# Who has won a high value prize?



## Wonka (Apr 6, 2009)

I've never one anything of any real value.  I wonder how many Tugger's have one a prize worth a lot of money, and whether they kept it, sold it, gave it away, or whatever.


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## 1950bing (Apr 6, 2009)

10 grand off a scratch ticket years ago. Oh yea, and I kept it !


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## luvsvacation22 (Apr 6, 2009)

I won the Embassy "Snap Happy Contest." I won two beautiful ocean front rooms at the Hilton Waikola in Hawaii, $500.00 cash, 4 round trip airlines tickets to Kona, on the VIP list at the hotel, a $600.00 digital camera from Kodak, transportation in a Excursion limo to and from the airport! Needless to say we love Embassy and had a wonderful time in Hawaii!


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## Icc5 (Apr 6, 2009)

*Won the drawing at Lawrence Welk*

I won the drawing at Lawrence Welk about 5 or 6 years ago for a shopping spree.  I can't remember if it was for $1,000 or $1,500 because my wife was the one that shopped.  It was for our evaluation after a stay.
Bart


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## bobby (Apr 6, 2009)

Not too "big" but I won a radio drawing for a trip to Disney World for 4 with air and lodging. Of course, we are 5, so we had to buy one more air seat. And the car company was the cheapest, with a 2 hour wait during school holiday period when we went.


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## donnaval (Apr 6, 2009)

I won a cooking contest and the prize was a trip for two to Italy--included R/T airfare, hotel, rental car and some tours.  They said it was worth $7,500--that was stretching it, but we had a great time!


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## nightnurse613 (Apr 6, 2009)

Not me but my oldest son did!  When he was about 10 yo he called in on Radio Disney and won some Pokemon stuff and a chance to be in the Grand Prize drawing for a 52 inch big screen TV, a new Nintendo something or other and more Pokemon stuff.  Two weeks later they called him and told him he was the Grand Prize winner.  The TV is still in his room ten years later!  Wasn't a $10,000 scratch ticket and we had to pay tax on the MSRP which was about $1800 but, he's the only one so far!


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## Banker (Apr 6, 2009)

A few years back I won a trip for two to Boston, Massachusetts from Atlanta.  It was sponsored by PBS's This Old House and Beringer Wines.  I actually won it by entering online *once* at the Beringer website.  My husband could not go so I took my best friend.  One way up was one airline and back was another.  Delta and Airtran.  It was 4 days and three nights.  They put us up at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf Hotel.  They picked us up one day and took us out to Carlisle, Mass where they had renovated and furnished an old home.  They had a big white tent set up next to the house.  They had all the cast and crew there.  They had wine and all types of food.  When you toured the home you had to put these little blue paper booties on over your shoes.  At the end they were filming so we got a nanosecond on tv! (PBS) We were in the end credits but if you blinked you missed us!!  It was so very cold, it was the first week of March that year.  They also gave me $1,000.00 spending money.  We also had one free dinner in the Italian section of Boston.  I think it was in the North End????  I remember snow piled up everywhere...some cars were buried...and also Fanuiel(???) Hall.  It was the most I have ever won....I want to win a big lottery but it has not happened!


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## Santina (Apr 6, 2009)

There's a message on my answering machine tonight. I won a fabulous cruise for 2 from Sundance vacations!! All I have to do is make an appointment with my spouse and pick up my vacation voucher. My hubby actually thinks this is ligite. Ha!


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## Mosca (Apr 6, 2009)

Are you counting gambling in casinos? I've won over a thousand on a single bet many, many times, more times than I have fingers and toes for. Of course, that has been offset by many, _many_ thousands of times I've lost a dollar (or five, or fifty) on a bet, so take from that what you will. Biggest I ever won on a single bet was $2500 on a $3 slot pull ($1 x 3 lines). Last Thursday I won $750 on a bet of $1.25 ($.25 x five lines). Three red sevens, right after I said, "Three red sevens would be nice," to Mrs Mosca.


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## "Roger" (Apr 6, 2009)

I've been contacted numberous times about how my help is needed transferring funds for someone in Nigeria.  Does that count?


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## wackymother (Apr 6, 2009)

Banker said:


> A few years back I won a trip for two to Boston, Massachusetts from Atlanta....



Wow! That's pretty exciting. I love This Old House. Did you get to meet Norm? He's my favorite!


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## macko420 (Apr 6, 2009)

One of our hobbies is entering sweepstakes.  We've won lots of little things, some money, and several trips - cancun, San Diego, Jamaica, New Orleans and one really fabulous trip we won for our son.  He got to drive in the Baja 1000 as part of the Monster Energy team.  His prize included 2 trips to the Baja - one to learn how to drive the dune buggies and then to drive in the race.  He got to meet Patrick Dempsey (Grey's Anatomy) and Jesse James!!  It's a great hobby!


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## Banker (Apr 6, 2009)

Regarding my trip to Boston, yes, I met Norm and Kevin and spoke with them at length from this Old House.


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## EAM (Apr 6, 2009)

I once won a set of stainless steel dinnerware as a door prize.  I also once won a getaway weekend (free lodging and breakfast, one dinner and a carriage ride) in a drawing of those who had filled out and reurned a survey.


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## shagnut (Apr 6, 2009)

I won close to $700 on our tug Alaska cruise the first night. I've never won anything big big. The most fun win was when we went to Harrah's in Cherokee to see a Jo Dee Masino . All tickets were put in a drum for a drawing. They let Kelli draw the tix and she pulled her own out and won $500!!  Little ole ladies watching it said it was legal, she wasn't looking!! I took a pic of her holding 5 $100 bills.  She was all excited and as we were leaving for the Bahamas in a couple of weeks she said, Now, can I swim with the dolphins!!  shaggy


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## pjrose (Apr 6, 2009)

macko420 said:


> One of our hobbies is entering sweepstakes.  We've won lots of little things, some money, and several trips - cancun, San Diego, Jamaica, New Orleans and one really fabulous trip we won for our son.  He got to drive in the Baja 1000 as part of the Monster Energy team.  His prize included 2 trips to the Baja - one to learn how to drive the dune buggies and then to drive in the race.  He got to meet Patrick Dempsey (Grey's Anatomy) and Jesse James!!  It's a great hobby!




How many sweepstakes do you enter?  How much time do you spend? Have you figured out your win percentage?


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## Htoo0 (Apr 7, 2009)

I used to go to the local home and garden show until they changed venues. We twice won $500 gift certificates in a drawing which were used for a garage door and a solid surface counter top and sink. (Not big but not complaining either. )


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## Glynda (Apr 7, 2009)

*I won...*

I won $200 worth of Birds Eye frozen vegetables in the form of free coupons that could be used for one year in an online contest.  I won a NFL jacket, some match box cars and a bathing suit in other online contest. I've entered  contests online daily for a number of years but apparently don't have the good luck of the posters above.


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## Jamerican71 (Apr 7, 2009)

I won a trip for 2 to an all inclusive in Jamaica including airfare.

It was at an Air Jamaica sponsored dinner/party and as you walked in they gave you a stub and the other half was put in a hat.  I still remember my excitement when they called my number.


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## dwsupt (Apr 7, 2009)

*New Kitchen*

My wife won a $10,000 kitchen makeover. All new cabinets, tile floor, new appliances, the works. We did about $5000 of additional work on our own to enhance the finished product. Now we will probably move next year.


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## Wonka (Apr 7, 2009)

dwsupt said:


> Now we will probably move next year.



Great prize!  It seems like as soon as we remodel, or make a major capital expenditure on our home we move.  Maybe that's just the way it is...at least with a kitchen remodel it's supposed to add substantial value (However, I don't know if that's true this market) to the same extent.


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## kelela92 (Apr 7, 2009)

I don't think I've ever won anything. But strangely, when my dad signs up my mom for things, she wins. She won an organ (I remmeber growing up with that, never realized it was won). She's won appliances, but no cars. lol. 

The biggest prize I've never known anyone to win, was most recently. My hubby's co-worker, one the Hawaii trip on the Ellen show. They said it was worth $10k. I think it was. His co-worker was on tv, told him about all the awesome things they did. Private dinner on a secluded beach, etc. I'm jealous. 

Wait. I did win the Tuggers March Madness Tournament. Yay. I'm a winner!


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## SundanceVacations (Apr 7, 2009)

_Deleted--Advertising not permitted on the forums._


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## timesharejunkie4 (Apr 7, 2009)

Our local hospital used to have a raffle with the 1st prize being a house worth $350,000 or $250,000 cash. The tickets were $100 each, there were 20 prizes with the lowest being $1000, and only 5000 tickets sold. DH and I always bought a ticket. One year my MIL called and wanted to know if we wanted to go in with the rest of the family to buy a ticket. I almost said "no" since wehad our own ticket but then decided what the heck, for $14+, why not. Good thing we did because we won! We took the cash, splitting 7 ways.
The following year the hospital had to stop the house raffle, something to do with PA law and small games of chance winnings could not be more than $25,000. We continued buying our own ticket as well as going together with the family. Two years later my SIL won a cruise on her own ticket and the following year the family won $1000!


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## DaveNV (Apr 7, 2009)

I didn't win personally, but I knew a guy who won a million dollars (for real) in the Publisher's Clearing House sweepstakes.  They did the whole "balloons and limousine and giant check sneaking up on their house to ring the doorbell" thing.  Just like on the commercials.

And I worked with a guy in the Navy who's sister won $10 Million in the New York state lottery.  First thing she did even before claiming the money was change her phone number to an unlisted number.  Then she got the cash, and the next day resigned her job.  I like the way she thinks.  

I figure because I've stood near to people who have won big must mean why I haven't ever won much of anything.  A live Christmas Tree in a church raffle once was about as fancy as I ever got.  

Dave


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## falmouth3 (Apr 7, 2009)

I've won two prizes with some value, but not super great.  When I got married in 1975, I went to a bridal show and I won the bridal bouquet, the maid of honor bouquet, and boutineers for the men.  Unfortunately for the florist, it was a relatively small wedding and the reception package provided the flowers for the tables and we were the second or third wedding that day in the church so all I had to pay for was 2 bridesmaids bouquets and one mother's corsage (the other mother was deceased).  I got to pick whatever I wanted too.

The other time, I had season's tickets to the bleacher seats (cost $5, sponsored by Coke) for the Oriole's AAA team in Rochester.  I won a trip to Baltimore, airfare, hotel, tickets to the game, and spending money.  I wasn't able to make it that weekend so we cashed in the plane tickets and cashed the check but let the hotel and tickets go.  But it was pretty cool to win.

Sue


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## macko420 (Apr 7, 2009)

pjrose said:


> How many sweepstakes do you enter?  How much time do you spend? Have you figured out your win percentage?



Hmmm, all good questions!  We actually subscribe to a newsletter that comes along with access to a bulletin board on the web.  We enter many different sweepstakes.  Generally speaking we may have anywhere from 3-15 entries going out in the mail each day.  We use just over a roll of stamps each month, so 100+ a few more.
 I do most of the online entering and that number varies depending on how much time I have.  As for time......we have a system where we have some of the common components prepared ahead of time so you end up just stuffing the envelopes at the time of entry.  We write out the 3x5 cards/papers as we are able to - waiting for dr appts or during a car ride, things like that.  Then we make sure we spread our entries out over the lifetime of the sweepstakes.  
I would say that it's hard to figure out a percentage per se.  We look at the value of total wins for the year.  That varies....... could be nothing or could be several thousand dollars if you win a trip or a car.  Or maybe we win 10 sweeps but they are all T-shirts and keychains!  We just have a great time doing it!  

OH!  One last thing to mention..........NEVER PAY ANYONE for a sweepstakes win.  If you are being asked to pay money for a prize, it is not a true sweepstakes.  Although I have heard recently that a few legitimate sweeps have asked the winners to pay a small amount toward cruise trip wins presumably due to the rise in fuel costs.  Those were legit!  Also be aware that you will get a 1099 on any win valued at over $500.


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## Wonka (Apr 7, 2009)

timesharejunkie4 said:


> Our local hospital used to have a raffle with the 1st prize being a house worth $350,000 or $250,000 cash. The tickets were $100 each, there were 20 prizes with the lowest being $1000, and only 5000 tickets sold. DH and I always bought a ticket. One year my MIL called and wanted to know if we wanted to go in with the rest of the family to buy a ticket. I almost said "no" since wehad our own ticket but then decided what the heck, for $14+, why not. Good thing we did because we won! We took the cash, splitting 7 ways.
> The following year the hospital had to stop the house raffle, something to do with PA law and small games of chance winnings could not be more than $25,000. We continued buying our own ticket as well as going together with the family. Two years later my SIL won a cruise on her own ticket and the following year the family won $1000!



You won a house?  So, far that's the largest win on this string.


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## pammex (Apr 7, 2009)

I only wish, never won anything big!!!  Someday...


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## sun starved Gayle (Apr 7, 2009)

My sister won a two week garden tour for two of England and Scotland and she took me as her guest.  Airfare, hotels, ground transportation, attraction fees and many meals included.

That's the biggest "win" I have had.  It's pays to be nice to your siblings!

Gayle


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## Glynda (Apr 8, 2009)

*Question*



macko420 said:


> Hmmm, all good questions!  We actually subscribe to a newsletter that comes along with access to a bulletin board on the web.  We enter many different sweepstakes.  Generally speaking we may have anywhere from 3-15 entries going out in the mail each day.  We use just over a roll of stamps each month, so 100+ a few more.
> I do most of the online entering and that number varies depending on how much time I have.  As for time......we have a system where we have some of the common components prepared ahead of time so you end up just stuffing the envelopes at the time of entry.  We write out the 3x5 cards/papers as we are able to - waiting for dr appts or during a car ride, things like that.  Then we make sure we spread our entries out over the lifetime of the sweepstakes.
> I would say that it's hard to figure out a percentage per se.  We look at the value of total wins for the year.  That varies....... could be nothing or could be several thousand dollars if you win a trip or a car.  Or maybe we win 10 sweeps but they are all T-shirts and keychains!  We just have a great time doing it!
> 
> OH!  One last thing to mention..........NEVER PAY ANYONE for a sweepstakes win.  If you are being asked to pay money for a prize, it is not a true sweepstakes.  Although I have heard recently that a few legitimate sweeps have asked the winners to pay a small amount toward cruise trip wins presumably due to the rise in fuel costs.  Those were legit!  Also be aware that you will get a 1099 on any win valued at over $500.



Would you say that more of the wins came via snail mail entries than online?


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## Vacation Dude (Apr 8, 2009)

_Ad deleted._ _In the future, if you notice a blatant ad, instead of quoting it in another post, please report it to the moderators so that it can be removed. Just click on the red triangle symbol on the bottom of the block where your name appears to report any post that needs attention. Thanks. Karen G_

wow...what a great deal from a new user with 1 post.

Do you also want my SS#, birthdate, mothers maiden name, and credit card info?

This sounds like a swepstakes win for the poster.


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## MOXJO7282 (Apr 8, 2009)

The biggest thing I've ever won was gambling at the Marriott Stellaris Casino in Aruba this past Feb.

It was the very first time we gambled and and we were playing Carribbean Poker. I drew a full house and won $950 on the first day, actually within the first 6 hands of playing. I had ideas of grandeur thinking we were going to win $1000s because of my expert play. Well all said and done, that one hand offset $800 or so of losses so the whole week of gambling we ended up ahead by about $150. We were actually up and down throughout the week, but had a super good time, so it was well worth not walking away after we were up that first $1000.


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## beanie (Apr 8, 2009)

10 grand in a super bowl pool the year the rams beat the titans . after deducting the usual 10 % I walked away with 9 grand .  sent my wife and son over to england ,scotland and Ireland to do a tour with our daughter who was going to school in scotland . then my wife and I went to aruba that summer


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## wackymother (Apr 8, 2009)

I won $500 in one of those contests where the ad says, "Just by using your credit card, you could win cash or prizes!" 

The credit card company called up to tell me I had won, and I thought it was some kind of scam, and they kept saying no, I really had won my choice of $500 credit on the card or $600 in Sony products of my choice. I said I would take the cash and they said the credit would turn up in about three months. (I thought, "Riiiiiiiggggghhhht. Sure it will!")

Sure enough, just when I had almost forgotten about it, I got the $500 credit! My DH was saying, "Did you return something? Why is there this big credit on the bill?" I was so convinced it was a scam that I hadn't even told him about it!


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## silverfox82 (Apr 8, 2009)

My wife had some modest success at the roulette table in atlantic city and I was watching her back as she cashed out her black chips at the cashier, while waiting I slipped a fiver in the penny slots and hit a jackpot. got a stack of cash and a 1099, thanks donald.


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## calgarygary (Apr 8, 2009)

"Roger" said:


> I've been contacted numberous times about how my help is needed transferring funds for someone in Nigeria.  Does that count?



They are contacting me too!  Back off!  The millions are mine, all mine!


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## macko420 (Apr 8, 2009)

Glynda said:


> Would you say that more of the wins came via snail mail entries than online?


Well, we've been entering by snail mail alot longer than we've been entering online.  For us, all of the big wins were by snail mail but we've won quite a few online recently.  The biggest of these was an iPod about a month ago.  Funny thing about that one is that I received the notice that I won the very next day after I had finished putting all my music on an iPod that I had just purchased on ebay!!  That's how it goes!


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## ricoba (Apr 8, 2009)

Since some of you are mentioning casino wins, I'll mention our modest wins as well.

We did a couple slot tournaments one summer at the Golden Nugget in Vegas and my wife won the first one we did $500 and I came in dead last which won the "booby prize" of a comped buffet for two.

Then the next one, I won the first prize, again $500, but this time my wife was not as lucky, though she hit $300 on a free pull from the Venetian one time and then another time at Harvey's in Tahoe, she won $600 on her last two quarters! 

We have never had a big win, but we have a friend who won the BC lottery known as "The Provincial" (which I don't think they have anymore), she won $100,000, and bought herself a house.  It was the best thing she could have ever done, since she is a single woman and it has given her years of security, plus she is also a very nice woman.


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## Glynda (Apr 8, 2009)

macko420 said:


> Well, we've been entering by snail mail alot longer than we've been entering online.  For us, all of the big wins were by snail mail but we've won quite a few online recently.  The biggest of these was an iPod about a month ago.  Funny thing about that one is that I received the notice that I won the very next day after I had finished putting all my music on an iPod that I had just purchased on ebay!!  That's how it goes!




Another question, are you contacted mainly by email, phone, or does an item just show up?


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## SpikeMauler (Apr 8, 2009)

I won $10,000 on a Super Bowl box a few years back(If the IRS is reading this, they need to know that I am a Pathological Liar  )


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## Wonka (Apr 8, 2009)

silverfox82 said:


> My wife had some modest success at the roulette table in atlantic city and I was watching her back as she cashed out her black chips at the cashier, while waiting I slipped a fiver in the penny slots and hit a jackpot. got a stack of cash and a 1099, thanks donald.



How much was the payoff?

So far, the winner of the house is on top.


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## Jennie (Apr 9, 2009)

In 2006, I would occasionally play penny slot machines at an off-shore (but well-known reputable) Internet casino. Every week for 25 weeks, two players were randomly chosen and their "casino nickname" was posted on the bulletin board on Monday morning (to be followed by a phone call, of course). I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that "tuggy" was a winner. Bet you can't guess why I chose that name   .

So what was the prize? Each winner was provided with round trip first class airfare for two to Ft. Lauderdale. There we were picked up by limo and brought to a VIP check-in desk for a 7 night Caribbean cruise. While on the cruise, a slot tournament would be held and one of the 100 winners would leave the ship with a $250,000. lump sum cash payment. For months I had the pleasure of fantasizing that it might be me! One in a hundred--those are good odds. I spent many happy moments deciding what luxuries I could purchase if I won.

We were assigned balcony suites. The 200 casino winners/guests had been flown in from all over the world, including Germany, England, France, Italy, Japan, Australia, plus Hawaii and many U.S. states. One woman from Alaska, who was afraid to fly, had driven all the way to Florida with a lady friend. The casino agreed to give her $5,000. toward the gas and lodging (in lieu of the first class airfare). The first names and place of residence of each guest was displayed on golden plaques hung on the door of each stateroom, making it easy for people to get to know one another. We were all in adjacent cabins on a high deck.  

We received elaborate gift packages, vouchers for free spa treatments, group dinners and events, and a separate tender to take us to and from shore on demand--no waiting in line.

Our group also had a private section of the cruise line's island reserved for them. We feasted on lobster and filet mignon, and had unlimited free drinks while the rest of the  cruisers on the other half of the island ate hot dogs and hamburgers. We had private cabanas, and free access to all water sports equipment. Waiters kept coming by with trays of delicacies and desserts. No tipping allowed. The casino had taken care of that. We had a live band and dancers, while the "peasants" over yonder heard recorded music.

Of all the people on board, hubby and I bonded with a newlywed couple, "second timers" with 6 children between them from their first marriages. Four of the children were in college and the couple was working two jobs, seven days a week, to keep up with the bills. You guessed it--she won the $250,000. I came in around 30th place and won a $1,000. "booby prize."

The total dollar value of my cruise and cash prize was not huge but the experience and memories are priceless!


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## macko420 (Apr 9, 2009)

Glynda said:


> Another question, are you contacted mainly by email, phone, or does an item just show up?




Any of the above!  For all of the 'big' prizes, you get an affadavit first.  That's when you have to give your SS# so they can send the 1099.  Many of the other prizes just arrive by any of the delivery services.  For those you don't have to report your SS#.  Of course, it is up to the sponsering co what they consider 'big' enough to require the affy.

Here is a link to the newsletter we subscribe to in case you are interested.  I'm happy to answer any questions you have!

This is the home page for the newsletter 
http://www.sweepsheet.com/Default.aspx
There is a link to view an old (expired) issue on this page.

This is a page with alot of info.
http://www.sweepsheet.com/faq.aspx 

Just a small request........if anyone wants to subscribe to the newsletter.........if you use me as a reference, I would get my subscription extended!


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## macko420 (Apr 9, 2009)

Jennie;

So what was the prize? Each winner was provided with round trip first class airfare for two to Ft. Lauderdale. There we were picked up by limo and brought to a VIP check-in desk for a 7 night Caribbean cruise. While on the cruise said:
			
		

> Wow, what a great win!!  Congratulations!!  The memories are often just a nice as the prizes!  :whoopie:


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## Glynda (Apr 9, 2009)

*More...*



macko420 said:


> Any of the above!  For all of the 'big' prizes, you get an affadavit first.  That's when you have to give your SS# so they can send the 1099.  Many of the other prizes just arrive by any of the delivery services.  For those you don't have to report your SS#.  Of course, it is up to the sponsering co what they consider 'big' enough to require the affy.
> 
> Here is a link to the newsletter we subscribe to in case you are interested.  I'm happy to answer any questions you have!
> 
> ...




Thanks.  I ask because I subscribe to:

http://www.online-sweepstakes.com/

I probably enter 40 sweepstakes a day online and have for five years.
The very few things, all small, I've won have arrived by mail. I have a special email address set up for just contest entries because they bombard me with their newsletters and other email but never one telling me I've won a prize. Also, I don't answer my home phone and have wondered if I had won a prize and they called and I didn't answer if they would leave a message or just move on to another "drawing."  My sister in law also enters contests using this same site and has won more than I have but also small stuff.  You can only see the big prizes when you are a premium (paying) member at online-sweepstakes, and we are. 

I guess some people just really are lucky and others are not.


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## mrsstats (Apr 9, 2009)

I won a trip for 4 to Disney from Alamo a few years ago.  Air fare, hotel & the parks.  I think it was 4 nights.


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## cerralee (Apr 9, 2009)

Last year while looking for airfare I noticed where college kids could sign up for AirTran U.  It also entered you into a sweepstakes where three college kids would win four round trip plane tickets (64 credits) for air trans A+ program.  She got an envelope in the mail and she had to return a notarized verification sheet that she was within the age limits 18-22 back within several days.  She had to make a special trip in to get the materials, get it notarized and returned within the time limit but she did receive the credits to her Airtran account.  Now if someone would just give her some money she could take a few trips!!


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## silverfox82 (Apr 9, 2009)

Wonka said:


> How much was the payoff?
> 
> So far, the winner of the house is on top.


The house is still the winner although I could have bought a very nice dog house  ($1,500). 10 years ago on a cruise my wife talked me into playing bingo on the last day of the cruise as the progressive jackpot had not been won yet. We were in our fifties and easily the youngest people in the bingo hall, I win the jackpot and now fear for my life as an angry crowd of senior citizens starts to complain that it wasn't fair since I only played the last day and they had played all week, pretty funny. As it turned out my winnings were within a few dollars of our bar tab.


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## Wonka (Apr 10, 2009)

Jennie said:


> In 2006, I would occasionally play penny slot machines at an off-shore (but well-known reputable) Internet casino. Every week for 25 weeks, two players were randomly chosen and their "casino nickname" was posted on the bulletin board on Monday morning (to be followed by a phone call, of course). I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that "tuggy" was a winner. Bet you can't guess why I chose that name   .
> 
> So what was the prize? Each winner was provided with round trip first class airfare for two to Ft. Lauderdale. There we were picked up by limo and brought to a VIP check-in desk for a 7 night Caribbean cruise. While on the cruise, a slot tournament would be held and one of the 100 winners would leave the ship with a $250,000. lump sum cash payment. For months I had the pleasure of fantasizing that it might be me! One in a hundred--those are good odds. I spent many happy moments deciding what luxuries I could purchase if I won.
> 
> ...



Another great win!!  We have some lucky Tugger's!!

With my luck, I'd win an cruise to Somalia off the pirate coast.


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## Don (Apr 13, 2009)

We got back Sat. night from a week at Wyndham Grand Desert.  On the previous Sun., we went casino hopping around the area where the free shuttle lets off at Harrah's.  We saw that Elton John was opening Tues. night for the last engagement of his "Red Piano" tour at Ceaser's.  My wife said that if we won enough money on the (penny) slots we ought to go.  
About two hours later she had racked up almost $200 before she cashed out.  We saw the Wed. night concert.


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## MuranoJo (Apr 13, 2009)

$800 on a progressive 5-cent slot.  Used to take my auntie there when she was still alive and we had our favorite slots.  Mine was the Clint Eastwood Progressive, and I put it towards a travel trailer TV and who knows what.


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## daveh (Apr 20, 2009)

*ice cream party*

I won a neighborhood ice cream party from Edy's last year for writing an essay.  It's easy to win and they are accepting entries again now.

Conni


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## Kay H (Apr 20, 2009)

I used to be pretty lucky but not recently.  In AC casinos i've won, at different times, $4,000 (twice). $1,000. $700.  In Las Vegas I won $700 and on a tug cruise in one night I won a $500, $450, and a 3rd which I can't remember the amount.

My sons attended a small Catholic elementary school and at the poorly attended PTA meetings, they sold tickets for a (donated) small prize.  I won so many in a row that it was embarrassing.

In St Martin another Tugger and I went to a casino the first night and I won $250.  I used that for my slot money all week and went home with at least that amt.

My sister's church had a $10 club and I won a weekend in NYC.

Somewhere along the way, my luck has run out.


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## Wonka (Apr 20, 2009)

Kay H said:


> I used to be pretty lucky but not recently.  In AC casinos i've won, at different times, $4,000 (twice). $1,000. $700.  In Las Vegas I won $700 and on a tug cruise in one night I won a $500, $450, and a 3rd which I can't remember the amount.
> 
> My sons attended a small Catholic elementary school and at the poorly attended PTA meetings, they sold tickets for a (donated) small prize.  I won so many in a row that it was embarrassing.
> 
> ...



Hopefully, your luck is just on a brief "hiatus".


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## Pat H (Apr 20, 2009)

I don't normally tell people this because I don't want them to think that *I* have money. My father and his 4 siblings won $9.6 million in the NJ lottery in 1993. At that time they could only get an annuity, there was no lump sum payment. 

It was a godsend for my parents. My father had retired at 62 thinking he could live on Social Security and the little savings they had. My mother had to keep working part-time as a school nurse in what was probably the worst school district in NJ. They were at the point where they were going to have to sell their home when they won the lottery. My mother finally got to retire at 72!


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## Don (Apr 21, 2009)

On our last cruise to Belize, I won the morning drawing at Diamonds Int'l for the sapphire and diamond necklace.  At the afternoon drawing,for the same necklace, I almost won again.  The ship was right, the last name was right, but the first name was Donna.  Since you had to be present to win and she wasn't, they drew another name.  My wife's.


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## optimist (Apr 21, 2009)

Many years ago, I won two free tickets a year to a Broadway show of my choice for life.  The value of the prize will depend on how long I live


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## DebBrown (Apr 21, 2009)

optimist said:


> Many years ago, I won two free tickets a year to a Broadway show of my choice for life.  The value of the prize will depend on how long I live



I like this one!

My aunt used to win contest all the time.  She was a very lucky woman!  I remember going to her house many times and seeing piles of groceries or something in her living room from her winnings.  

A couple of years ago, we won a raffle at our high school booster club dance.  We won a big old TV, a cheap DVD player and a set of leather stadium seats.  Luckily, we were allowed to trade the seats for a nice recliner.

Deb


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## Wonka (Apr 21, 2009)

Wow!  You're Dad's win certainly is the highest so far!  Hopefully, there's still a substantial remainder available to the children.  If so, the drinks are on you the next time we meet.  If not, I'll buy.


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## stmartinfan (Apr 21, 2009)

I've never won big, but we have gotten a few nice "perks" by going to the Sunday morning orientation session and the manager's cocktail party at Divi Little Bay.  They always have a raffle for "buy one/get one free" or reduced price tickets for island attractions like catamaran trips, snorkeling trips or horseback riding, gifts from the onsite jewelry store, meals at the restaurant, etc.  Over the 10 years we've gone, we've probably gotten a couple hundred dollars of value for excursions - things on our "to try" list that we would have paid full price for.  I even got a cute "flip/flip" silver pendant last year.  It's been a nice little bonus for our vacation the years we won - and they have free rum punch!


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## tlwmkw (Apr 21, 2009)

A friend's mother won the "Irish Sweepstakes" (am I showing my age now?) which was a high dollar lottery years ago.  She lived off it for the rest of her life- I don't know exactly the amount but it was a large amount in those days- probably wouldn't sound so much now.


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## frankhi (Apr 22, 2009)

I won $2500 in a superbowl pool a while ago, but my favorite is when I found a $500 chip on the floor at Mandalay Bay. I wasn't about to yell out "Hey, anybody drop this"....


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## anniemac (Apr 23, 2009)

I bought a service club raffle ticket for $100 with little thought of winning  - just trying to help the club buy equipment for a local school - but got a call at midnight on New Year's Eve after their drawing and was told I had won the grand prize of $10,000.   I later found out that when there were two contestants remaining in the drawing and prior to the final draw, the final two contestants could have agreed to split the money 50/50 with each taking home $5,000.   I'm sure that I would have gone for that -so staying at home paid off


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## ricoba (Apr 23, 2009)

I won big in Vegas last weekend by not playing any machines or table games!


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## Texasbelle (Apr 25, 2009)

Ten years ago we won a trip to the Daytona 500 which included airfare for 4. 2 hotel rooms in Orlando Adam's Mark, rental Lincoln [could have had 2 cars], bus to race, 4 tickets for the 400 and 500 races, some spending money.  We flew from Houston, sis and husband flew from Sioux City.  Brother and wife went to the race with us.  They live in Orlando.  Great family reunion.  It was a General Mills contest.  Our win was the second chance drawing from Cheerios, which means someone did not claim the prize in a box of Cheerios.  We paid taxes on $10,000 I think.  Husband's parents won a trip to Hawaii from Birdseye in the 1950s.


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## Kay H (Apr 25, 2009)

ricoba said:


> I won big in Vegas last weekend by not playing any machines or table games!



:hysterical: :hysterical: :hysterical:


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## Sandy VDH (Apr 25, 2009)

tlwmkw said:


> A friend's mother won the "Irish Sweepstakes" (am I showing my age now?) which was a high dollar lottery years ago.  She lived off it for the rest of her life- I don't know exactly the amount but it was a large amount in those days- probably wouldn't sound so much now.



My friends grandmother also won the Irish Sweepstakes back in the 1920s.  They purchased a 1.5 acre lakefront lot with over 200' of shoreline on Stony Lake, just north of Peterborough in Ontario.  They are the next to last property on a pennisula, so they have lakefront in front and nice docks and swim access and bayfront in back where there storage docks are.  They also built a cabin in the 20s, which is not much different today then when it was built.  Some updates here and there and lots of paint, but no winterization as of yet.  Don't know how much the winning were but the property is worth a nice sum now.


Longtime friends of my parents won the Ontario Lotto for $31M CAN $.  They won it about two years ago.


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## Wonka (Apr 25, 2009)

We have lots of "lucky" folks here, huh?


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## Htoo0 (Apr 25, 2009)

I think we're all lucky to be here on TUG. :whoopie:


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## Glynda (May 17, 2009)

Glynda said:


> I won $200 worth of Birds Eye frozen vegetables in the form of free coupons that could be used for one year in an online contest.  I won a NFL jacket, some match box cars and a bathing suit in other online contest. I've entered  contests online daily for a number of years but apparently don't have the good luck of the posters above.





I'm not allowed to be specific yet, but had to tell that after many years of entering contests, I did finally win a grand prize from reputable, well recognized, sponsors!!!  It's valued at over $15,000 and includes a trip and cash! After taxes and taking the trip...we might just break even...still finally...


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