Knowledge Base
UK Prize Competition Guides
Plain-English guides to UK prize competitions and online raffles: the law, the tax position, how draws work, and how to win cash prizes online legally.
All Guides
Everything you need to enter UK prize competitions with confidence.
Are Prize Competitions Legal in the UK?
How the Gambling Act 2005 separates legal skill-based prize competitions from licensed lotteries, what a genuine 'skill question' has to do, and how the free-entry route works.
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TaxAre Competition Winnings Tax Free in the UK?
HMRC's position on prize and competition winnings, why they are not classed as income, and the few situations (interest, inheritance) where tax can still apply.
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ExplainerPrize Competitions UK: A Complete Guide
A plain-English overview of UK prize competitions: how they work, how they differ from lotteries, what prizes are typical, and how to spot a legitimate operator before you enter.
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ExplainerOnline Raffles UK: How They Work & How to Enter
The difference between an online raffle and an online prize competition, how entry, free postal routes, and live draws actually work in the UK, and how to spot a transparent operator.
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ExplainerHow to Win Cash Prizes Online in the UK
Where to find legitimate UK cash prize competitions, how the odds compare to traditional lotteries, why winnings are tax-free, and practical tips for choosing competitions sensibly.
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ExplainerHow Do Prize Draws Work in the UK?
The full journey of a UK prize draw from the entrant's side: entering, the skill question, what happens at the published end time, how the draw runs and what to expect if you win.
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LegalPrize Draw vs Lottery: What Is the Difference in the UK?
Why a lottery needs a licence and a skill-based prize draw does not, whether entering a prize draw counts as gambling, and how to tell which one you are actually looking at.
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ExplainerHow Are Prize Draw Winners Chosen and Verified?
The two draw methods used by legitimate UK operators, how to verify a result yourself, how winners are publicised, and the questions to ask when an operator shows you none of it.
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