Contest winner

[dede]

I enter quite a bit of contest and used to keep track of when they were ending to see the winner. I have stopped checking and just assumed that if you win any given contest on R2R that you will receive an alert about it. Is this correct or do I need to keep checking when these contest are over?

 

[Dragon52]

You have to keep checking in mostly, on some you get an notice but not many.

 

[ritter6788]

Sometimes you’ll be tagged (not guaranteed) so you will have to check your alerts. Checking the thread often is always the best way not to miss out if you won. Messages are not sent if you win.

 

[rcpalmer1]

I never keep up with them. I wonder if I ever forfeited any?

 

[Susan Edwards]

mark you calendar when the drawing happens and then ck in for a few days until it's settled. Most you have 48 hrs to claim. I follow contest threads and usually get a notice of activity and if it is end of the time period, then I start checking. You can also get email notifications and you can read the post from there. But you usually only get 1 notification for the day so you have to check in via the website to see all the recent chatter.

 

[rcpalmer1]

I am not sure if I just have bad luck or what. I entered a contest on here and was excited at my chances to win. I checked in when they were suppose to post the winners. Several people were posting asking who won. I checked back for several days and never seen a winner. They then changed the end date to a month later without saying anything. I haven't entered many contest after because I am not sure if any one really wins. I entered this one last week. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/i...ms-overhaul-my-overflow-sump-giveaway.386821/ The winner is suppose to be announced today. It is only 5 hours until tomorrow and still no winner announced yet.

 

[Susan Edwards]

Okay, first of all, take a breath. There are tons of winners here as I always check back. If the winner doesn't claim the prize, they redraw. I've seen tons of excited winners. And in fact, after more than a year here, I just won my first contest in the May supporter giveaway. I got the email notification that the drawing was about to happen posted by @mdbannister. I clicked over to the forum to check and wow, there was my name! So winners happen for every contest that I've seen.

Also keep in mind those who are staff here have real paying job and life happens so often drawings are held within a few days. I'm sure there is a lot of checking to do with the contests, like verifying that winner completed whatever task etc. and just setting it up for the draw. and sometimes, its vendors doing a drawing and same applies. You just need to keep checking.

keep a list of what you enter, follow the thread and when it is due, keep an eye on things. The one @rcpalmer1 is talking about will happen. Just not as fast as most of us want <g>

 

[Greenstreet.1]

If you have your alerts set you will get an alert anytime something new is posted to that thread.

 

[cmcoker]

Yep, what Susan said.

I missed a notification once. But later won a supporter giveaway for a Live Aquaria Gift certificate. Few months after that I won an Inland Bandsaw.

I set a reminder on my phone calendar app when the contest ends and check in until a winner claims it.

Also, if the drawing is due, you can tag mdbannister. He announces most the winners. I usually try to wait a day or so before tagging him, he does have a life and family so gotta give him a break on punctuality.

 

[ritter6788]

Also, if the drawing is due, you can tag mdbannister. He announces most the winners. I usually try to wait a day or so before tagging him, he does have a life and family so gotta give him a break on punctuality.

He's just sitting around not doing anything. Tag him constantly if he doesn't do the drawings immediately.

 

[cmcoker]

He's just sitting around not doing anything. Tag him constantly if he doesn't do the drawings immediately.

[emoji23]

 

[Susan Edwards]

That frag saw was a nice win @cmcoker! I too got the 100 live aquaria. Very excited!

 

[cmcoker]

That frag saw was a nice win @cmcoker! I too got the 100 live aquaria. Very excited!

Yep, just need more corals to frag so I can put it to use!

Live aquaria was a nice win, thought I'd get some livestock but ended up using it on dry goods. Got my hanna alk check with it along with some other bits and bobs.

 

[LadyMac]

I’ve not one yet myself but I follow along just in case. I’ve noticed that some contests will mention a PM to the winner and others say a tag in the contest post. It’s really dependant on who is doing the contest I think. I think marking a calendar or writing a note or even setting a reminder will help you keep track so you don’t miss out.

 

[PDR]

I was just reading a thread where the winner missed out by less than a day because he didn't know he won. The responses were essentially, you should have been following and you were tagged and should have gotten an alert. It got me thinking, is there a reason they (whoever is in control of the contests) seem to be against sending a pm? What could it hurt?

It's also kind of frustrating that my alerts do not work correctly. I straight up just don't get notified of many new posts on most of my watched threads. I messaged a mod about it but never heard back. Anyone else have this issue?

To clarify, it only seems to happen in threads I haven't actively visited or posted on in a few days, even though all my alerts are turned on and I am watching the thread.

 

[cmcoker]

I think of it like "must be present to win"
Onus is on the winner to check.

They're giving us free stuff, we gotta read the rules and follow if we want to win.

Someone did PM me (a forum member, not a mod) on the contest that I missed the announcement, I didn't see that until too late either.

I primarily use tapatalk so can't speak to the forum alerts working or not.

 

[dede]

Thanks all, will keep track of the contest in the future. Just was not sure of what the process was so good to know.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

I think of it like "must be present to win"
Onus is on the winner to check.

They're giving us free stuff, we gotta read the rules and follow if we want to win.

Someone did PM me (a forum member, not a mod) on the contest that I missed the announcement, I didn't see that until too late either.

I primarily use tapatalk so can't speak to the forum alerts working or not.

I totally agree it’s our responsibility to stay on top of any contest that we enter. Plus it’s part of the fun

 

[PDR]

I think of it like "must be present to win"
Onus is on the winner to check.

They're giving us free stuff, we gotta read the rules and follow if we want to win.

Someone did PM me (a forum member, not a mod) on the contest that I missed the announcement, I didn't see that until too late either.

I primarily use tapatalk so can't speak to the forum alerts working or not.

I totally get it and don't get me wrong I'm not complaining. It just seemed like a pm would be a natural way to notify someone.

Also can someone point me to where the actual rules for contests are listed? I just read several of the giveaway articles and only one of them actually mentioned the 48 hour deadline (the contest I was referring to in my previous post did not have the rules stated in the main entry).

 

[Greenstreet.1]

I totally get it and don't get me wrong I'm not complaining. It just seemed like a pm would be a natural way to notify someone.

Also can someone point me to where the actual rules for contests are listed? I just read several of the giveaway articles and only one of them actually mentioned the 48 hour deadline (the contest I was referring to in my previous post did not have the rules stated in the main entry).

The deadlines are usually mentioned when the winner is announced and sometimes in the official rules of that contest or giveaway