There are some people who make a living from winning competitions; this has been true since before the Internet. Those where the answer to the quiz or question was obvious, but the key to winning was the “tiebreaker” – the part where it says something like “Now tell us in 20 words or fewer what brand x means to you”. The winning slogan was often used in future marketing campaigns. The ones which rhymed were favourites like “For flavour and style, it comes first by a mile”, or the lines which contain a pun of some kind, such as “It’s in a glass of its own”, or “Man’s best blend”.
These tiebreaker competitions are less popular these days, but they still exist. More prolific, at least in terms of capital raised and entry numbers, are those run by mass media, large audience companies, like television and radio shows. “You could win a £250 case of wine by answering the following: Who is the Queen of England? It is A. Sharon Osbourne, B. Elizabeth the Second, or C. An orange. Calls cost £500 from a BT landline… “ An abuse of broadcasting power, don’t you think?
Now, the web has made it much easier to find and enter competitions, some of which are actually fun to do, like those that include a game of some kind. Of course there are still thousands that are an insult to intelligence, and many online games with no prize incentive at all. There are a few websites that make these competitions easily accessible, all in one place; you just register your details and play.
Many of the more forward-thinking companies are including competitions on their own websites, and those that include an element of skill are the most rewarding, especially if entry is free, and the prize is something cool, like an iPad or a holiday, such as http://www.protectyourbubble.com/win-an-ipad-game.html
There are also many websites offering the chance to win substantial prizes, including cash, store vouchers, and goods just by joining their mailing list.
Top 5 free-to-enter online prize comps and games:
4. Win £500 at Miss Selfridge
http://www.missselfridge.com/
3. Win £3,000 to spend in IKEA
http://www.myoffers.co.uk/household-competitions/win-3000-to-spend-in-ikea-8463-1
2. Win a holiday to Las Vegas
http://www.getmeaticket.co.uk/prizedraw/las-vegas?affiliateid=664&campaignid=1063&option=8161
1. Win an iPad with Protect your bubble
http://www.protectyourbubble.com/win-an-ipad-game.html
