Single Entry per Household - Generally speaking, this type of sweepstake gives all entrants an equal chance of winning. The odds of winning will be determined by the number of entrants. What constitutes a “Household” will normally be defined the rules for the contest. One key component here is what the sponsor does when receiving more than one entry per household? Are duplicates discarded or does the sponsor disqualify the household for more than one entry? Keeping track of single entry contests can be the most difficult and if not done carefully the most self-defeating. If you are a serious player, low-cost software is available to help you manage and keep track of your entries.
Single Entry per Email Address or IP Address – This type of entry can be very specific and the sponsor of the sweepstakes links the email address to your residence address and therefore generally limits entry. Others link the email address to the IP address to prevent multiple entries from the same computer, but certainly not in all cases. Those contests that don’t require your residence address can therefore be less than compelling to enter because more sophisticated entrants use multiple variations of their email address to submit virtually unlimited entries, each with a unique email address with thousands of entries depending on the value of the prizes being offered.
