Sweepstakes Versus Contests
Although many people use the terms "sweepstakes" and "contests" interchangeably, they actually stand for two different types of selecting winners. In a sweepstakes, all entrants have the same, random chance of being selected as a prize winner. In a contest, entrants are competing against one another, and the best entry will win the prize.

Examples of Contests
Here are some common types of contests:
- Recipe Contests
- Poetry Contests
- Essay Contests
- Photography Contests
- Games, where the person with the highest score wins.

Types of Sweepstakes
Sweepstakes can be categorized in a few different ways. One of the most common categorizations for sweepstakes uses the entry frequency to describe the giveaway. For example, a sweepstake can have one-time, daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly entry.

Another type of sweepstake is an instant-win sweepstake. In an instant-win, prize winners are notified immediately after winning the prize, unlike a regular sweepstake where they must wait until the winner is drawn from all entrants. The most common way to run an instant-win sweepstake is by selecting a number of random winning times throughout the duration of the sweepstake. The first person to log into the instant-win after a winning time is awarded a prize.

Which Sweepstakes Have the Best Odds of Winning?
Each true sweepstakes fan has a favorite type of sweepstake to enter. The sweepstakes with the best odds are the ones where the fewest people enter, so anything that makes a sweepstake limited or difficult is likely to have better odds. Local sweepstakes like those offered by your favorite radio station or grocery store, have a better chance of picking you as the winner than international sweepstakes. Contests where you can show off your skills have better odds than sweepstakes that only require your name and address. Daily sweepstakes will give you better odds if you really enter every day; otherwise, one-time sweepstakes will give you a better chance.

That being said, you shouldn't focus too much on the odds. Even the sweepstakes with the most remote chances can surprise you. The important thing is to enter as many sweepstakes as possible, and to keep on entering. Patience and persistence are the keys to sweepstakes wins!

Automatic sweepstakes entry services are a way of entering online sweepstakes without having to go through the repetition of filling out dozens or hundreds of online forms. For a low monthly fee, the entry service will search out sweepstakes and enter your information for you, giving you the same chance to win without taking up your time.

WinForMe.com is a good example of a high-quality sweepstakes entry service.