What’s the Difference Between a Sweepstakes and a Skill Contest?
The main difference between a sweepstakes and a skill contest is how winners are chosen. Sweepstakes rely entirely on chance, meaning every valid entry has an equal opportunity to win through a random draw. Skill contests, on the other hand, award prizes based on merit, using defined judging criteria such as creativity, originality, knowledge, or execution.
Sweepstakes are commonly used to grow email lists, increase social media engagement, and attract a broad audience quickly. Because winners are selected randomly, sweepstakes often require “no purchase necessary” rules and must comply with strict legal guidelines in many regions.
Gleam supports sweepstakes campaigns by handling entry validation, random winner selection, and fraud prevention. This makes it easy to run fair, transparent promotions that reward participation without bias.
Skill contests work differently by rewarding effort and ability instead of luck. Participants submit entries that are reviewed against clear judging standards, such as written responses, photos, designs, or videos. Because winners are chosen based on merit, skill contests may allow purchases or paid participation in some regions, depending on local regulations.
Gleam enables skill contests by collecting submissions, organizing entries, and supporting structured judging workflows. For example, an essay contest allows participants to submit original written content that can be reviewed, scored, and ranked based on predefined criteria.
Legal requirements vary by region, and the rules that apply to sweepstakes do not always apply to skill contests. Choosing the right format depends on your goals, audience, and compliance needs.
Read our legal breakdown to understand how sweepstakes and skill contests differ under the law and which structure fits your campaign.