Sweepstakes are the easiest way to make some quick bucks and win some goodies along the way. Have you been coveting a really cool coffeemaker at IKEA? What about a really nice high-brand watch you spotted on Instagram? Or may be an elegant hobo bag? You win have all of these and more by entering sweepstakes. Sweepstakes, though rarely make billionaires, but they definitely can get you smaller but equally cool prizes. You will find a lot of sweepstakes contests online. Also, if you follow your favorite brands on their various social media channels, you find that they usually run sweepstakes, which are also called giveaways, during a new product launch.

Entering sweepstakes is pretty easy. However, increasing your chances of winning one requires you to follow a certain disciplined method. Here is a list of a few do’s and dont’s that will increase your odds of winning:

• Participating in a sweepstakes contest is a game of patience and some faith. You cannot expect to win at the first contest that you enter. Hang out there a bit. Wait it out. You will have a dry spell before you hit your winning streak.
• With patience, enter as many sweepstakes as possible. Participate in the ones which have the highest probability to giving you a prize. For instance, sweepstakes with short time frame will have less number of participant since the date of entry will expire even before a lot of people get to know about the contest. Try entering for sweepstakes that have more prizes. More prizes means more winners.
• It is necessary to carefully read the rules before entering a sweepstakes contest. Otherwise, you might get disqualified. It is quite disappointing to learn later on they you were not eligible for entering the contest just because you missed out on a tiny rule.
  Some sweepstakes have additional terms and conditions for participating. Make sure that you meticulously read these terms and understand them well. You do not want to lose on an opportunity to win a fabulous prize just because you did not read the terms and conditions of the sweepstakes.
• When the winners of a sweepstakes contest are announced, the win is valid only for a certain period of time that can range from a few hour to a day. These contests require winners to claim their prizes immediately. Otherwise a new winner is chosen. Respond to win as quickly as you can so that you do not miss out on your coveted prize. Keep track of all your sweepstakes entries and note down the dates when they intend to declare the results. Check out the results on the given date and in case of a win contact the sponsor of the sweepstakes immediately.