Increasing Your Odds

The Science of Winning More

Winning competitions isn't purely luck. While randomness plays a role, strategic compers consistently outperform casual entrants by 5-10x. This guide reveals the proven strategies that separate occasional winners from consistent prize collectors.

Understanding Competition Mathematics

The Basic Odds Equation

Your chance of winning any competition is:

Your entries ÷ Total entries = Win probability

A competition with 10,000 entries gives you 0.01% (1 in 10,000) odds. One with 100 entries gives you 1% odds - a 100x improvement.

The Strategic Insight

You can't control randomness, but you CAN control:

• Which competitions you enter
• How many competitions you enter
• The quality of your entries
• When and how you enter

Strategy 1: Target Low-Entry Competitions

Finding Hidden Gems

The biggest wins come from competitions nobody else finds. Here's where to look:

Local businesses:

• Independent retailers
• Local restaurants and cafes
• Regional newspapers
• Community Facebook groups
• Local radio stations

Local competitions might get 50-500 entries versus national campaigns with 50,000-500,000.

New and small brands:

• Startups launching products
• Small social media accounts
• Kickstarter/crowdfunding campaigns
• New websites with small followings

Niche interests:

• Industry-specific publications
• Hobbyist communities
• Professional organisations
• Specialist retailers

Low-Entry Indicators

Look for these signs of lower competition:

• Social media posts with few likes/comments
• Brands with small follower counts
• Competitions requiring specific knowledge
• Entry requirements that filter casual entrants
• Shorter competition windows
• Weekday end dates

The Long Tail Strategy

Instead of entering 10 competitions with 100,000 entries each, enter 100 competitions with 1,000 entries each. Your total entries are the same, but expected wins increase dramatically.

Strategy 2: Master Entry Timing

When Competitions Get the Most Entries

Understanding entry patterns helps you time strategically:

Peak entry times:

• Weekend afternoons
• Evening hours (7-10pm)
• Immediately after posting
• Last hour before deadline

Lower entry periods:

• Early mornings (6-8am)
• Lunch hours
• Weekday afternoons
• Post-midnight

Timing Strategies That Work

For random draws: Entry timing doesn't affect random selection, but entering less-promoted competitions early means you're there before the viral spread.

For "random moment" instant wins: These select winning moments in advance. Varying your entry times across allowed periods (e.g., daily entry) increases coverage of potential winning moments.

For judged competitions:

• Early entries may get more attention from tired judges
• Late entries may be fresher in judges' minds
• Quality matters more than timing

Competition Lifecycle Strategy

Days 1-3: Early bird phase

• Lower competition
• Keen compers dominate
• Good for quick entries

Middle period:

• Steady entry flow
• Standard competition levels
• Focus on quality entries

Final 24 hours:

• Surge in entries
• Many last-minute entrants
• Avoid unless very high value

Strategy 3: Maximise Entry Quality

Why Quality Beats Quantity

In judged competitions, one exceptional entry beats a hundred mediocre ones. Even in random draws, quality entries stand out if there's any discretionary element.

Crafting Winning Answers

Tie-breaker questions: Most web form competitions include tie-breakers. These separate winners from the pack.

Winning tie-breaker formula:

1. Address the question directly
2. Show brand knowledge
3. Be creative but relevant
4. Keep it concise
5. End memorably

Example: Question: "In 25 words or less, tell us why you deserve to win this holiday."

❌ Average: "I work hard and deserve a break. I've never won anything and would really appreciate this prize."

✅ Better: "After teaching 30 exhausted teenagers about volcanic islands for a decade, I'm ready to experience one myself—preferably with a cocktail, not a textbook."

Creative Entry Excellence

Photo competition formula:

1. Study winning entries from past competitions
2. Consider unique angles and perspectives
3. Include required elements naturally
4. Ensure good lighting (natural is best)
5. Edit subtly - don't over-process

Written entry tips:

• Match the brand voice
• Show genuine enthusiasm
• Be specific, not generic
• Proofread multiple times
• Have someone else read it

Strategy 4: Increase Entry Volume Strategically

The Volume Debate

Some compers advocate pure volume - entering everything possible. Others prefer selective, quality entries. The truth? Both can work, but smart volume wins.

Smart Volume Approach

Speed optimisation:

• Use browser autofill effectively
• Keep entry information readily available
• Batch similar entry types together
• Use mobile for quick social entries

Systematic coverage:

• Set daily/weekly entry targets
• Track to ensure you're meeting goals
• Balance quick entries with creative ones
• Don't skip smaller prizes

Daily Entry Targets

Note: These are estimates based on average comper data

Strategy 5: Leverage Referral Systems

How Referral Bonuses Work

Many competitions offer extra entries for referring friends. This can multiply your entries significantly without additional time.

Ethical Referral Strategy

DO:

• Share with genuinely interested friends
• Post in appropriate comping communities
• Use referral links transparently
• Help newcomers who want to start comping

DON'T:

• Spam uninterested people
• Create fake accounts for referrals
• Mislead people about what they're signing up for
• Violate competition terms

Finding Referral Partners

Join comping communities where members help each other:

• Facebook comping groups
• Twitter comping community
• Dedicated forums
• Sweepzy community features

Strategy 6: Exploit Promotional Periods

Seasonal Opportunities

Competition volumes surge during certain periods:

High-competition periods:

• Christmas season
• Summer holidays
• Black Friday week
• Valentine's Day

Lower-competition periods:

• January (post-Christmas fatigue)
• Early autumn
• Mid-week in any season

Category-Specific Timing

Food & drink: Holiday seasons, summer BBQ periods Travel: January (new year planning), autumn Electronics: Black Friday, back-to-school Beauty: Valentine's, Mother's Day Sports: Major events, season starts

Strategy 7: Specialise Strategically

The Generalist vs Specialist Debate

Generalist approach:

• Enter everything
• Higher volume
• Diverse prize types
• More time required

Specialist approach:

• Focus on specific prize categories
• Develop expertise
• Better creative entries
• More efficient use of time

Developing Your Niche

Consider specialising in:

• Prize types you genuinely want
• Categories where you have knowledge
• Entry methods you enjoy
• Brands you already follow

Specialists often win more because:

• Their genuine enthusiasm shows
• They notice opportunities others miss
• Their creative entries are stronger
• They build relationships with brands

Strategy 8: Track, Analyse, Improve

What to Track

Basic metrics:

• Competitions entered
• Wins achieved
• Entry method breakdown
• Time spent comping

Advanced analysis:

• Win rate by entry method
• Win rate by competition type
• Best-performing categories
• Optimal time investment

Using Data to Improve

Monthly review process:

1. Calculate wins per 100 entries
2. Identify your best-performing categories
3. Analyse where you spend most time
4. Adjust strategy based on data

Sweepzy Tracking Features

Use Sweepzy's tracking tools to:

• Log all entries automatically
• Record wins and values
• Analyse patterns over time
• Set and monitor goals

Strategy 9: Build Your Comping Brand

Why Personal Branding Helps

Some competitions favour entrants who:

• Have engaged social media presence
• Regularly interact with brands
• Create quality user-generated content
• Have influence in their networks

Building Your Presence

Social media strategy:

• Post non-competition content
• Engage genuinely with brands
• Share wins graciously
• Help other compers

Reputation benefits:

• Brands may notice regular engagers
• Creative competitions often reviewed manually
• Genuine enthusiasm stands out
• Some brands have ambassador programmes

Strategy 10: Never Stop Learning

Continuous Improvement

Top compers constantly:

• Test new strategies
• Learn from other winners
• Adapt to changing platforms
• Refine their approach

Learning Resources

• Comping communities and forums
• Winner announcement analysis
• Brand marketing trends
• Platform algorithm updates

The Winner's Mindset

Successful compers share these traits:

• Persistence through dry spells
• Optimism without expectation
• Organisation and consistency
• Genuine enjoyment of the hobby

Putting It All Together

Your Optimised Strategy

1. Find: Use multiple sources to discover competitions
2. Filter: Prioritise low-entry and effort-based competitions
3. Enter: Submit quality entries efficiently
4. Track: Log everything and monitor results
5. Analyse: Review monthly and adjust strategy
6. Repeat: Consistency creates compound results

Expected Results

With strategic comping:

• Beginners: 1-3 wins per month after initial learning period
• Intermediate: 3-8 wins per month
• Advanced: 8-15+ wins per month

Prize values vary widely, but strategic compers typically win £500-£5,000+ in prizes annually.

Remember: Strategy improves odds, but randomness means results vary. Stay consistent, keep refining, and the wins will come.