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Glossary

Browse all glossary articles on Contest Listing.

Advanced terminology and statistics

  • Bot Entry An entry generated or submitted by automated software rather than by a person manually completing the process

  • CAPTCHA A challenge intended to help distinguish human users from automated programs

  • Eligibility Verification The process of checking whether a selected participant meets the promotion's eligibility requirements

  • Entry Automation Use of software or tools to automate entry actions

  • Entry-to-Prize Ratio A comparison between the number of eligible entries and the number of prizes, when those quantities are known

  • Expected Value The probability-weighted average value of possible outcomes

  • Fraudulent Entry An entry submitted through deception, false information, or conduct prohibited by the rules

  • Giveaway Directory A website that organizes links or listings for giveaways and related promotions

  • Odds The likelihood of an outcome, such as winning a prize

  • Probability of Winning The mathematical likelihood that an event, such as winning a prize, will occur

  • Rate Limiting A technical method of restricting how frequently a user or system can submit requests or entries

  • Sweepstakes Aggregator A website or service that collects and organizes sweepstakes information from multiple sources

  • Winner-to-Entry Ratio A way to describe the relationship between the number of winners and entries; its meaning depends on the promotion's selection rules

Entry methods and participation

  • Automatic Entry An entry submitted without a separate manual action at the moment of entry, when the promotion's rules and process provide for it

  • Bonus Entry An additional entry offered for completing an action specified in the rules, such as a permitted referral or optional task

  • Daily Entry An entry that may be submitted once per day, or according to another daily limit defined by the rules

  • Duplicate Entry An entry that repeats another entry in a way that may exceed the permitted limit or violate the rules

  • Entry Confirmation A message or screen indicating that an entry submission was received

  • Entry Form A web page or document used to collect the information required to participate in a promotion

  • Entry Limit The maximum number of entries allowed for a person, household, account, or other unit specified in the official rules

  • Entry Receipt A record or evidence that an entry was submitted or received

  • Free Alternative Method of Entry (AMOE) A no-purchase method of entry offered by some promotions

  • Mail-In Entry An entry submitted by postal mail according to the organizer's specified format, address, deadline, and information requirements

  • Online Entry Participation submitted through a website, app, or other digital form

  • Referral Entry An entry earned by referring another person, subject to the promotion's conditions and any limits

  • Social Media Entry An entry completed through an action on a social platform, such as commenting or posting, when permitted by the promotion's rules

  • Sweepstakes Entry Code A code that may be required to access or submit an entry, often provided through a qualifying activity or promotion

  • Unique Entry A distinct valid entry counted according to the promotion's rules

Prize terminology

  • ARV ARV stands for Approximate Retail Value

  • Cash Prize A prize awarded as money rather than as goods, services, or an experience

  • Consolation Prize A smaller or alternative prize offered to a participant who does not receive the main prize, if the rules provide for it

  • Gift Card A card or digital code with stored value that can be redeemed with a specified merchant or group of merchants, subject to its terms

  • Grand Prize The main or top prize in a promotion

  • Non-Cash Prize A prize consisting of goods, services, travel, or experiences rather than money

  • Prize The money, item, service, or experience offered to a winner

  • Prize Acceptance The act of agreeing to receive a prize and completing any required acceptance steps

  • Prize Claim Deadline The deadline by which a potential winner must complete the required steps to claim a prize

  • Prize Fulfillment The process of providing or delivering a prize to a confirmed winner

  • Prize Package A group of items, services, or experiences awarded together as one prize

  • Prize Pool The collection or combined value of prizes available in a promotion

  • Prize Restrictions Conditions that limit a prize's use, redemption, transfer, travel dates, location, or other features

  • Prize Substitution Replacement of an advertised prize with another prize under circumstances described in the official rules

  • Secondary Prize A prize other than the main or top prize in a promotion

  • Taxable Prize Value A prize value that may be relevant for tax reporting or liability under the rules of a particular jurisdiction

Rules, eligibility and compliance

  • Administrator The person or organization responsible for administering a promotion, which may be different from the sponsor

  • Affidavit of Eligibility A signed declaration in which a potential winner confirms specified eligibility information

  • Age Restriction A minimum or maximum age condition for participation or prize acceptance

  • Closing Date The date on which a promotion stops accepting entries

  • Eligibility The conditions a participant must meet to enter or win, such as age, residence, or relationship to the sponsor

  • Eligible Entry An entry that meets the applicable submission, timing, and other requirements in the official rules

  • Eligible Participant A person who satisfies the promotion's age, location, and other eligibility conditions

  • Entry Period The period during which a promotion accepts eligible entries

  • Geographic Restriction A rule limiting participation to people in specified countries, states, regions, or other locations

  • Liability Release A provision addressing certain liabilities or claims, subject to applicable law and the wording of the agreement

  • Material Terms Important conditions that can affect participation, winner selection, or prize awards

  • No Purchase Necessary A phrase indicating that a purchase is not required to enter a promotion, where applicable

  • Official Rules The formal terms governing a promotion, including eligibility, entry methods, dates, winner selection, prizes, and claim procedures

  • Promoter A person or organization that conducts, organizes, or markets a promotional campaign

  • Publicity Release Permission relating to the use of a winner's name, likeness, or other identifying information, subject to the rules and applicable law

  • Sponsor The person or organization sponsoring a promotion and identified as such in its official rules

  • Terms and Conditions The rules and contractual terms that govern participation in a promotion

  • Void Where Prohibited A phrase indicating that a promotion is not valid where it is prohibited by applicable law

Types of promotions

  • Caption Contest A contest in which participants submit captions for an image, prompt, or other material

  • Contest A promotion in which winners may be selected based on skill, merit, judging, voting, or other stated criteria

  • Instant Win A promotion format in which a participant may learn immediately whether they have won, according to the method described in the official rules

  • Instant-Win Sweepstakes A promotion in which participants may learn immediately whether they have won, according to the selection method in the rules

  • Limited-Time Giveaway A giveaway open only during a defined period

  • Multi-Winner Sweepstakes A sweepstakes that awards prizes to more than one winner

  • Photo Contest A contest in which participants submit photographs that are evaluated or voted on under the stated rules

  • Product Giveaway A promotion in which a product is offered as a prize

  • Random Draw A process that selects one or more eligible entries by chance according to the official rules

  • Random-Draw Contest A promotion in which winners are selected by a random drawing, subject to the official rules

  • Recurring Sweepstakes A promotion with repeated entry periods, drawings, or rounds, as specified by the organizer

  • Referral Sweepstakes A promotion in which eligible referrals may provide entries or other benefits as described in the rules

  • Skill-Based Contest A competition in which entries are evaluated based on skill, merit, or stated criteria rather than solely by random chance

  • Social Media Giveaway A giveaway promoted or administered through a social media platform

  • Sweepstakes A promotion in which winners are generally selected randomly from eligible entries

  • Sweepstakes Promotion A promotional campaign in which prizes are awarded using the selection method stated in its rules

  • Video Contest A contest in which participants submit videos for judging or another selection process described in the rules

  • Voting Contest A competition in which votes contribute to the result, according to the voting and eligibility rules

Widgets

Winners and selection processes

  • Alternate Winner A replacement winner who may be selected if an initially selected participant is ineligible, cannot be contacted, or fails to claim a prize within the required period

  • Disqualification Removal of an entry or participant from consideration because of ineligibility or failure to comply with the rules

  • Drawing A process in which eligible entries are selected, often randomly, to determine a winner

  • Forfeiture Loss of a potential or awarded prize, for example when a winner does not meet claim requirements or a deadline, as described by the rules

  • Independent Judging Evaluation carried out by judges who are intended to be independent of the entrants, under the criteria set by the promotion

  • Judging Evaluation of entries against criteria set by the organizer, often used in skill-based contests

  • Judging Criteria The standards or factors used to evaluate entries in a skill-based contest

  • Potential Winner A person selected as a possible winner whose eligibility or claim may still need to be verified

  • Prize Drawing A process in which eligible entries are selected for a prize according to the official rules

  • Random Number Generator (RNG) A system designed to generate numbers used in certain random selection processes

  • Tie-Breaker A rule or procedure used to resolve a tie between entries or participants

  • Winner Announcement A communication or publication identifying one or more winners, subject to the organizer's rules and privacy obligations

  • Winner List A list of winners published or made available by an organizer where the rules or applicable requirements provide for one

  • Winner Notification A message telling a selected participant that they may have won and explaining next steps

  • Winner Selection The procedure used to identify winners, such as a random drawing or judging process

  • Winner Verification The process of confirming that a selected participant meets eligibility requirements and completes any required claim steps before a prize is awarded