Most paid UK competitions have a second way in that costs nothing but a stamp. It exists because the law lets an operator run a paid draw without a gambling licence if anyone can enter free on equal terms (our guide to how prize competitions work explains why). The route is real, but it is also strict: postal entries are thrown out for small mistakes that a paid checkout would never let you make.
Where to find the free entry route
Operators rarely advertise it on the competition page. You will usually find it in one of three places:
- The competition terms. Look for a heading such as "free entry", "postal entry", "no purchase necessary" or "alternative entry route". This is the version that binds, so read it even if you find the details elsewhere.
- The FAQ page. Many operators repeat the address and the rules there in plainer words.
- The site footer. Some put a "free entry" link alongside the terms and privacy policy.
If you cannot find any free route on a paid draw that has no skill question, that is worth knowing about the operator before you pay. Our checklist for checking a competition site covers the other things to look at.
What to put on the card
Each operator sets its own list, and the safest approach is to copy it exactly. Most ask for some or all of these:
- your full name and postal address, including the postcode
- a phone number and an email address
- the exact name of the competition you are entering, as written on the site
- the answer to the question, if the draw has one
- your date of birth, or a statement that you are 18 or over
Some operators also require the email address to match an account on their site, so the entry can be attached to it and you can see your ticket number. If the terms say "handwritten", do not print a label. If they name a size of postcard or say "in a sealed envelope", follow it.
One entry per card or envelope
Almost every operator allows only one entry per postcard or envelope. Putting ten entries for ten different draws in one envelope, or ten copies of the same entry, will usually void all of them. Postal entries also tend to count towards the same per-person limit as paid tickets, so a postal entry on top of a full allowance of paid ones may be rejected or simply not added.
Many terms also rule out entries sent in bulk, entries made by a third party on your behalf, and entries delivered by hand rather than by post.
Posting it in time
The deadline that matters is almost always when the entry arrives, not when you post it. Terms commonly say an entry must be received before the competition closes, and some ask for it to arrive a day or more earlier. A draw that can close early when it sells out makes this harder, because the closing date you planned around may come forward.
Most operators accept first or second class post. First class is the safer choice for a draw closing within a week, because second class can take several working days. Post well ahead of the closing date rather than on it.
Why postal entries get rejected
These are the reasons operators most often give, and most of them come down to the terms not being followed to the letter.
| Problem | How to avoid it |
|---|---|
| Missing details | Check every item on the operator's list before sealing it. A missing phone number or email can be enough. |
| No answer, or the wrong one | If the draw has a question, write the answer clearly. A wrong answer is treated the same way it would be at checkout. |
| Several entries in one envelope | One entry per card or envelope, every time. |
| Illegible writing | Write in capitals. If the operator cannot read your email or postcode, it cannot contact you. |
| Arrived after the close | Post several days early, and allow for the draw closing early on a sell-out. |
| Wrong address | Copy the address from the current terms. Operators move, and an old address from a forum post may not forward. |
| Competition not named, or named vaguely | Use the exact title from the site, especially when the operator runs several draws for similar prizes. |
How you find out it was entered
Practice varies. Some operators allocate a ticket number to a valid postal entry and show it in your account, or send an email once it has been processed. Others confirm nothing and only contact you if you win. The terms usually say which, and they may also say that the operator is not responsible for entries lost or delayed in the post.
Once it is in, a valid postal entry should be treated exactly like a paid ticket: the same draw, the same chance. If you record your entries in a free account here, you can log a postal entry as postal, so your spending figures show what it really cost.
Is it worth the stamp?
A postal entry costs the price of a stamp plus a postcard or envelope, and on a draw where tickets cost less than that, buying a ticket is cheaper. The postal route makes most sense on draws with a higher ticket price, or where you have already reached the paid limit and the terms allow a postal entry on top. Either way, it is one entry, with odds set by the size of the draw like any other ticket. Our guide to competition odds shows how to work those out.
Draws that are free to enter outright
A postal route on a paid draw is different from a competition that has no paid entry at all. Our free competitions page lists live draws that cost nothing to enter through their main route, so you do not need a stamp. As with any draw, the operator's own terms decide how many times you can enter and what you need to provide.
Quick answers
Can you really enter a paid competition for free?
Often, yes. Many UK operators keep their draws outside lottery rules by offering a free entry route, usually by post. A valid postal entry goes into the same draw with the same chance as a paid ticket.
What do I write on a postal competition entry?
Follow the operator's terms exactly. They usually ask for your full name, address, phone number, email address, the name of the competition and the answer to the question, written on a postcard or in an envelope, one entry per card.
Does a postal entry have the same chance as a paid one?
It should. For the free route to count, the operator has to treat a valid postal entry the same as a paid entry, so it gets a ticket number and goes into the same draw.