Put contest rules and expectations in writing: Contest Rules
Other Names:
Contest Guidelines
Contest Rules and Regulations
What is a Contest Rules?
Hosting a contest or sweepstakes? Publishing Contest Rules is a must for complying with the law and making everything fair and square for contestants. Putting the rules in writing sets expectations for contestants and can be a good way to govern the contest/sweepstakes if there are any questions. With all the rules, regulations, and dates in the proper format, you can focus on marketing your contest instead of the finer details of state and local laws.
We make it easy to fill in all the contest details. For example, you can select "methods of entry" or how and where contestants may enter, which can vary from online to on-site to mail-in and even text messages. Perhaps most important to the contestants, there are additional lines where you can describe the prizes and describe how the winner will be notified and when. Contest Rules show that the competition is fair - and you can use them to make sure every contestant is qualified, which helps to mitigate any disagreements that may occur down the line.
We make it easy to fill in all the contest details. For example, you can select "methods of entry" or how and where contestants may enter, which can vary from online to on-site to mail-in and even text messages. Perhaps most important to the contestants, there are additional lines where you can describe the prizes and describe how the winner will be notified and when. Contest Rules show that the competition is fair - and you can use them to make sure every contestant is qualified, which helps to mitigate any disagreements that may occur down the line.
When to use a Contest Rules:
- You're sponsoring or running a contest or sweepstakes.
- You want to clearly define rules, regulations, and submission requirements so everything's legal.
- You want to designate dates, deadlines, and methods of entry so it's crystal clear for contestants.
Sample Contest Rules
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Contest Rules
NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. ALL FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, AND MUNICIPAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.
| 1. | Eligibility |
| (the "Contest") is open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia who are at least eighteen (18) years old at the time of entry. Employees of and other companies associated with the promotion of the Contest, and their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates and advertising and promotion agencies as well as the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings, and children) and household members of each such employee are not eligible. The Contest is subject to federal, state, and local laws and regulations. |
| 2. | Sponsor |
| The Contest is sponsored by , located at , , . |
| 3. | Agreement to Official Rules |
| Participation in the Contest constitutes entrant's full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and binding. Winning a prize is contingent upon being compliant with these Official Rules and fulfilling all other requirements set forth herein. |
| 4. | Contest Period |
| The Contest begins on at and ends on at (the "Contest Period"). Entries that are submitted before or after the Contest Period will be disqualified. Submissions will be accepted for the duration of the Contest using any of the following methods: |
Mail-In
| 5. | How to Enter |
| Via Mail: This method of entry will be available for the entire Contest Period. On a 3x5 card, handprint your full name, complete address, phone number (including area code) date of birth and email address (optional) and mail in an envelope with proper postage affixed to: , , , Mail-in entries must be hand-printed and mailed in separately. All mail-in entries must be postmarked by and received by . |
| Limit one (1) entry per person, per email address, and per household for the duration of the Contest Period, regardless of method of entry. Entries received from any person, e-mail address, or household in excess of the stated limitation will be void. All entries become the property of Sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned. |
| 6. | Prize Drawing |
| On or about , the Sponsor will select potential winners in a random drawing from among all eligible entries received. The odds of being selected depend on the number of entries received. The Sponsor will attempt to notify the potential winner via telephone or email on or about . If the potential winner cannot be contacted within five (5) days after the date of the first attempt to contact him/her, the Sponsor may select an alternate potential winner in his/her place at random from the remaining non-winning, eligible entries. |
| 7. | Winner Notification |
| The potential winners will be notified by email, mail or phone. Each potential Grand and First Prize winner (parent/legal guardian if a minor in his/her state of residence) will be required to complete, electronically sign and submit a Declaration of Compliance within five (5) days of the date notice or attempted notice is sent, in order to claim his/her prize. If a potential winner cannot be contacted, or fails to submit the Declaration of Compliance within the required time period (if applicable), or prize is returned as undeliverable, potential winner forfeits prize. If the potential winner is at least 18 but still considered a minor in his/her jurisdiction of residence, Sponsor reserves the right to award the prize in the name of his/her parent or legal guardian, who will be required to sign the Declaration of Compliance on the potential winners behalf and fulfill any other requirements imposed on winner set forth herein. Potential winners must continue to comply with all terms and conditions of these Official Rules, and winning is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements. In the event that a potential winner is disqualified for any reason, Sponsor will award the applicable prize to an alternate winner by random drawing from among all remaining eligible entries. Only three (3) alternate drawings will be held, after which the prize will remain un-awarded. Prizes will be fulfilled approximately 8-10 weeks after the conclusion of the Contest. |
| 8. | Prizes |
| 9. | General Conditions |
| In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Contest is impaired in any way for any reason, including, but not limited to fraud, virus, bug, worm, unauthorized human intervention or other technical problem, or in the event the Contest is unable to run as planned for any other reason, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion, the Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, either (a) suspend the Contest to address the impairment and then resume the Contest in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules or (b) terminate the Contest and, in the event of termination, award the prize at random from among the eligible, non-suspect entries received up to the time of the impairment. The Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to damage the website or undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages (including attorney's fees) and any other remedies from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Failure by the Sponsor to enforce any provision of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. |
| 10. | Release and Limitations of Liability |
| By participating in the Contest, entrants agree to release and hold harmless the Sponsor, and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, other companies associated with the Contest, and each of their respective officers, directors, employees, shareholders, representatives, and agents (the Released Parties) from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Contest or receipt or use of the prize (including any travel or activity related thereto), including, but not limited to: (a) any technical errors associated with the Contest, including lost, interrupted or unavailable Internet Service Provider (ISP), network, server, wireless service provider, or other connections, availability or accessibility or miscommunications or failed computer, satellite, telephone, cellular tower or cable transmissions, lines, or technical failure or jumbled, scrambled, delayed, or misdirected transmissions or computer hardware or software malfunctions, failures or difficulties; (b) unauthorized human intervention in the Contest; (c) mechanical, network, electronic, computer, human, printing or typographical errors; (d) lost, late, incomplete, garbled, illegible, undelivered, stolen, damaged, delayed, postage-due or misdirected mail, entries, any other errors or problems in connection with the Contest, including, without limitation, errors that may occur in the administration of the Contest, the announcement of the winner, the cancellation or postponement of the event and/or the flyover, if applicable, or in any Contest-related materials; or injury, death, losses or damages of any kind, to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrants participation in the Contest or acceptance, receipt or misuse of the prize (including any travel or activity related thereto). Entrant further agrees that in any cause of action, the Released Parties liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Contest, and in no event shall the entrant be entitled to receive attorney's fees. Released Parties are also not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by site users, tampering, hacking, or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest. Entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages. |
| 11. | Disputes |
| Except where prohibited, each entrant agrees that any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, the Contest or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court located in . All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, entrants rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Sponsor in connection with the Contest, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of , without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules, which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than . |
| 12. | Privacy |
| Information collected from entrants is subject to sponsor's privacy policy. |
| 13. | Winner List |
| To request the name of the winner send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to , , , . Winner List requests will only be accepted after the promotion end date (listed above). For the Winner List, you can also send an email. |
