What Have You Won? Good/Bad, Lottery or Comps Tell Your Story

morse on 09/09/2024 - 20:36
Last edited 11/09/2024 - 19:09 by 1 other user

curious to hear what oz bargainers have won whether through competitions (popular on here), lotteries, raffles or otherwise.

Personally I don’t do sports betting or pokies. However I do like online competitions (25 words or less), raffles, prize homes and lotteries.

So far I’ve won:
Dining vouchers
Vacuum
Fridge
Garden products/tools
A drill
Clothing voucher
Beauty products
Subscription box
Minor lotto wins
and various other things

Nothing major but I do like it even though the time probably doesn’t justify the ends.

Share your wins or regrets!

Update: reading responses to this thread has been lovely - it’s like vicarious joy for all your winnings. Glad I posted this.

General Discussion

Comments

  • ColtNoir on 10/09/2024 - 14:31
    +1

    My two wins are
    - Linea mini coffee machine, grinder and 12months supply of coffee RRP $7.5k
    - sniper elite 4 through which I had to call a number and hope my local EBGames had a copy

    I don’t have a lot of hope for any wins after I used all my luck on the coffee machine.

    • morse on 10/09/2024 - 18:58

      Very nice! A good coffee machine is definitely a great prize.

  • Herbs on 10/09/2024 - 14:36
    +4

    In 2004 I bought a pair of Adidas socks, a competition on the label was tickets to the 2005 Australian Open finals, accommodation and flights.
    Saw Lleyton Hewitt lose to Marat Safin, and Lindsay Davenport lose to Serena Williams. Olivia Newton-John sang Magic.

  • Aldonis on 10/09/2024 - 14:36
    +1

    Only thing I've ever won was a Moose prize pack from Cheez TV. It had pick up sticks, knucklebones and something else. It sucked

    • morse on 10/09/2024 - 18:57

      I never entered those as a kid, but they looked amazing. Glad I didn’t really miss out on anything.

  • camz0r on 10/09/2024 - 15:19
    +7

    $51k jackpot at the pokies within Crown. Was there celebrating birthday with wife and put probably $300 in the machines. Was a random/surreal feeling.

    • morse on 10/09/2024 - 18:56

      So good! It really does give a buzz, no wonder people get addicted, but also many don’t and just enjoy the win.

    • AustriaBargain on 11/09/2024 - 14:17

      You weren't addicted to it after? Some people would never recover, they'd be chasing the buzz the rest of their life.

  • SpainKing on 10/09/2024 - 16:46
    +5

    So glad to see everyone being so lucky. Not to flex, but I did win a free fried chicken burger from my DoorDashed Hungry Jack's order the other day 💪🏿

  • RossS12 on 10/09/2024 - 17:26
    +6

    Been "comping" since 2008 and have around 1500 wins totalling just under $300,000.

    Biggest win was $100,000 for buying three tins of tomatoes at Woolies in 2013. It was one of those "chance to win" comps where you had to pick 1 envelope out of 100 and I lucked out. Next biggest was a $12,000 ski trip to Canada which was a 25 words or less. Wins have dropped off lately - but still get enough to pay for the groceries.

    • morse on 10/09/2024 - 18:51

      Amazing! I’ve always thought those envelope competitions you’d be so unlikely to win, but I guess better odds than many forms of gambling.

      • RossS12 on 10/09/2024 - 21:20
        +4

        They told me there were 25,000 entries and I had three entries total so the odds for me to get to choose from the envelopes was 1 in 8,333. Multiply that by 100 for choosing the correct envelope my overall odds was 1 in 833,333 to win $100,000. Apparently winning Saturday Night Tattslotto is 1 in 8,145,060 for probably about $1,000,000 - so in the end the odds were probably about the same.

        • morse on 10/09/2024 - 21:41

          You totally lucked out! So good!

  • Antikythera on 10/09/2024 - 17:39

    I've profited about 1.25M from TAB and pokies over the years.

    my secret?

    its a paycheck not winnings.

    • fredk1000 on 10/09/2024 - 22:25

      Sounds like being a drug dealer.

  • 2025 on 10/09/2024 - 17:58
    +2

    An all you can eat night at Nandos and Gold Class tickets with open bar/food at the cinema from Nanos’ rewards program competition.

  • gentlekoala5906 on 10/09/2024 - 18:03

    No one is gonna beat Nasubi, he's the coupon winning king.

  • Uprising14 on 10/09/2024 - 18:59
    +1

    I won a Playstation 3 when they were first released, that was a very good time

    • morse on 10/09/2024 - 21:43
      +1

      This just made me remember that I also won a Wii 😆

  • Littlevu on 10/09/2024 - 19:06
    +1

    $10 Pokerstars tournament that gave you a ticket to play another tournament. That prize was entry to the main event tournament in Cebu, flights and 5 nights accomodation at the Shangri-la and US$3000 spending money. And then Pokerstars gave me a carry on sized suitcase with a bunch of random merchandise. The suitcase was awesome. It went on many trips and what I liked the most of the prize.

  • glitch23 on 10/09/2024 - 20:08
    +1

    $2K in Saturday Lotto
    Won a nice TV in an online comp
    From the MSWA Lottery… Digital Camera, case of Wine, few Trips to Rotto, Parks Pass… looking forward to winning a house next :)

  • pufffdragon on 10/09/2024 - 20:26
    +2

    Woolies keep sending me $10 offers if I spend 1c. I find the smallest grape and checkout. Got $40 from them so far. Still a win.
    Other than that, I won a meat tray 30yrs back. That's it.

    • morse on 11/09/2024 - 03:49

      Do you not spend much there or not scan your card the rest of the time? I know they reward you for not spending by using points offers to draw you in, but I find even if I don’t scan my card on all shops and am inconsistent with where I shop, they still have me pegged as to how much I spend and have higher thresholds to earn points.

      • pufffdragon on 11/09/2024 - 21:14

        I have 3 reward cards. I only shop there if I get a good enough offer. At least one of my cards will get something good. Not always, but eventually I do.

  • Lucky Lady on 10/09/2024 - 20:58
    +5

    I love entering competitions especially 25 words or less. I have won -
    $50,000, $15,000, $2000 Target toy shopping spree, 2 $1000 eftpos cards, 4 $500 eftpos cards, 8 $250 eftpos cards, a night in a Crown villa with food and drinks, Esteele saucepan set, grocery hampers, etc.
    I write quirky poems and don’t enter unless it is a prize I’d really like to win.
    I won a $250 Asian Inspirations prize last year but it wasn’t awarded to me as I’d been on a cruise with no phone reception. I saw the email as soon as I got off the ship which stated I had to reply by the end of that day, which I did but they had awarded it to someone else. Just saying check your junk mail etc and I have been awarded many prizes in second chance draws.
    All my friends say I’m very lucky but you have to be in it to win it.
    I avoid overseas competitions and I read the terms as some 25 words or less comps are still drawn by chance.
    Good luck fellow Ozbargainers!

    • morse on 11/09/2024 - 03:45
      +1

      Amazing wins!

      I write quirky poems and don’t enter unless it is a prize I’d really like to win

      Exactly my approach too, but your poems must be better than mine 😆 I kind of enjoy the process of coming up with a good answer, so it feels like a bit of a hobby when I have the time for it.

    • DONMAI on 11/09/2024 - 21:24
      +3

      That's insane. Lucky lady indeed.

      This post reminds me of Nabusi, the comedian on that japanese reality tv show that was trapped inside an apartment and had to 'win' everything through magazine competitions. You would have made that show look ez.

  • beach bum on 10/09/2024 - 21:28
    +1

    Dunno how many meat trays I won at the pub back in the day then forgot to take home, stopped buying tickets after a while .

    • Skinnerr on 10/09/2024 - 22:23

      Go back in the morning to collect your tray?

      • beach bum on 10/09/2024 - 23:45

        Life goes on..

    • morse on 11/09/2024 - 03:37

      Hopefully the staff got to share the prizes.

      • beach bum on 11/09/2024 - 14:08

        Yea , probably why I won so much.

  • Jabewabe on 10/09/2024 - 21:35
    +1

    I've won a road bike worth $2.5k, a years worth of beer and some merch, several pairs of shoes (Air Jordans and running shoes mainly), a custom made suit, and several vouchers/gift cards, all thanks to OB!

  • Skinnerr on 10/09/2024 - 22:24
    +1

    Chook raffle. Nah, won a handy $100 skill hunt headlamp from reddit torch sub just for commenting.

  • Lintzman on 10/09/2024 - 22:31
    +3

    I won a $4000 flight center voucher a number of years back. Gotta love a free holiday!!

    • morse on 11/09/2024 - 03:35
      +1

      That is a great prize. I like that you get choice but your choices are all travel. I reckon if I won cash it would just get absorbed in the budget (not a terrible thing), whereas with a travel voucher you’re forced to enjoy it.

  • Brianqpr on 10/09/2024 - 23:09
    +1

    A few decent Lotto wins some years back, nothing recent.

    3.3k
    1.8k
    1.1k
    And about 900 when a work syndicate I was in won about 9k

    • morse on 11/09/2024 - 03:36
      +2

      That’s a lot of biggish wins! I’ve only ever won $20 or less on lotteries.

      • Brianqpr on 11/09/2024 - 14:12

        Nothing in recent years, just the odd $8 or $15 now and again.

        The $3.3k was from one of those $10 gift packs that my mother in law gave me for father's day that year.

  • Capo93 on 10/09/2024 - 23:37
    +5

    Won $10k few years ago on a radio competition, was a secret sound competition where you had to guess the random sound.

  • jomandybri on 11/09/2024 - 09:14
    +1

    A year's supply of ice cream from Baskin Robbins! I was one of the first 50 people to line up at a new store opening. The actual prize was a "golden ticket" book of 52 vouchers, each for a large take home tub (which would be used at any time - no weekly limits etc), but only valid for the one store. This was about 9 or 10 years ago. I went with my gf, sister, and 2 friends - we call got separate voucher books. Best. Year. Ever.

  • DiscoJango on 11/09/2024 - 10:11
    +2

    Im curious if anyone has won, or knows someone that has won those raffles you see in shopping centres where they are giving away a car. Ive never heard once of anyone actually winning these.

    • factor on 12/09/2024 - 07:47

      Those are so dubious - all the advertising makes it look like a car will be given away at that shopping centre - then reading the terms and conditions you'll find it is a shopping centre company with 10+ shopping centres. And effort level to have any real chance vs the competition when it is daily entry!

  • frewer on 11/09/2024 - 10:54
    +2

    I won the ticket to this life, I was the fastest swimmer out of 300+ million sperms.

    • morse on 11/09/2024 - 19:04

      and the lucky egg released at the right point of the cycle…

      • frewer on 11/09/2024 - 23:01

        Nah woman always late, but my patient paid off

  • branners on 11/09/2024 - 13:12
    +5

    I won a car.
    The competition was run by a company that sold school shoes, I forget the brand, and I bought 2 pairs for my kids. They came with an entry form and at the last minute, literally as I was about to go away for 3 weeks, I filled out the forms and mailed them in (separate envelopes).
    When I came back there was a letter in a pile that I nearly threw out but when I opened it, it was "congratulations, you are the winner" and I left it for 24 hours, thinking it was for a new pair of school shoes. When I read it properly the next day, I nearly fell over.
    Had to go to my local dealer the following week to have a picture taken with a woman from the competition. She was pretty unhappy, seems that they only had about 170 entries (and I had 2 of them!).
    I told the dealer what colour I wanted, picked the car up the following month. Drove it for a couple of years, then sold it.

    • morse on 11/09/2024 - 19:05

      Score!

  • RetroGameNerd on 11/09/2024 - 14:06

    I hit a 1 in 20,000,000 hand in Texas Hold 'em poker at my local pub one night. a "6 Card Royal Flush", as I had the 9 through to the Ace of Diamonds.

    There was an optional extra side-comp that you could enter which was a pooled bucket. $2 to enter, and if you hit a Royal Flush you get 20% or 100% of the contents of the bucket. The portion of the bucket was determined by the number of cards in the Royal Flush that were in your hand opposed to what was on the board.

    As I had the 9 and King of Diamonds in my hand, I only received 20% of the bucket, which equated to about $250-$300.

    Felt a touch miffed that I didn't get the full bucket, but rules are rules.

    As only 5 cards play in Texas Hold 'em there's nothing in the rules of poker that rank a "6 Card Royal" above any other Royal Flush, but it's still a cool little memory of mine.

  • pformag on 11/09/2024 - 14:22
    +1

    iPad 2, 1st week of release
    $650 Cash for worst office photo competition on thewest.com.au

  • GordonD on 11/09/2024 - 15:15
    +3

    Me and just over 5000 of my neighbors won a class action law suit against the government for PFAS contamination of the ground water under our homes from the local RAAF base. My share, just over $20K was nice. There seem to be a lot of new cars and home renovations going on around the area at the moment.

  • Wampus on 11/09/2024 - 16:30
    +2

    I won a decent prize from a comp on here - a trip to Sydney for the ABC NYE concert at the Opera House:

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/346768

    • morse on 11/09/2024 - 19:07

      Nice one! I’d love to win one of these. Never won a holiday/trip, but it’s on my agenda to try.

  • sirstiv on 11/09/2024 - 18:31
    +1

    I recently won a $1000 voucher that was through amazon / daily mail.

    I also previously won twisties museum $1000 and then entered as my wife and won $500 lol

    Also my wife and I both won tim tam $100 gift cards

  • liability on 11/09/2024 - 19:02
    +2

    I won a trip to France 30 years ago from a Cheezels competition.

  • robbo600 on 11/09/2024 - 19:10
    +5

    Won a few small things over the years

    But one I will always remember is mum buying me a tennis racket and winning tennis lessons with Lleyton Hewitt back in nineteen digitty two.

  • sheebies on 11/09/2024 - 20:55

    I’ve won a Sydney Olympic pin.

    It was one of 500 pins and I won it for a creative writing thing.

    Then my sister stole it and I’ve never seen it since. Really disappointing.

  • airzone on 11/09/2024 - 21:09

    I won a CD of country Christian music from a competition my friends entered me into as a joke in high school.

  • DONMAI on 11/09/2024 - 21:20

    I won an iPod at a University Open day celebrity heads competition. I was so excited, left my details with them and then never ever heard back from them and had no idea who to contact :(

  • hasher22 on 11/09/2024 - 22:34

    1. A random raffle: A huge Easter egg basket when I was 7 in primary school, it was HUGE……. best day ever

    2. A random employee raffle: An iPhone 4 when I used to work for Optus back whenever the iPhone 4 came out

    I used up all my luck cause I just want to win the lotto. I just want at least 300k, that too much to ask for?

  • Lanushi on 11/09/2024 - 22:51
    +1

    From OzBargain:
    * Custom Nintendo Switch Pro controller
    * Uniqlo heattech x3
    * Windows 10 Home key
    * Horizon Forbidden West Collector’s Edition. Came with the large Tremortusk statue and all. Except I never received it because the competition holder never secured the prize (: That was an effing ride. Received gift vouchers instead.

    Not from OzB:
    * Multiple movie tickets - film premiers, film festivals etc.
    * Logitech peripheral package (speaker system, mouse)
    * Earphones (also Logitech)
    * Met our Aussie entrant into Miss Universe one year. Attended a fashion show and got a goodie bag. Hosted by Loreal I think
    * Bunnings voucher ($100)
    * JB voucher (~$20)
    * Crumpler sling bag
    * Crumpler backpack
    * Beanie Kids merchandise bundle
    * A sari in my primary school’s raffle
    * other stuff no doubt.

    I entered a lot of competitions as a young adult. Had nothing better to do. No major prizes won unfortunately.

  • cobknob on 11/09/2024 - 22:59

    I do some sports punting time to time. I don't lose money over the season. My most surprising win was betting the NBA for 10$ returning 1k$ and I didn't even know it till 2 weeks later after checking my email.

    I've tried competitions unsuccessfully on here…

  • Tavelalot on 12/09/2024 - 06:13
    +1

    I won a original fully restored mongoose supergoose valued $5,000-$7,000

  • MrFrugalSpend on 12/09/2024 - 07:25
    +3

    Not me, but a now former colleague of mine won a YourTown Prize home at the Gold Coast + it was a special one that also came 2 bedroom unit at the beach + furniture voucher + book buyers prize of a Car + some Gold Bullion. All up somewhere north of $2 million worth.

    As you would, he thought it was a scam when they first rang, but they sent him out some paperwork to confirm!

    Some rich person knocked on the door shortly after who had seen it was a prize home and offered him a cash contract for the house at its advertised value - he added $100K to their offer and they agreed on the spot, he kept everything else including the holiday unit and furniture for his original house, and soon after retired a bit younger than he would otherwise have… This was years back, not sure where he is now, but comfortable I'd presume.

  • factor on 12/09/2024 - 07:35
    +1

    $1000 - last week - winter escape promotion for buying Hydralyte. The entry process looked a bit annoying so I thought it worth a go. I reckon I've used the $1000 3 times over, in justifying buying things I want.

    In the family - one car won - for just paying an NRMA bill on time (didn't even know we'd entered).

  • ScottyDont on 12/09/2024 - 08:59
    +2

    I won an i9 10850k from a gleam comp on here, cost me thousands as I then had to build a suitable PC around it

    • MrFrugalSpend on 13/09/2024 - 07:08

      "…cost me thousands as I then had to build a suitable PC around it"

      … I feel so bad for you, RU OK? :)

      You could have sold it instead

      Although many comps are aimed at getting you to spend more - like winning a free drink on Monopoly at Maccas, chances are you aren't going back just for that free drink (some syrup and water for $0.20 cost to Maccas), but to buy food next visit too.

      • ScottyDont on 14/09/2024 - 22:21

        Haha yeah I'm alright. I did consider selling it but that's no fun, I'll take any excuse to spec out and build a new pc.

  • JKF on 12/09/2024 - 11:37
    +1

    Nothing from OzB so far. My best win was like 25yrs ago from the Maccas Monopoly second chance draw for a Sega Mega Drive.

  • freekay on 12/09/2024 - 15:48
    +2

    I won 1st, 2nd and 3rd place on a Police (the fashion brand) x Lewis Hamilton FB competition. It was a vertical scrolling racer, where you had to dodge cars/obstacles for as long as possible. It was a poorly designed game, where if you just left your car running halfway on the kerb, you'd avoid 95% of all obstacles.
    Prizes were:
    Police branded watch
    Police branded wallet
    Mercedes F1 Tshirt

    • pufffdragon on 12/09/2024 - 16:35

      Lol, Sounds like you were the only one who entered. Some good wins.

      • MrFrugalSpend on 13/09/2024 - 07:11
        +2

        or no one else found the loophole in the game he mentioned, given it was a game of skill

  • branners on 12/09/2024 - 18:46
    +1

    I just won an extra 50gb of data from Amaysim for being a loyal customer. Not sure what I will use it for, they already know I don't use my full quota, but nice just the same

  • blueyez on 13/09/2024 - 20:53

    I've won many things over the years, noting that I love to enter competitions… You can only win by entering!

    Won these flights in the span of about 12 months between 2016-2017

    • 2x economy flights to the US and 2 nights accommodation in the middle of nowhere. The marketing guy was so chill I was able to turn it into a 3week trip as he didn't care much about flight dates so long as we didn't book peak holidays. Won this through a burger restaurant and maxed out the credit card many times.
    • 2x economy flights to Chennai, India. Won via Facebook and it was not a scam!
    • 2x economy flights to Queenstown, NZ. Won via a movie screening.

    Ebike worth $3k a couple of years ago

    Various gift cards, biggest one being $500 shopping centre voucher

    Many free movie nights which are infrequent, and some movie merch separately

    A digital camera from MX days

    Most recent win was $100 Beko voucher from hungry jacks uno amongst some free food items

    Still trying to win a house or a car lol but would also love to win an all expenses paid holiday

    • pufffdragon on 14/09/2024 - 00:17

      How many do you enter a week?

      • blueyez on 14/09/2024 - 00:28

        Depends on what takes my fancy. I don't enter via dedicated websites, only competitions that I come across that I'm keen on.

        In the last week I've probably entered about 5?

  • Kiz on 14/09/2024 - 08:20

    When in was 9, a microwave from Macca's trivial pursuit
    In my teens. Three free cds from a radio comp
    Then recently won a Nintendo switch OLED from a work comp, it's awesome!

  • moogieWoogie on 21/09/2024 - 11:35

    When I was a kid I actually regularly won a whole bunch of things from K-Zone magazine. From what I remember I got the following (over a few years)
    - This really massive Nerf gun
    - Mario Kart battery toys with a race track (it was really big, still have the cars but donated the track)
    - Money bank and erasable highlighters (still have them)
    - Pokemon X 3DS game (we didn't have a 3DS so I traded it for some wii game at EB)
    - Adventure Time PS3 game (we didn't have a PS3 so I also traded it for some wii game)
    - Seasons 1 and 2 of Adventure Time and Regular Show

    Also maybe some other stuff that I've probably forgotten.

  • AlienC on 07/10/2024 - 22:29

    I won some cricket shirt autographed I think I sold for under $200

    And some Tech pc stuff sold for under $150

    Entered in hundreds of competitions

    Also random but in high school I entered into some American poetry competition and won and got mail here in Sydney to attend some ceremony in las Vegas.. I think it was some online Web form entry to write a poem can't remember it now but that was fun.. Didn't go I thought it was a scam at the time could still be but yeah there was no way we could pay for the airline tickets

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