Guy Enters 1000 Competitions over 50 Days. Wins 4 Comps

neil on 03/08/2015 - 16:08
Last edited 03/08/2015 - 16:26

There is a great Youtube Video documenting the process of a guy in England who set out to enter 1000 random competitions. He set a goal of entering 20 a day, for 50 days. The end result was 4 wins which is not a bad feat.

I guess the probability is fairly low if you just select 1000 random comps however looking at the wins on OzBargain and the AMA from multiple major comp winner maximum, there is a good chance of winning if you use the right strategies.

You can check how many comps you have entered & won by going to My Account-Lists-Competition. I've entered 948 comps with 20 wins..a lot better than Andrew did in the video. What's your win record?

News.com.au: Student enters 1000 competitions — did he win anything?

General Discussion

Comments

  • Maki on 03/08/2015 - 16:19

    135 entries 2 wins…

  • strikerzebra on 03/08/2015 - 16:21

    How long did it take you to enter the comps neil and what were the prizes worth that you won?

    • neil on 03/08/2015 - 16:29
      +8

      Not sure how long but probably no more than a couple of minutes for each.

      11/20 Wins are for Coles. Those are usually quite easy to win.

      Biggest win was this free bottle of Bundy which is still sitting unopened.

  • Luminary on 03/08/2015 - 16:24
    +1

    Ahhh, I was wondering where we could find our competition statistics. Hm, 58 entries, 5 wins. Not bad. I've only been recently getting back into it. I think I won about 40 prizes in my best year. Definitely don't think I entered 1000..

  • spackbace on 03/08/2015 - 16:27
    +1

    I'm 42 from 201, but some others aren't posted on here.

    Best likely comps are ones that involve a purchase, they seem to be the least advertised/least entered.

    That said, I'd say anything that involves sending in an envelope has 1 of the greatest chances these days as who's gonna bother?!

    Personally hate the Facebook ones where it might be 1 prize, and there's like 2000+ comments on the picture. Those I just walk away from, not worth it!

    • ShamelessBargains on 03/08/2015 - 20:16
      +1

      I reckon those Scoopon gift cards count as a comp win too. Required a lot of skill to acquire. My hands are still recovering from refreshing that page haha

  • inherentchoice on 03/08/2015 - 16:31
    +2

    4/1000 = 0.4%

    I have entered 125 competitions with 0 wins, so I just need to enter another 125 and I should be able to get one win!

    • Yanoflies on 03/08/2015 - 18:39
      +7

      That's not how probability works, unfortunately :*(.

      • T1OOO on 03/08/2015 - 20:39

        :-)

        That made me smile. He will learn that after 1000 and zero wins :-)

  • nubzy on 03/08/2015 - 16:40
    +1

    I used to enter competitions all the time and have a few wins. Haven't bothered for the past year, it has become ALOT harder to win.

  • Talonparty on 03/08/2015 - 17:02
    +1

    29 for 0 :(

    gotta be in it to win it i guess

  • Mr BoMBAStiG on 03/08/2015 - 17:03
    +2

    Does anyone use browser plugins to make the forms quicker to fill?
    What about personal details, do you have a burner mobile and a PO Box/Parcel Locker? I would be a bit suss opening giving name, DOB, address and mobile to so many people.

    • neil on 03/08/2015 - 17:11
      +3

      I use Lastpass as I already use it for storing passwords.

      I have Comp form details (different email etc) and Home form details (used for online shopping).

  • iChopstick on 03/08/2015 - 17:08
    +6

    Skewed by #colouryoursummer

  • peeweekathi on 03/08/2015 - 17:12
    +1

    Okay, just looked at my 2014 wins (yep, I keep track!) 25 wins from 59 entries. I'm picky with which ones I enter, based on likelihood of winning and of course, what the prize is. Three of those were trip wins. I usually only enter for stuff I actually want!

    • happychild100 on 03/08/2015 - 17:43

      Trips to where?

      • donga100 on 03/08/2015 - 18:43
        +6

        Uber trips.

      • peeweekathi on 03/08/2015 - 20:19
        +3

        2014 wins - London, Sydney, and a lovely Yarra Valley winery win.

        • happychild100 on 03/08/2015 - 20:23

          Wow! Were the trips to Sydney and London for anything specific or just general touristy ones?

        • peeweekathi on 03/08/2015 - 20:27
          +1

          Sydney was a Tropfest win, bestie and I got spoilt rotten, for 3 days/2nights, London was just airfare and 3 nights, but I extended it to 3 weeks of travelling around Europe! Lurve trip wins, had quite a few now, LOL!

        • loulou1 on 03/08/2015 - 20:36
          +2

          Any tips you can share to other ozbargainers? A trip would be my ultimate prize :)

        • peeweekathi on 03/08/2015 - 20:54
          +1

          @loulou1: Polish up on your 25 words or less, always give them a go and be creative when answering whatever the question is. If I give away all my 'secrets', I'll have to start paying for more trips, LOL!

        • inherentchoice on 03/08/2015 - 22:47
          +8

          @peeweekathi: So in 25 words or less, tell us why you would like to win more competitions?

        • peeweekathi on 03/08/2015 - 23:20
          +25

          @inherentchoice: I’d like to win more,
          Because, I’m poor,
          I’m a pensioner now, you see,
          After 31 years, of toiling in two careers,
          I’m finally free!

          (That took me about 30 seconds… my brain automatically thinks in 25 WOL now, LOL!)

        • neil on 04/08/2015 - 00:22
          +15

          Actually, a great deal of kudos should be given to peeweekathi. Previously our comps section consisted of a very unused sub-forum. I had a great chat with her at a meetup where I too was amazed at her massive comp wins. After having a look at some of the other comping communities, we built the current OzBargain comp system that exists today.

          Sometimes we add features to OzBargain that we think are awesome but then they don't get used by members. I reckon the comps section is probably one of the more popular additions.

          • spackbace on 16/02/2023 - 14:54

            @neil: Just seeing this because of the thread-mine, but I think it's interesting seeing how much growth that section has had over the past 8 years, let alone before that!

        • [Deactivated] on 04/08/2015 - 18:16
          +8

          @peeweekathi:

          'London was just airfare and 3 nights'

          Oh is that all? :)

        • peeweekathi on 05/08/2015 - 20:58

          @wasabinator: Sorry! Most of the other trips had prize money as well and were longer, LOL! I shouldn't be so flippant, I know, but…. :)

        • peeweekathi on 05/08/2015 - 21:01

          @neil: Thanks Neil! (And, yes, I'm maintaining my 'average' wins per year, LOL!)

    • jbum on 16/02/2023 - 14:01

      Hi Peeweekathi! Were any of those trip wins from purchase comps? Did you buy everyday?

      • spackbace on 16/02/2023 - 14:52

        FYI you just resurrected an 8yo post :P

  • Chef-Johnson on 03/08/2015 - 17:17
    +2

    Ive done alright, 4 socceroos tab suite tickets, i won the urban list french connection great night out comp off here so i am 2 from maybe 50 but im lucky my prizes were decent

  • navegante88 on 03/08/2015 - 17:28
    +1

    Doesn't this cause an issue with thousands of companies calling u up for market research and surveys, since they now have your personal numbet?

    • neil on 03/08/2015 - 18:20
      +1

      Nope. Companies are too cheap now, easier for them to SPAM you to death. I've received 2 calls (Mazda test drive & Mattress sales).

    • inherentchoice on 03/08/2015 - 22:03

      Actually I did get called up and agreed to go to a time share presentation, but at least I got some free stuff and didn't cave in to the high pressure salesman.

      • Cluster on 05/08/2015 - 13:26

        Sitting through a time share presentation is less fun than visiting a proctologist.

    • navegante88 on 04/08/2015 - 17:13

      I applied for one competition with appliances online and specifically unchecked the box that said I agree to take a survey with some.company. and guess what… They called me almost the next day and haven't stopped calling. I had to block their number.

  • [Deactivated] on 03/08/2015 - 17:29
    +17

    The only competition I ever won was one of those enter a "code word" and your details via SMS things on TV.

    I remember the day when channel 10 premiered **Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?" and I couldn't watch it because I had work so I recorded it on a VHS (lol).

    After running out of petrol on the way home from work and calling the RAA, I sat down and had supper whilst watching my recordings. I don't know why I didn't fast forward the commercials but that competition appeared. It came with a 40" Sony Bravia Tv, a Playstation 3 and 10 BluRay movies. I thought "meh, I might as well use my last $6 worth of credits" and I only wanted that Playstation 3 - keep in mind this was the same year when the Playstation 3 was launched and LCDs were still very expensive on the market.

    Very next morning I got a phone call from a radio station and they asked me if I had been listening to their station this morning. I was still asleep by then so I said no. They then said that they announced my name over the radio stating that I won the competition.

    Ecstatic, I asked "I'm not on air am I?" And they said "no" so I swore lol.

  • PVA on 03/08/2015 - 17:38

    what was your biggest/best win Neil?

  • loulou1 on 03/08/2015 - 17:48
    +1

    16/159. Better than I thought :) Coles and coke colour your summer included in that, along with that maccas one with the nuggets (I still have nightmares about nuggets)

  • John on 03/08/2015 - 17:52
    +2

    Haven't won anything yet since.. ever. The one time I won a $100 doorprize, I forgot to bring the ticket that would allow me to claim the prize, so they drew another winner…. :(

  • rompastompa on 03/08/2015 - 18:49
    +4

    Total: 117 entries, 2 wins

    Both wins were 'Everybody wins' competitions :(

  • ShamelessBargains on 03/08/2015 - 19:30

    70 entries and 8 wins. Mainly movie tickets and instant win competitions. Best odds on the 25 words or less I reckon.

    My biggest win so far is a cod ghosts elite subscription which I gifted to a mate.

  • kasumi on 03/08/2015 - 19:33

    88 entries, 7 wins
    better than i thought

  • [Deactivated] on 03/08/2015 - 19:38

    12 wins from 21 entries.

    All of them were from Coles.

    The most profitable was from the Coles/Cadbury cricket promotion. I got one $10 gift card and I'm expecting two more gift cards in the mail this week.

  • hamza23 on 03/08/2015 - 21:06
    +1

    1282 entries, 37 wins here.

    I tend to just stick to easy but low percentage lucky draws, no doubt that words or less comps with a bit of thought given is the way to go if you want decent wins. Most of my wins are small wins, everybody wins or Coles comps.

    Interesting to hear the numbers from everyone else.

    • spackbace on 03/08/2015 - 22:01

      I know it was recently mentioned, but maybe it's time for a Competitions Discussion sub-forum and chuck this post in there as post #1?

      • spackbace on 03/08/2015 - 23:58
        +1

        Apparently someone didn't like that idea! :/

      • Moderatorneil on 04/08/2015 - 00:10

        The best practice with creating sub-forums is when the General Discussion forum is getting enough specific threads created for that topic. At the moment, there aren't many comp discussion. Most comp discussion are done within the individual competition posts. However what would be good is a general competition discussion thread. Feel free to make one and we'll sticky it to the top.

        • spackbace on 04/08/2015 - 10:41
          +2

          https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/205608

          Still messing with the post :)

        • Moderatorneil on 04/08/2015 - 10:52

          @Spackbace:

          Cool. Have stickied.

          Not sure if you have seen this but I use the Markdown table generator which helps a bit.

        • spackbace on 04/08/2015 - 11:03

          @neil:

          Yeah I just do it old school lol

          Any way of having links in a table auto-hyperlinked? So I don't need to go back and do some stupid formatting!

          For example otherwise I have to put:
          [https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/205478] (https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/205478)

          Or is that a Scotty question?

        • Moderatorneil on 04/08/2015 - 11:06

          @Spackbace:

          You need to do the markdown. Not sure what's better either putting the title of the comp then linking it or just linking the product in 2 colums (rather than 3).

          Let me know, happy to fix it up.

        • spackbace on 04/08/2015 - 11:16

          @neil:

          Fixed, figured once it's done it'll only need minor additions :)

          Purchase comps tend to get 'lost' amongst the rest. Considering the Finish Powerball one is running like the whole year, it's easy to miss!

          Oh and kept it as Ozbargain links so other sites cant steal my table easily :)

  • [Deactivated] on 03/08/2015 - 21:12

    Last competition I won was when Schweppes was giving away a pair of thongs every 5 minutes. That comp was so easy to win it got boring. Ended up giving away dozens of pairs here and giving even more to the op shop.

  • Mokr on 03/08/2015 - 22:09

    my last wins, a computer review prize for a news website, a reading book voucher (when the age was popular), a JB hi fi voucher for a game of skill coke prize which i never recieved

    All in most of them were games of skill rather than mass entries,

  • Jared17 on 04/08/2015 - 08:53

    Never won anything. Can't remember how many competitions as I don't keep track but should be over 100

  • pioneeringlife on 04/08/2015 - 09:37

    1 entry, 1 win, $5000

  • Darron65 on 04/08/2015 - 10:07
    +10

    I haven't won many but I got a big one last October. A Walkinshaw supercharged Commodore worth $65k. I kept it a short time, used about half a tank of petrol, sold it for a good price. Tax free cash makes me smile.

    • hamza23 on 04/08/2015 - 10:50
      +1

      You won this comp? https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/159733

      Wow had no idea! Nice one.

      • Darron65 on 04/08/2015 - 11:33

        Indeed; I neglected to mark that thread "I won". The car was hellafun to drive, and occasionally I could fully open the throttle for nearly 2 seconds at a time due to nanny state speed limit enforcement in Victoria.

        • spackbace on 04/08/2015 - 11:46

          Wow nice!

          So, what did you buy after driving that beast?!

        • Darron65 on 04/08/2015 - 12:39
          +12

          Well let's see, one of my 15 yr old cars needed tires…

          Spending is my wife's job and she is quite skilled. Saving money and/or finding bargains is my job.

  • OzWizard on 04/08/2015 - 10:09
    +1

    I think my winning rate is close to 1 in every 5 entries. Usually i pick the "send in an envelope" (never won any of those, waste my precious postage, come to think of it, i should stop investing in those!), "25 words of less", photography comp, and website games.

    Our biggest prizes were a wine fridge, a top of the model vacuum cleaner, a digital camera, $500 amazon voucher. We sold them to convert it to cash. Smaller prizes were movie tickets, gift cards, throngs, mobile phones, cash, etc.

    My advice to all those non-comp believers is this: the regulations indicate that somebody MUST win the prize, so why not be me? That usually motivates me to spend a few minutes to enter.

  • expertreader on 04/08/2015 - 10:19

    Somehow the stats don't show up on iPhone. I may have to login from browser.

    • Moderatorneil on 04/08/2015 - 13:12

      That's odd. Can you send me/us a screenshot?

  • username999 on 04/08/2015 - 10:36
    +4

    Lol this remind me of the Japanese show (but not so extreme!) Susunu! Denpa Shōnen 1998-2000, where Nasubi(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasubi), a guy set the Guinness world record for the "longest time survived on competition winnings.

    Basically he was locked inside an apartment alone starting with nothing but water (started out naked) and have to to survive solely on Japanese competition winnings. He was isolated from the outside communication and broadcasting for a good 15 months, lost quite a bit of weight but managed to survive solely on competition winnings.

    The live camera feed was on him 24/7 and was broadcasted to the public 1998-2000. He eventually reached his target goal of 1 million yen or so.

    There are videos of it with English sub around if anyone is interested in this human experiment. https://vimeo.com/49589381 or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nioYgJl1BPM . Those Japanese people are crazy lol.

    • strikerzebra on 04/08/2015 - 10:42

      Haha sounds epic, will watch

  • BewareOfThe Dog on 04/08/2015 - 12:00

    I won a KFC $25 voucher recently, and I am waiting on a $500 Visa card from March. The SMH didn't receive my confirmation email.

  • rbrb on 04/08/2015 - 12:06

    I won a Sony bluray surround sound set from a comp I saw on here, it's really the only thing I have ever won.

  • Clear on 04/08/2015 - 13:08
    +2

    For some reason I seem to be really good at winning those "email subscription" competitions. Highlights so far would be an Elephone, LG G Watch (at release), earphones and an iPhone.

  • tomorrows_angel on 04/08/2015 - 14:35
    +4

    I must be super unlucky… I would have entered hundreds, if not thousands of competitions over the years in magazines, online etc and won nothing. The exception:

    I worked at Optus. To launch something or other sports related they had a competition on campus for the fastest soccer kick. I was sadly wearing heels and stockings and didn't have anything else so kicked off my heels and did it barefoot. Wrecked my stockings but I won an LG smartphone which I then flogged on ebay.

    • strikerzebra on 04/08/2015 - 15:25

      Must be some pretty good stocking if you were pissed about wrecking them to with a LG smartphone

  • ozbargainer888 on 04/08/2015 - 17:15

    65 entries and no wins.
    I used to win a couple of small comps via twitter years ago when there weren't as many people or perhaps not as many aware you could win that way but no dice lately.

  • Baa on 05/08/2015 - 00:37
    +3

    Not going to lie, I only just noticed competition section - have entered today more comps in one day than I have in my life combined up until now.

    • spackbace on 05/08/2015 - 00:40

      It's easy to miss, but welcome :)

    • neil on 05/08/2015 - 01:26

      Really? We've promoted them everywhere we possibly can.

      • seanti on 05/08/2015 - 09:50

        I'm the same - until now I never really noticed the competitions section. My use of the site was basically check the frontpage for deals/top topics, then check the first couple of pages of new deals, repeat every few hours.

        I don't know how feasible it would be, but maybe in the sidebar "Ozbargain Tips" could be moved down and something like "Announcements" or "News" could be put there? Maybe linking to the two or three most recent pieces of news, so you can reach the casuals like me ;)

        • Baa on 05/08/2015 - 10:34

          When I had more free time to prowl I used to check out the competition forum occasionally, never noticed it migrate to the top of the screen.

          Probably more an issue of just simple habit after visiting daily for 4 years and doing the same two tasks, checking popular deals and new deals.

        • nismo on 05/08/2015 - 14:27

          maybe in the sidebar "Ozbargain Tips" could be moved down and something like "Announcements" or "News" could be put there?

          That section is already on rotation and Competitions regularly shows up there! I guess you just haven't noticed it yet :)

          Go to the homepage and hit Refresh endlessly & watch it change!

          here's proof: http://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/77537/32513/ozb_tips-co…

        • Moderatorneil on 05/08/2015 - 16:13

          There is an announcement section exactly where you pointed out where we occasionally have news, announcements, promoting our comps etc. :)

          Any particular kind of news you are looking for?

        • seanti on 05/08/2015 - 16:57

          @nismo:

          That's my mistake, I'll have to keep more of an eye out in future. Thanks :)

          @neil:

          That'll teach me to pay more attention in future. I didn't have anything in particular that I was wanting, maybe just a "recent changes/news" thing, I'm one of those odd people who enjoys reading changelogs ;).

        • Moderatorneil on 10/08/2015 - 15:27

          @seanti:

          I've now put an announcement on our front page which has our July members of the month as well as recent changes/news.

      • alpal05 on 05/08/2015 - 10:48

        The less people that know, the better it is for us. ;)

  • Callison on 05/08/2015 - 01:05
    +3

    Damnit Neil, now you've got me entering all the competitions!

  • HoneyComb on 05/08/2015 - 08:15

    I entered about 100 and the only thing I won was alot of spam. :(

    I decided to give up because the Spam I was getting was not worth it.

    • strikerzebra on 05/08/2015 - 13:29

      Create an email address just for competition spam

  • alpal05 on 05/08/2015 - 09:04

    I've probably entered over 200 in the past 12 months. Have won 3 prizes, mainly for my daughter.

    One was a princess playdoh set, the second one was a Yo Gabba Gabba CD and DVD and the third prize was a beauty set with fake tan, rosehip oil, peppa pig sunscreen lol and some other beauty items.

    It takes a lot of time to enter, but I'm hoping to get lucky with a big prize soon.

    • alpal05 on 05/08/2015 - 10:50

      Oh and at least 2 of those prizes were won with 25 words or less. It's definitely worth trying to think of a response.

  • alpal05 on 05/08/2015 - 12:26
    +1

    Speaking of which I just won fries and coke from the McDonalds competition. ;)

  • hongas on 05/08/2015 - 12:46
    +1

    I have won that recent Seagate SSHD hard drive competition.

    • dd721411 on 08/08/2015 - 13:04
      +1

      Congrats again. That's my post!

      BTW, you haven't up-voted that post. ;) Kidding though.

      • maximum on 10/08/2015 - 19:43
        +1

        I often wonder why there are say 50 entries for a comp but only a couple of up votes . Maybe people think up votes cost money . I appreciate all your posts 721411. Hopefully I'll win from one of yours soon.

        • dd721411 on 11/08/2015 - 21:07

          Because there's no obligation to vote for comps. I post comps just for fun and it would be great if someone can win something from my posts!

          Thanks for your kind words, maximum. Wish you best of luck next time!

  • Cluster on 05/08/2015 - 13:28
    +3

    I've entered many competitions this year and won exactly one: a free bag of cat food from Coles. It's one of those 'every child wins a prize' competitions where you had to write some nonsense about why your cat would enjoy this new dried wheat biscuit food with traces of entrails.

    I wrote: "My cat will enjoy the new food as it will make a welcome change from the taste of human flesh". Result? Winner! Proves that either someone had a chuckle or (far more likely) no one ever reads the entries.

    • spackbace on 05/08/2015 - 13:35
      +3

      I wrote "Because my pussy is hungry, very hungry!" - Result - Free cat food lol

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