How to choose better competitions: 10 useful habits

A good comping routine should be enjoyable and manageable. These ten habits help you spend time on prizes you want and avoid preventable mistakes. They cannot guarantee a win.

1. Make a small prize wish list

Choose a handful of things you would enjoy or use. Include a practical upgrade and an experience, rather than only the largest prizes you can imagine. Our prize match quiz can give you a starting point. For concrete examples, browse home and garden prizes or experience competitions on Online Competition, then keep only the offers that fit your list.

2. Check that you could accept the prize

Read the dates, location, guest allowance and exclusions. For a holiday, check the permitted travel period as well as the entry deadline. A prize you cannot use is a reason to move on, however attractive the headline looks.

3. Establish the entry route

Look for the actual instructions for entering without a purchase. If the free route is postal, allow time for delivery and account for postage. Do not assume the conditions for a paid route apply to a different free route.

4. Follow the stated entry limit

Check whether the limit applies per person, household, email address or entry period. Keep within it. Sending more entries than allowed can make your effort pointless, and using extra identities is not a sensible shortcut.

5. Enter with time to spare

Submit early enough to handle a broken form or missing detail. In a properly random draw, being the last person to enter is not a reason to expect a better chance. Timing matters for meeting the deadline, not for a supposed last-minute advantage.

6. Keep a modest record

Note the organiser, prize, closing date and whether you entered. A browser bookmark or a simple list may be enough. Avoid turning the hobby into an elaborate administrative job unless you enjoy that part too.

7. Read creative briefs carefully

A judged slogan, photograph or written entry needs to meet its brief and any judging criteria. Check word limits, file requirements and rules about editing or AI assistance. Something amusing is not automatically suitable if the brief asks for a different quality.

8. Choose a comfortable time limit

Decide how much time you want to spend and stop when that time is up. There is no need to work through every listing. More permitted entries can change your chances in some formats, but the prize pool, entry count and rules vary; a larger effort never guarantees success.

9. Check messages without trusting every “win”

Use contact details you can monitor, including your spam folder. If a message says you have won, verify it through the organiser’s official website or a contact route you find independently. A familiar logo or sender name is not proof.

10. Revisit what is worth your time

After a few weeks, ask whether you enjoy the routine and whether you are entering for prizes you still want. It is fine to narrow your interests, take a break or ignore competitions that need too much effort.

Better choices, without the winning myths

A local competition or a complicated entry task might attract fewer people, but you cannot assume that from its appearance. Unless you know the relevant entry numbers and draw method, you cannot calculate meaningful odds. Focus on eligibility, valid entries and prizes that fit your life.

If two offers appeal, use our prize comparison tool. For a new place to browse, see our guide to finding free competitions.