What are the odds for winning TV comps?

coffeehound

Does anyone know?

I sometimes have a text entry to Dickinson's Real Deal competitions as it must be far better odds than £2 on the Lotto. But really I've got no idea what the true odds are :think:.

mjm3346

The lotto is a bad choice to compare with as that is about the worst return/odds you will find.

From another thread

they (itv) have well over 1,000,000 entries a week so the odds are very slim and other "bets" can offer a better chance for just the value of a stamp - the 49's for instance where the chances of winning the top prize is better than 318,000 to 1 returns £75,000 for 50p.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5814410

sleepyjones

I guess it depends on the TV show.

This Morning / Britains Got Talent / X Factor etc will have a lot more entries than a Dickinsons Real Deal.

With these "Pay" competitions I reckon you're better off just sticking the £2 or whatever in a piggy bank and then at the end of the year you've "won" £100 or something and go out for a nice dinner or night out or something like that

coffeehound

Thanks for your replies, folks.

Good to hear about the 49's -- that is decent value.

sleepyjones wrote: »

I guess it depends on the TV show.

This Morning / Britains Got Talent / X Factor etc will have a lot more entries than a Dickinsons Real Deal.

I was thinking the same. Just looked up some viewing figures for early February and in fact:

Lorraine - 0.85 million
This Morning - 0.91 million
Dickinson's Real Deal - 1.5 million

So that's a surprise. mjm3346's quoted figure of 1,000,000 is right on the money. Think I'll have a few rows on 49s instead from now on!

mjm3346

coffeehound wrote: »

So that's a surprise. mjm3346's quoted figure of 1,000,000 is right on the money. Think I'll have a few rows on 49s instead from now on!

On their previous accounts ITV had over 40,000,000 paid competition entries per year, they do not give a number on their most recent accounts but say it is an area that has performed well.


On top of the paid entries nearly all the competitions offer 3 for the price of 2 followed by buy 1 get 1 free so someone paying for say 8 entries (well withing the maximum allowed) will get 7 free ones on top and there are all the postal ones as well. (Total including free entries could easily be 70,000,000 or more a year)

sleepyjones

Surprised by those viewing figures ... but I guess the dole-ites (legitimate don't want to work people) don't get out of bed until around lunchtime