Forum Sweepstakes Terminology - RomanceClass Romance Tips Forum

The following sweepstakes definitions are official ones provided by the US Postal Service. These definitions are used by the postal service, the Direct Marketing Association and the National Fraud Information Center.

Sweepstakes
By definition, a sweepstakes is an advertising or promotional device by which items of value (prizes) are awarded to participating consumers by chance, with no purchase or entry fee required to win.

All prize giveaways found in our online Sweepstakes Listing are sweepstakes and require no purchase nor entry fee. The exact value of the prize with its description will be listed in the sweepstakes.

Skill Contest
Skill contests are different from sweepstakes offers. In a skill contest, the winner is determined by skill - not chance - and an entry fee or purchase may be required. There are many legitimate skill contests. For example, in a skill contest you may write a winning jingle, solve a puzzle, or answer a question correctly. Your skill or knowledge is what wins the contest, not chance. Know how the contest works, what the prizes are, and what the fees are before paying anything to the company.

All prize giveaways found in our online RomanceClass Forums are skill contests, involving trivia questions. We do not charge for any of our forum contests. The giveaway prizes are often books or DVDs. The exact value of the prize with its description will be listed in the sweepstakes.

Lottery
Unlike a sweepstakes, a lottery is a promotional device by which items of value (prizes) are awarded to members of the public by chance, but which requires some form of payment to participate. Lotteries are illegal, except when conducted by states and certain exempt charitable organizations. If you believe you have received a solicitation in the guise of a sweepstakes which is an illegal lottery you should contact your local Post Office or state Attorney General's consumer protection office.

The RomanceClass site does not conduct any lotteries.

Premium Offer
Premiums are gifts that companies make available to all recipients who respond according to the company's instructions - for example, a travel bag received with a new magazine subscription. When everyone who responds to the offer receives the same gift item, without any element of chance, the offer is not a sweepstakes.

The RomanceClass site does not conduct any premium offers.

Eligibility
The Sweepstakes is open to legal U.S. and U.K. residents 18 years of age or older at the time of entry. Employees, officers and directors of Minerva Webworks LLC, Sponsors and Promoters, their respective parents, subsidiaries, and agents, their immediate families (defined as parents, spouses, children, siblings and grandparents) and those with whom such persons are domiciled are NOT eligible. An individual who wins a prize must wait 90 days before becoming eligible to win another prize. Any prize won by a minor will be awarded to minor's parent or legal guardian. By participating, entrants agree to abide by these Official Rules, including all eligibility requirements, and the decisions of Minerva Webworks LLC. All of Minerva Webworks LLC's decisions are final and binding in all respects. In the event of a dispute as to the identity of an online entrant, entries made online will be deemed made by the authorized account holder of the e-mail address submitted at the time of entry. Potential winners may be required to show proof of being the authorized account holder for that e-mail address. "Authorized account holder" is defined as the natural person assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet service provider, online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain.

Are your sweepstakes available to Canadian Residents?
I'm afraid it's not for legal reasons. As it is, we had to go state to state to all 50 states to get permission to offer our sweepstakes to their residents. We got approval from all 50 US states. I've written to all provinces in Canada (the gaming commissions) and *none* have responded to me at all. I'll try writing them again but until I get permission from them, I'm not legally allowed to offer the sweepstakes to residents in those provinces.

Are your sweepstakes available to non-US/UK Residents in general?
No, while the US and UK see gambling as a 'vice' that only adults can handle, other countries actually look on gambling as a mortal sin and have extremely nasty repercussions for those who gamble. We can only offer our sweepstakes to those locations that we have specific permission from. Right now that only includes the 50 states of the United States, plus the United Kingdom.


No purchase necessary to win.

Void where prohibited

Each winner's list will be posted in the thread where the sweepstakes or contest occurred. The winner will be contacted directly via email. Only adults aged 18 or older can enter, for legal reasons.

The RomanceClass site is part of the Minerva Webworks LLC and can be reached at:
PO Box 632
Sutton MA 01590

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