A sweepstakes/giveaway mod?

[VodkaFish]

I did a few searches for certain things like: sweepstakes, giveaway, contest, but didn't come back with much. However, I know there are a lot of ways to do this, so I figured I'd post here first to find out if something like this has been created before.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who does giveaways and such on my site sometimes. Like many, I like to keep most of it to "members only", the members themselves like that, and it also encourages new sign ups. Instead of conducting these things manually, I figure it would be good to build a mod for it.

It's pretty simple actually. Here's my idea:

Add new fields to profile: address line 1, address line 2, state, postal code (and country if you like), and phone number.

Make two new tables in db for sweepstakes:

sweepstakes

sweepstakes_id
sweepstakes_name
sweepstakes_description
sweepstakes_start_date
sweepstakes_end_date
sweepstakes_notes (admin notes basically)
sweepstakes_rules (legal stuff if you need it)
sweepstakes_frequency (how often someone can enter - just once, daily, weekly, monthly)
sweepstakes_quantity

sweepstakes_entries

sweepstakes_id
userid
sweepstakes_entry_datetime

In the admin you can set all the fields for:

Name
Description
State Date
End Date
Notes
Rules
Frequency
Quantity

Then you have another spot with the winners list, as well as a button to manually pick a winner.

You then have a sweepstakes entry page:

The page has the name, description and dates of sweepstakes along with any rules.
- If someone is not logged in they get a message about how the sweepstakes is members only, and if they want to be eligible they have to join and fill out their birthdate, address and phone number.
- If someone is logged in, but does not have birthdate, address and phone number filled out, they get a message saying they need to edit their profile and do so.
- If someone is logged in and has the correct profile fields filled out - they just need to push an "enter me!" button (and perhaps also an "agree to rules" checkbox).
- If someone is logged in and has already entered, they get a message saying so. However - there is a frequency check. Someone have a contest where they only allow people to enter once, others where people are allowed to have an entry every day (or week or month). A simple date check is all that's needed here.

Then, after a contest is done you go into the admin, pick a winner (random) and have a pre-written "you've won" email written - but not sent, you can manually modify it and send it along.

One thing I'm just realizing here is perhaps you also want to set a quanity if you are giving out multiple prizes and have multiple winners chosen. I'll add that to the outline above.

Thoughts, ideas, anything like this out there?

[9mmPrincess]

i like this idea a lot..hopefully someone will make this mod

[tehste]

Originally Posted by 9mmPrincess

i like this idea a lot..hopefully someone will make this mod

I was going to create something like this, but are there not legal implications of running something like this? Obviously my idea was to charge a $1 for each 'virtual ticket'.

[VodkaFish]

Originally Posted by zsdave

I was going to create something like this, but are there not legal implications of running something like this? Obviously my idea was to charge a $1 for each 'virtual ticket'.

Yes, there are legal things you must post for each giveaway (that's why I have a rules field in the sweeps setup, so each can have a different set of rules). However, I'm just doing a random giveaway, I don't have nearly the amount of legalese to go over for my stuff then you would doing a paid raffle, that's a different ballpark.

[tehste]

Well I mean like laws about licenses for gambling and lotteries.
Which would mean unless you are licensed its difficult to do it legally.
I know your idea did not involve tickets/chance and the like but if I was to make a hack like this I would use these kind of things.

[VodkaFish]

I can't speak for other countries, but in the US, if it's a "no purchase necessary" sweepstakes, then there are few legalities involved (that's why you see that phrase on most contest rules). You don't need a license and it's not gambling or a "lottery" (in a money lottery sense). When you cross the line from giveaway to paid raffle ticket, it's a bit different.

[speedracer68]

This sounds like a great idea. Anyone ever do it? I'd pay for something like this if it could pick a winner on a certain date without me having to do it.

[PurpleCow]

Hi,

Did this MOD ever come out? I'd also be interested int his.

Thanks

[Spacefreak]

It looks like someone was able to get this done (perhaps even using the specs in this thread). Unfortunately for us, it appears it was completed as a paid project. Hence, we're probably not going to see it unless cash is forked over.

See this thread.

If anyone knows who built the product for "rrr" in that thread, please feel free to contact me. Depending on the price, I may be willing to pay as well.

[VodkaFish]

I never had this made, although I definitely had a few changes to the specs. I was just about to type them up and then make a paid req.