Sweepstakes

A promotion where winners are chosen by chance and no purchase or payment is required to enter.

A sweepstakes has a prize and a randomly selected winner but no consideration. Nearly every creator "giveaway" is a sweepstakes, whatever the post calls it, and the term matters because the obligations follow the structure rather than the label.

In practice, running one means: published rules available before entries open, a defined entry period and eligible region, a free path for every entrant, a recorded random draw, and delivery of the advertised prize. Higher prize values can additionally trigger state registration or bonding requirements.

Compared with the alternatives: sweepstakes vs contest vs lottery.

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