How to Know If You Won a Sweepstakes

How Sweepstakes Winners Are Notified

Everyone always asks, “How do I know if I actually won… and how do I know it’s not a scam?”

Great question. Most sponsors contact winners in a few clear ways. Here’s how real sweepstakes wins usually show up — and how to stay safe while celebrating.

1. Email (Most Common)

For most medium and large prizes, you’ll receive an email from the sponsor. Smaller prizes under about $50 might just show up in the mail with no notice.

Real winner emails often sound like:

“Congratulations, Elizabeth! You are our First Prize Winner in the Summer Sweepstakes.”
“You have been selected as a Potential Winner…”

Why “Potential Winner”?
Because you still need to confirm your identity and eligibility. Sponsors may ask you to:

Sign an affidavit of eligibility
Fill out a W-9 (for larger prizes)

If a company is asking for these, first of all — congratulations! That usually means you just won a big sweepstakes. If you’re still unsure about legitimacy:

Google the brand and the sweepstakes name
Visit the sponsor’s official website directly
Look for the official rules that match your email

2. Physical Mail (Small Prizes)

For smaller prizes like snacks, merch, or gift cards, many sponsors simply mail the prize to the address you entered with. You may never get an email — it just appears in your mailbox one day.

3. Phone Calls (Rare)

Legit sweepstakes rarely call you out of nowhere. If you did opt in for a call (for example, from a gym or local service), you’ll usually know it’s coming.

Scam warning signs:

They ask for your bank info or credit card
They demand you pay a fee or tax before receiving your prize
They pressure you urgently and things feel off. This is a big one, you should never feel like you urgently need to provide information, I’ve seen this on some smaller instagram sweepstakes before. It’s ok to question the sponor.

Real sweepstakes wins do not require payment to claim your prize. When in doubt, step back, verify the sponsor, and if needed, ask a trusted friend to take a look.