Guide library
All guides to UK prize competitions
Ten plain-English guides in three shelves: the rules that make competitions legal, the money and odds behind every ticket, and how to stay safe while you enter.
The rules
How UK prize competitions work and why they are not a lotteryCompetition sites sell tickets for cars, cash and gadgets, yet they do not need a lottery licence. This is the legal line they walk.
8 min
The free postal entry route: how it works and how to use itNearly every UK competition must let you enter for the price of a stamp. Few people use it, but knowing how it works tells you a lot about a site.
6 min
Skill questions explained: why they are there and what makes one fairThe quick quiz before checkout has a legal job to do. What it is for, what the law says about "too easy" questions, and how to answer safely.
5 min
Money & odds
Odds and ticket maths: what your £2 actually buysYour chance of winning a competition is simple arithmetic, and so is its value. Work out both before you buy.
8 min
Setting a spending limit on competitions (and sticking to it)Two pounds at a time feels like nothing. A simple monthly budget, decided in advance, keeps competitions as entertainment rather than a habit.
6 min
Do you pay tax on competition prizes in the UK?Generally no. Prizes from competitions, raffles and draws are not taxed as income, though there are a few exceptions and knock-on effects.
7 min
Car, cash, tech and house competitions: what to know about each typeA dream-car draw and a £50 instant win work very differently. How the main types of UK competition compare, and what to check for each.
8 min
Staying safe
How to spot a trustworthy competition site: a 12-point checkAnyone can build a slick competition website in a weekend. These twelve checks take about ten minutes and filter out most of the risk.
9 min
Competition scams to avoid: fake pages, "you've won" messages and moreFraudsters love the competition boom. These are the scams we see described most often, and the simple rules that defeat almost all of them.
7 min
Entering competitions responsiblyCompetitions are not legally gambling, but they can feel like it. A few habits keep them fun, and free support is there if they stop being fun.
5 min