actively checking social media and SA on those days.
5. Keep a Tidy Inbox If you enter a lot of sweeps, your email inbox will fill up fast. Set up rules or filters to automatically move newsletters and promotional emails into a specific folder so they don't clog your main inbox. If you have a lot of unread emails, search your inbox and spam/junk for “Congratulations”, “Winner” or “Affidavit,” to ensure you never miss a WEM.
6. Use a Prize Tracker Spreadsheet Keeping a spreadsheet of your wins is brilliant for morale during a dry spell, but it's also highly practical. Log the prize, the sponsor, the date you won, and the Approximate Retail Value (ARV), and if a prize hasn't arrived after 60 days, send a polite email to chase it up.
Consistency, patience, and a positive attitude are the best tools you can have. Put in the effort, stay organized, and the wins will follow!
Thank you for having me, Sweepstakes Advantage, and to all of you reading – be lucky!