Try My How Try My Luck works
Skill-based prize competitions with a free postal entry route on every draw. Here's exactly what happens, from the moment you enter to the moment a prize lands at your door.
The four steps
Pick a competition
Browse the live list. Every competition shows the prize, ticket price, total ticket cap, current entries, and the draw date — so you always know your odds.
Answer the skill question
Every entry — paid or free — requires the correct answer to a question that takes thought (not just a Google search). Get it right to qualify.
Pay online OR post for free
Pay by card from £0.99/entry, or send a postcard with your details and your answer for a free entry. Both routes go into the same draw with equal weight.
Watch the draw
On the published date we run the draw on Random.org, live on our YouTube channel. Winners are contacted within 24 hours and listed on the Winners page.
Why we're not a lottery (the legal bit)
UK law (Gambling Act 2005) treats a paid random draw as a lottery — which would require a licence. Two things keep Try My Luck outside that definition:
Because of these two features, Try My Luck is a prize competition under s.14(5) Gambling Act 2005, not a lottery. We do not need (and do not hold) a UK Gambling Commission operating licence.
How the draw works
- Every qualifying entry (paid + free) is assigned a unique entry ID.
- On the closing date we export the full entry list as a CSV and publish a SHA-256 hash of it before the draw.
- The draw uses Random.org's third-party RNG, streamed live on YouTube.
- The winning entry ID, name (first name + county only), and full entry list hash are published on the Winners page within 24 hours.
- If a competition does not sell its minimum number of tickets, the draw still goes ahead — see the T&Cs for each specific draw.
FAQs
Do I have to pay to win?
No. The free postal entry route has the same chance of winning as a paid entry. We do not weight, cap or delay free entries.
How will I be paid if I win cash?
By UK bank transfer within 7 working days of the draw, once we've verified your ID and age (18+).
Can I take cash instead of the prize?
For physical prizes we offer a cash alternative of up to 80% of the retail value — the exact amount is on each competition page. You choose at the time of winning.
What if I don't answer the skill question correctly?
Incorrect answers are not eligible for the draw. We do not refund paid entries with incorrect answers — the question is part of the competition.
Is this gambling?
No. Because every entry requires correct answering of a skill question and a free postal entry route is always available, Try My Luck is a prize competition, not gambling or a lottery under UK law.