sweepstakes

American  

[sweep-steyks] / ˈswipˌsteɪks /

noun

(used with a singular or plural verb)

1. a race or other contest for which the prize consists of the stakes contributed by the various competitors.

2. the prize itself.

3. a lottery in which winning tickets are selected at random, each winning-ticket number then being matched to one of the horses nominated for or entered in a specific race, and the amounts paid the winners being determined by the finishing order of the horses that run.

4. lottery.

5. any gambling transaction in which each of a number of persons contributes a stake, and the stakes are awarded to one or several winners.

6. a risky venture that promises large rewards.

   the high-tech sweepstakes.

---

Etymology

Origin of sweepstakes

1485–95; earlier swepestake originally, a person who won all the stakes in a game; see sweep ¹, stake ², -s ³

Example Sentences

Uruguay probably won’t win the World Cup, but La Celeste is already a champion in the base camp sweepstakes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026

Pulling ahead recently in the sweepstakes, with a couple of awards already on its shelf, is “Schmigadoon!,” an exuberantly staged adaptation of the Apple TV series of the same name.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

The class-action lawsuit story is similar to the sweepstakes and lottery check scam: You are told you have won and/or been awarded money, and you can deposit this check in your bank account.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 27, 2026

The measure bans online gaming companies from offering digital sweepstakes that the tribes see as another threat to their exclusive rights to gambling.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 11, 2025

There were no play areas, no sweepstakes or “Happy Meals,” no giveaways or promotions.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Related Words

• betting
• chance
• long shot
• odds
• pledge
• risk
• speculation
• stake
• venture
• wager