Entering a competition should be a bit of fun and nothing more. This page sets out what we do to keep it that way, what you can ask us to do, and where to get help if entering has stopped feeling like fun.
Our commitments follow the Government’s Voluntary Code of Good Practice for Prize Draw Operators, published by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
What we will never do
We will never suggest that entering a competition is a way to fix money problems, replace a job, or build financial security. It is not, and any marketing that implies otherwise is marketing we should not be running. If you ever see us do it, please tell us at PLACEHOLDER_EMAIL and we will take it down.
We do not advertise to under 18s, and we do not use imagery, language or channels aimed at children.
You have to be 18
You must be 18 or over to open an account or enter a competition, whether you pay or use the free postal route. We verify age when you register, and we may ask you to confirm it again before releasing a prize. Entries from anyone under 18 are void and any prize is forfeited.
Know the odds before you pay
Every competition page shows, before you spend anything:
- the total number of tickets that exist
- how many have been sold and how many are left
- the maximum number of tickets one person can buy
- the closing date and the draw date
- the prize and the cash alternative
Because the total is fixed and published, you can work out your own chance of winning before you enter, and we show it on the page. A competition with 2,000 tickets gives one ticket a 1 in 2,000 chance. We do not hide the total, we do not add tickets after a competition opens, and we do not run competitions with an unlimited number of entries.
We draw every competition at the published time whether or not it has sold out. We will never cancel or delay a draw because sales were slower than we hoped.
Limits you can set
Ticket limits. Every competition has a maximum number of tickets per person. It is on the competition page and we apply it per person, not per account.
Your own spend limit. You can set a monthly spending limit on your account at any time from PLACEHOLDER_ACCOUNT_LIMITS_LINK. Lowering a limit takes effect immediately. Raising or removing one takes effect after PLACEHOLDER_COOLING_PERIOD, so the decision is never made in the heat of the moment.
Credit cards. We limit credit card payments to £250 per calendar month per person across the whole site, and we do not accept credit card payment at all for competitions that include instant win prizes. If you want to enter one of those, you will need a debit card or another payment method.
Taking a break, or stopping
Pause. You can pause your account for PLACEHOLDER_PAUSE_OPTIONS at any time from your account, or by emailing PLACEHOLDER_EMAIL. While it is paused you cannot enter and we will not send you any marketing.
Suspension. You can suspend your account for a minimum of six months. During a suspension you cannot enter competitions, you cannot reopen the account early, and we will not contact you with marketing of any kind. Any entry you had already made before the suspension still stands, and if it wins we will still pay you.
Permanent closure. You can close your account permanently. We will keep the minimum record needed to make sure the closure is honoured and to meet our legal obligations, as set out in the privacy policy, and we will not market to you again.
To pause, suspend or close, email PLACEHOLDER_EMAIL with the word PAUSE, SUSPEND or CLOSE in the subject line. We action requests within PLACEHOLDER_ACTION_TIME and confirm in writing.
Some signs worth watching for
Most people enter a competition, enjoy the draw and think nothing more of it. It is worth stopping to think if any of these sound familiar:
- you are spending more than you planned, or more than you can comfortably afford
- you are entering to try to win back what you have already spent
- you are hiding how much you spend from people close to you
- you are borrowing, or using a credit card, to enter
- you feel anxious, low or irritable when you are not entering
- entering is getting in the way of work, sleep or relationships
None of that makes you a bad person, and none of it is unusual. It does mean it is worth talking to someone.
Where to get help
These organisations are independent of us, free to use and confidential.
Money and debt
- Citizens Advice: free, impartial advice on money, debt and consumer problems. citizensadvice.org.uk
- National Debtline (Money Advice Trust): free, confidential debt advice. nationaldebtline.org, 0808 808 4000
- MoneyHelper: free government backed money guidance. moneyhelper.org.uk
- StepChange: free debt advice and managed debt plans. stepchange.org, 0800 138 1111
Mental health and wellbeing
- Samaritans: any time, day or night, about anything. samaritans.org, 116 123
- Mind: mental health information and support. mind.org.uk, 0300 123 3393
If entering has become a problem
Prize competitions are not gambling, and the organisations below are set up for gambling harm. Even so, if the pattern of spending feels like a compulsion, they will still talk to you and they know more about it than we do.
- GamCare: free, confidential support and the National Gambling Helpline. gamcare.org.uk, 0808 8020 133
- GambleAware: information and a directory of local support. gambleaware.org
- Gamblers Anonymous: peer support groups across the UK. gamblersanonymous.org.uk
[LEGAL CHECK] The DCMS code says to signpost support. Confirm which organisations we should name given we are not a licensed gambling operator, and whether naming gambling specific charities creates any implication we would rather avoid. Also confirm the helpline numbers above are current at the point of publication.
Tell us if we can do better
If you think something about the way we run or advertise our competitions is not responsible, tell us at PLACEHOLDER_EMAIL. We would genuinely rather hear it. Our complaints procedure sets out what happens next.