How to win sweepstakes

By following a few simple steps, you can dramatically increase your chances of winning:

1. The harder a contest is to enter, the easier it is to win. i.e. Contests that require a photo, video or essay get far fewer entries.
2. Stay local. Restaurants, bars, and movie theaters regularly do giveaways where only local people can enter. There will be fewer entrants so you will have a better chance.
3. Always read the terms and conditions. You never know when they might sneak in some secret clause that will disqualify you and waste your time.
4. Set up a dedicated email address for contests you enter. Basically you are trading your personal information and their right to spam you for an entry. You will get spammed and you don't want to accidently throw away that winning notice so use your spam filters carefully.
5. Use sweepstakes aggregate websites and newsletters to find opportunities. They’re a one stop shop, and they filter out the bad ones.
6. Stay organized. Spreedsheets, bookmark managers, and curating boards can all be your friends.
7. At the end of the day, it’s not gambling or Candy Crush; if you work hard enough at it, you can actually win fantastic prizes without spending any money. It’s thrilling — you never know what the next submission is going to bring.