sweepstakes
- a race or other contest for which the prize consists of the stakes contributed by the various competitors.
- the prize itself.
- 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.
- lottery(def 2).
- any gambling transaction in which each of a number of persons contributes a stake, and the stakes are awarded to one or several winners.
- a risky venture that promises large rewards: the high-tech sweepstakes.
Origin of sweepstakes
sweepstake
- a sweepstakes.
Related Words for sweepstakes
raffle, gambling, sweepstake, pledge, risk, stake, chance, venture, speculation, wager, odds, lotto, draw, flier, pool, sweep, lots, disposition, drawing, betExamples from the Web for sweepstakes
Contemporary Examples of sweepstakes
The sweepstakes begins on December 9th, 2014 at 8:00 AM EST and ends on January 31st, 2015 at 11:59 EST (the "Entry Period").
APPLICABLE LAWS AND JURISDICTION: This Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
Family Dollar shoppers entered the sweepstakes in stores, online and using text messaging.
PepsiCo – NFL Partnership: Helping PepsiCo CustomersFebruary 5, 2014
This sweepstakes is sponsored by The Daily Beast Company LLC, 555 W. 18th St., NY, NY 10011 (“Sponsor”).
Tomasky Twitter Book Giveaway Sweepstakes Official RulesFebruary 3, 2014
The sweepstakes begins on 2/3/14 at 3:00PM EST and ends on 2/7/14 at 6:00PM EST (the "Entry Period").
Tomasky Twitter Book Giveaway Sweepstakes Official RulesFebruary 3, 2014
Historical Examples of sweepstakes
Won the Brighton Beach overnight sweepstakes in nineteen an' four.
Garrison's FinishW. B. M. Ferguson
Sysonby himself won the Brighton sweepstakes in nineteen-four.
Garrison's FinishW. B. M. Ferguson
He only wished that the work was done, and that he was well out to sea with the Sweepstakes.
No MossHarry Castlemon
She was still lying at the upper end of the breakers, waiting for the Sweepstakes.
No MossHarry Castlemon
Harry understood from this that the Sweepstakes had again escaped.
No MossHarry Castlemon
sweepstake
esp US sweepstakes
- a lottery in which the stakes of the participants constitute the prize
- the prize itself
- any event involving a lottery, esp a horse race in which the prize is the competitors' stakes