United States Sweepstakes and Contests

In the United States, “sweepstakes” usually means a chance-based promotion, while “contest” often means skill, judging, voting, a creative submission, or another merit-based selection method. Sponsors also use everyday terms like “giveaway,” “prize drawing,” and “promotion.” The wording matters less than the official rules, because the rules control residency, age, deadlines, entry limits, odds, prize delivery, and any required releases.

Finding U.S. sweepstakes and contests

Start with contests marked for the United States, then narrow by state when the sponsor limits eligibility. Some national promotions are open to all U.S. residents, some exclude particular states, and some are only available in one state, city, store market, or delivery area. If a sponsor ships prizes only inside the contiguous United States, residents of Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, U.S. territories, or military addresses may need to check extra closely.

State pages can help when a sponsor writes rules such as “California residents only” or “New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut residents only.” For example, people searching large state markets may want to compare California contests and New York contests with the national U.S. list. Cross-border promotions sometimes include both the United States and Canada, so the Canada contests page can also be useful when rules mention North America, U.S. and Canada, or separate Canadian eligibility.

Contests by State

1. Alabama
2. Alaska
3. Arizona
4. Arkansas
5. California
6. Colorado
7. Connecticut
8. Delaware
9. Florida
10. Georgia
11. Hawaii
12. Idaho
13. Illinois
14. Indiana
15. Iowa
16. Kansas
17. Kentucky
18. Louisiana
19. Maine
20. Maryland
21. Massachusetts
22. Michigan
23. Minnesota
24. Mississippi
25. Missouri
26. Montana
27. Nebraska
28. Nevada
29. New Hampshire
30. New Jersey
31. New Mexico
32. New York
33. North Carolina
34. North Dakota
35. Ohio
36. Oklahoma
37. Oregon
38. Pennsylvania
39. Rhode Island
40. South Carolina
41. South Dakota
42. Tennessee
43. Texas
44. U.S. Outlying Islands
45. U.S. Virgin Islands
46. Utah
47. Vermont
48. Virginia
49. Washington
50. Washington DC
51. West Virginia
52. Wisconsin
53. Wyoming

Before entering a U.S. promotion

Check the official rules before spending time on an entry. A practical U.S. checklist:

• Residency: confirm whether the promotion is open to the United States, your state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, or only certain local markets.
• Age: many sponsors set minimum ages such as 18, 21, or age of majority. If you are not sure, use the rule document and the sponsor’s contact method rather than assuming.
• No-purchase terms: for chance-based sweepstakes, the FTC says real sweepstakes are free and by chance, and it is illegal to require payment or a purchase to enter or improve your odds.
• Entry limits: look for one-time, daily, weekly, household, email-address, social-account, or per-person limits. Duplicate entries can disqualify otherwise valid entries.
• Deadline and time zone: U.S. promotions may use Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific, Alaska, Hawaii-Aleutian, or sponsor-local time. Convert the deadline before waiting until the final day.
• Prize delivery: check whether the sponsor ships to your address, requires pickup, substitutes cash, or requires forms before fulfillment.
• Taxes: the IRS treats many prizes and awards as income. Keep sponsor paperwork and consider professional tax help for higher-value prizes.
• Scam signals: be cautious if someone says you won a contest you did not enter, asks for money to release a prize, asks for bank or card details, pressures you to act immediately, or sends a check and asks you to return part of the funds.

Rules, taxes, and official consumer resources

The Federal Trade Commission’s prize, sweepstakes, and lottery scam guidance is a useful baseline for U.S. entrants. The FTC explains that real sweepstakes are free and by chance, warns that paying to get a prize is a scam signal, and notes that promoters may use your contest entry information for advertising or marketing follow-up.

For tax planning, start with IRS Publication 525 on taxable and nontaxable income. The IRS says prizes and awards are generally included in income unless a specific exception applies. This page is general information only, not tax advice; large prizes, travel prizes, vehicles, gift cards, and sponsor-issued tax forms are worth reviewing with a qualified tax professional.

If a promotion looks suspicious, report it through official channels. The FTC accepts fraud reports at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. USAGov maintains a directory of state consumer protection offices, which can help with complaints against businesses, scams, and fraud in your state or territory. If the suspicious prize notice arrived through the U.S. Mail, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service report page lists sweepstakes scams and lottery scams under mail fraud.

Frequently asked questions

Are U.S. sweepstakes required to be free to enter?

For real chance-based sweepstakes, the FTC says entry is free and winning is by chance. Be cautious if a promoter says a purchase, fee, tax payment, shipping payment, wire transfer, gift card, cryptocurrency payment, or paid upgrade is required to enter or improve your odds.

Do U.S. contest prizes have to be reported as income?

Often, yes. IRS Publication 525 says prizes and awards are generally included in income unless a specific exception applies. Keep any sponsor paperwork, including Form 1099 information if provided, and ask a tax professional about your own return.

Why do some promotions say “void where prohibited”?

That phrase means the sponsor is trying to avoid offering the promotion in places where the rules, registration requirements, prize restrictions, shipping rules, or other legal concerns make the promotion unavailable. It does not override the detailed eligibility section, so read the official rules for the exact states or territories included.

Why are some national promotions not open to every U.S. resident?

Sponsors may limit eligibility because of state-specific promotion requirements, alcohol or tobacco restrictions, age limits, prize delivery logistics, store territories, professional licensing rules, or local campaign goals. Contest Reminder can help you find opportunities, but the sponsor’s official eligibility language controls.

Can U.S. residents enter Canadian or worldwide contests?

Sometimes, but only when the official rules include your location. Canadian promotions often have separate eligibility rules, and some require a skill-testing question for Canadian winners. Worldwide promotions may still exclude particular countries, states, territories, or prize-delivery areas.

What should I do if someone says I won a prize but I do not remember entering?

Treat it as suspicious. The FTC warns that prize scammers may contact people by call, email, text, social media, or mail and ask for money or personal information. Do not use contact details supplied in the message; look up the sponsor independently, and report suspected fraud through the FTC or the appropriate state consumer office.

Where should I report a mailed sweepstakes or lottery scam?

If the suspicious notice used the U.S. Mail, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service accepts reports for mail fraud, including sweepstakes scams and lottery scams. For broader fraud reports, use ReportFraud.ftc.gov and your state consumer protection office.

Use Contest Reminder as a tracking tool

When you find a U.S. sweepstakes or contest that appears to fit your location, open the sponsor’s rules before entering, save important deadlines, and track repeat-entry opportunities carefully. Contest Reminder helps organize the search; the sponsor remains responsible for eligibility, winner selection, prize fulfillment, and official rule interpretation.

Contests by State

1. Alabama
2. Alaska
3. Arizona
4. Arkansas
5. California
6. Colorado
7. Connecticut
8. Delaware
9. Florida
10. Georgia
11. Hawaii
12. Idaho
13. Illinois
14. Indiana
15. Iowa
16. Kansas
17. Kentucky
18. Louisiana
19. Maine
20. Maryland
21. Massachusetts
22. Michigan
23. Minnesota
24. Mississippi
25. Missouri
26. Montana
27. Nebraska
28. Nevada
29. New Hampshire
30. New Jersey
31. New Mexico
32. New York
33. North Carolina
34. North Dakota
35. Ohio
36. Oklahoma
37. Oregon
38. Pennsylvania
39. Rhode Island
40. South Carolina
41. South Dakota
42. Tennessee
43. Texas
44. U.S. Outlying Islands
45. U.S. Virgin Islands
46. Utah
47. Vermont
48. Virginia
49. Washington
50. Washington DC
51. West Virginia
52. Wisconsin
53. Wyoming

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