Online competitions have become hugely popular in the UK, giving people the chance to win everything from cash prizes and gadgets to luxury holidays and cars. If you’re new to the world of online competitions (often called “comping”), you might wonder whether people actually win. The good news is that thousands of prizes are given away every day — and with the right approach, your chances of winning can increase significantly. 🎉
This beginner guide will walk you through how online competitions work and the best strategies to improve your chances of winning.
1. Understand the Different Types of Competitions
Before entering competitions, it helps to understand the common formats you’ll find online.
Free Entry Competitions
These are the most common. You simply enter your name, email, or answer a question to participate.
Skill-Based Competitions
Some contests require a creative answer, photo submission, or short description to win.
Prize Draws
These are random draws where winners are selected automatically.
Social Media Competitions
Brands often run giveaways on platforms like Instagram or Facebook where you may need to like, comment, or share a post.
Knowing the format helps you focus on competitions where you have the best chance of success.
2. Enter Competitions Regularly
Consistency is one of the biggest secrets to winning.
Many experienced competition entrants submit dozens of entries each week. The more competitions you enter, the higher your chances of eventually winning something.
Try setting aside 10–15 minutes each day to browse new competitions and submit entries.
3. Focus on Smaller Competitions
Large competitions with huge prizes often attract thousands of entries. Instead, look for:
- smaller brand giveaways
- blog competitions
- niche prize draws
These typically have far fewer entrants, which can significantly improve your odds.
4. Read the Rules Carefully
Always check the competition terms before entering. Important details include:
- entry deadlines
- eligibility requirements
- how winners are selected
- how winners are notified
This ensures you don’t miss important steps that could invalidate your entry.
5. Use a Dedicated Competition Email
Entering competitions often means receiving promotional emails from brands.
Creating a separate email address just for competitions helps keep your main inbox organised and makes it easier to spot winning notifications.
Many competition winners miss prizes simply because they overlook the email announcing their win.
6. Enter Daily and Weekly Competitions
Some competitions allow daily or weekly entries, which means you can enter multiple times.
These are excellent opportunities because entering regularly can significantly increase your chances compared to single-entry competitions.
Make a habit of revisiting competitions that allow repeat entries.
7. Follow Brands on Social Media
Many companies run exclusive competitions on social media platforms.
Following brands you like can help you discover new giveaways early. Sometimes these competitions receive fewer entries because they’re only promoted to followers.
8. Stay Organised
As you start entering more competitions, it can help to keep track of them.
You might track:
- competitions entered
- closing dates
- daily entry competitions
Staying organised helps ensure you don’t miss repeat entries or important deadlines.
9. Be Patient and Persistent
Winning competitions rarely happens immediately. Many regular competition entrants go weeks or months without a win — but persistence usually pays off over time.
Even small wins can be exciting, and once you get your first prize it often motivates you to keep entering.
10. Use Competition Websites
Competition directories make it much easier to find legitimate competitions in one place.
Instead of searching the internet for individual giveaways, you can browse curated lists of current competitions and quickly enter the ones that interest you.
This saves time and ensures you never miss new opportunities.
Final Thoughts
Winning online competitions is largely about consistency, organisation, and patience. While there’s no guaranteed formula for winning every time, entering regularly and focusing on smaller competitions can significantly improve your chances.
Start by entering a few competitions each day and gradually build the habit. Over time, you may find yourself joining the thousands of people who win prizes online every year.
Good luck — and happy comping! 🍀