Frequently Asked Questions

Got questions about how our instant entry prize draws work? You’re in the right place. If you can’t find what you’re looking for below, please contact our support team via the details on our Contact page.

General

What is BestCompetition.co.uk?

BestCompetition.co.uk is an online prize competition website where you can enter instant entry draws for cash prizes and other rewards. You purchase entries into a specific competition, answer any qualifying question where required, and when the draw closes we randomly select a winner from all valid entries.

Is this gambling?

Our prize draws are designed to operate as prize competitions and promotions, not as games of chance. Where required, we include a qualifying question or skill-based element and a free entry route option in line with UK prize promotion guidance. However, we cannot provide legal advice to players. You should read our full Terms and Conditions and, if needed, seek your own independent legal advice.

Who can enter?

Unless otherwise stated on the competition page:

• You must be at least 18 years old.
• You must be a resident of the United Kingdom (including Northern Ireland).
• You must not be an employee or direct contractor of the operator, or a member of their immediate household.

Full eligibility requirements are set out in our Terms and Conditions.

How does it work in simple terms?

1. Choose a competition (for example, “Win £100 Cash – Instant Entry Prize Draw”).
2. Select how many paid entries you want and answer any qualifying question if required.
3. Complete checkout securely.
4. Once the draw closes, we run a random draw from all valid entries.
5. The winner is contacted by email and/or phone, and the result is published on our Winners page.

Entries & Tickets

How do I buy entries?

You can purchase entries directly on each competition page:

• Select the number of entries you want from the entry selector.
• Answer any qualifying question, if applicable.
• Add your entries to the basket and complete checkout.

Do I get specific ticket numbers?

Our system automatically allocates unique entry IDs to each valid entry. These may not always be shown as visible “ticket numbers” on the website, but every entry is individually recorded and included in the random winner selection. You will receive an order confirmation email for your records.

Is there a maximum number of entries per person?

Yes. Each competition has a maximum number of entries per person to keep things fair. The limit (for example, 100 entries per person per draw) will be stated on the relevant competition page and/or in the Terms and Conditions for that competition.

Is there a maximum number of entries overall?

Each draw will either have:

• A fixed maximum number of paid entries; or
• A flexible entry cap where we may close the draw early once we reach a safe and fair number of entries.

Where a fixed cap is used, it will be stated clearly on the competition page. Your chances of winning in any draw are 1 divided by the total number of valid entries received.

Can I enter for free?

Yes. Where required, a free postal entry route is available. This is designed so that anyone can take part without making a purchase, provided they follow the instructions exactly.

Please see our dedicated Free Entry Route page and the competition’s Terms and Conditions for the current postal entry instructions, including:

• The exact wording or details your entry must include.
• Any qualifying question and how to answer it.
• The postal address and any reference you must write on the envelope.
• The deadline by which we must receive your postal entry.

Free entries are treated the same as paid entries in the random draw. Illegible, incomplete, or late entries will not be accepted.

Timers, Draw Dates & “Instant Entry”

What does “Instant Entry Prize Draw” mean?

“Instant Entry” means you can purchase your entries and be included in the next available draw for that competition without needing to wait weeks or months. It does not mean that a winner is drawn the second you buy; the draw still takes place once the entry window closes.

What is the moving bar / “activity” meter on the page?

On some competitions you’ll see a visual progress or activity bar. This is a soft visual timer used to show that the draw is active and receiving entries. It is designed to create excitement, but it is not a real-time countdown and does not represent an exact percentage of tickets sold.

The soft activity bar:

• Shows that the draw is currently open for entries.
• May move or “wobble” over time to reflect general activity.
• Does not make any promise about when the draw will end.

What is the countdown timer?

When a draw is approaching its end, we may switch to a visible countdown timer (for example 24–96 hours). This is known as a hard timer.

• The countdown timer shows a real closing time for that draw.
• Once the countdown reaches zero, the entry window is closed.
• No new entries (paid or free) are accepted after that point.

When does a competition actually close?

A draw closes when either:

• The countdown timer reaches zero; or
• The draw is otherwise marked as closed on the competition page in line with the Terms and Conditions.

The operator reserves the right to bring forward or extend the closing date where permitted by the Terms and Conditions (for example, in the event of technical issues or extremely low entry numbers), but any change will be clearly communicated on the competition page and will not unfairly disadvantage existing entrants.

Winners & Prizes

How is the winner selected?

Once the entry window has closed, all valid entries (including free postal entries, where applicable) are assigned to the draw. A winner is then selected at random using either:

• A random number generator; or
• An independently verifiable random selection process.

The winning entry is checked against our records, and we then contact the winner using the details provided at checkout or on the free entry form.

How will I know if I’ve won?

If you win, we will usually:

• Email you using the email address on your account/order.
• Attempt to call you using the phone number you provided, if available.

We may also publish the winner’s first name, initial, and general location (for example “Alex M, London”) on our Winners page, subject to applicable data protection laws and your consent.

What if the winner can’t be contacted?

If we are unable to contact the winner after reasonable attempts within the time stated in the Terms and Conditions, we may be required to:

• Re-draw and select an alternative winner; or
• Follow any other process set out in the competition’s Terms and Conditions.

This is to ensure that a valid winner can be awarded the prize fairly.

What happens if not enough entries are sold?

Our draws are designed to be sustainable and fair. If a competition has significantly fewer entries than expected, we may, where allowed by the Terms and Conditions:

• Extend the closing date; or
• Offer an alternative prize or cash amount of equal or greater value than the total paid entries; or
• Follow any other remedy expressly stated in the competition’s Terms and Conditions.

Any such approach will always be carried out transparently and in accordance with UK consumer law and our published Terms and Conditions.

Subscriptions & Payments

Are there subscription options?

Some competitions or products may offer a subscription or “auto-entry” option, allowing you to be automatically entered into selected draws on a recurring basis (for example weekly or monthly). Where this is offered, the details – including the price, frequency, what you receive, and how to cancel – will be clearly explained on the product page and at checkout.

How do I manage or cancel a subscription?

You can usually manage your subscription from your account area on the website or via the link provided in your subscription confirmation emails. Unless stated otherwise, you can cancel at any time, and future payments will stop. Entries already processed and paid for will still be included in the relevant draws.

What payment methods do you accept?

We accept common debit and credit cards and any other payment options displayed at checkout. All payments are processed securely by our payment partners; we do not store your full card details on our servers.

Are my payment details secure?

Yes. Payments are handled by reputable third-party payment processors using industry-standard encryption and security. We only receive the information necessary to confirm and fulfil your order (for example your name, contact details, and the fact that your payment was successful).

Fairness, Compliance & Trust

How do I know the draws are fair?

We are committed to running fair, transparent competitions. We do this by:

• Using random selection methods for all draws.
• Including both paid and valid free entries in the same draw.
• Publishing winners (with their consent) on our Winners page.
• Following our published Terms and Conditions for every competition.

If you have any concerns about fairness or a specific draw, please contact us so we can investigate.

Do you donate to good causes?

From time to time, specific draws may support charities or other good causes. Where this is the case, we will clearly state on the competition page:

• The name of the charity or cause.
• How support is provided (for example, a minimum donation or a percentage of net profits).

Only competitions that explicitly mention a cause or charity will include such donations.

Where can I read the full Terms and Conditions?

You can find our full Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, Free Entry Route information, and other important documents via the links in the website footer.

How can I contact you?

If you have any questions that are not answered here, or if you need help with an order or entry, please use the contact details on our Contact page or the email address provided in the footer of the website. We aim to respond as quickly as possible.