Frequently asked questions

No. PrizeCrate runs prize competitions, which are legal in the UK without a gambling licence because two conditions are met: every paid entry requires answering a question of skill correctly, and a free entry route by post is available for every competition with identical odds. That distinguishes a prize competition from a lottery under the Gambling Act 2005. That said, if spending on competitions ever stops feeling fun, please read our responsible play page.

You must be 18 or over and a resident of the United Kingdom. We may ask for photo ID and proof of address before releasing a prize, and entries from anyone under 18 will be voided with the entry fee refunded.

Draws run automatically when a competition’s countdown reaches zero (or as soon as it sells out, if earlier). The winning ticket is computed from a cryptographic seed whose hash was published before the close, so the result cannot be manipulated after entries are in. Full details on the how it works page.

Every winner on the winners page includes the draw proof: the pre-published seed hash, the revealed seed, the entry count and the winning index. Feed the seed and entry count into our draw verifier (or any sha256 tool) and you’ll get the same winning ticket we did. The calculation runs entirely in your browser.

Exactly what you’d expect: your tickets divided by the total tickets sold (plus postal entries). A competition with 5,000 tickets where you hold 5 gives you a 1 in 1,000 chance. Every competition page shows the maximum number of tickets and how many are sold, so you can always see the worst-case odds before you enter. No hidden entries, no house tickets.

A multiple-choice question you must answer correctly at checkout before you can pay. If you answer incorrectly you cannot proceed with the paid entry for that competition. It’s a legal requirement for prize competitions — and yes, it counts for postal entries too.

Send an unenclosed first-class postcard with your details, the competition name and your answer to the skill question — one entry per postcard, arriving before the competition closes. Postal entries go into the same draw with the same odds as paid tickets. Full instructions and the postal address are on the free entry route page.

Some competitions have specific ticket numbers that win a prize the moment they’re bought — cash, site credit or products. Instant-win numbers are listed on the competition page, and if you land one you’re told immediately. Your ticket stays in the main draw regardless.

Yes — every competition has a per-person ticket limit, shown on its page. Limits keep competitions fair and are also part of how we encourage sensible play. The limit applies across all your orders for that competition, not per order.

Because each ticket number is allocated to you instantly and removed from sale, entries are non-refundable once purchased, except where required by law or where we cancel a competition. If a competition is cancelled, every paid entry is refunded in full to the original payment method. Statutory rights are unaffected.

The draw still runs at the advertised closing time and somebody still wins the prize. We never roll over, extend, or quietly cancel a competition because sales were slow.

Most physical prizes carry a cash alternative, stated on the competition page. Winners choose freely between the prize and the cash — cash alternatives are paid by bank transfer within 14 days of confirmed winner details.

Winners are emailed immediately after the draw and we’ll also call if we have a number. We publish your first name, last initial, winning ticket number and prize on our winners page — never your full name, address or contact details without separate consent. See the privacy policy.

Email hello@prizecrate.co.uk — we aim to reply within one working day. Postal details are on the contact page.