1. Not Reading the Rules
Reading sweepstakes rules can be tedious, but skipping them can cause you to waste the time you spend entering. For example, I often see entries into writing contests where people have exceeded the minimum length. Their entries will be discarded, whereas paying close attention to the rules could have resulted in a win. Even sweepstakes with random drawings can have special criteria that are important to follow.
2. Not Letting Sponsors Contact You
Make sure that you aren't making any typos in your email address, street address, or telephone number that could be keeping sponsors from getting in touch with you when you win by looking over your information carefully before hitting the "Submit" button. Using an automatic form filler like Roboform can help to prevent typos, but you should still look over the information before you send it off.
4. Not Entering Often Enough
Entering regularly is one of the keys to winning sweepstakes. If you enter only 15 minutes every day, it's still better than entering only now and then. Entering daily will give you a broad range of entries, and will help you win more regularly as well.
5. Entering the Wrong Sweepstakes
Everybody wants to win the big prizes, but entering the sweepstakes with higher odds of winning prizes is important to stay motivated to enter regularly. I recommend having a good mix of sweepstakes, including daily and one-time sweepstakes, at least a few instant sweepstakes, some with big prizes and others with lots of prizes to win.
6. Getting Disqualified
Related to reading the rules carefully is being sure to follow them so that you don't accidentally disqualify yourself. Organizing your entries so that you don't enter more often than allowed in the rules can help keep from ruining your chances to win.
7. Not Checking Your Email Regularly
You'd be surprised at how many people do win, but never receive their win notifications, or they discount them as scams. Checking your email regularly, making sure that your inbox is never too full to receive mail, and knowing the signs of a real sweepstakes win will help you to avoid letting your wins pass you by.
8. Winning Notifications Sent to Spam
Another problem when it comes to checking sweepstakes email is that some winning notifications can be mistaken as spam by your email provider. In order to be sure that you really receive your wins, set your spam filter as low as possible and be sure to check your spam folders regularly.
9. Missing Winning Phone Calls
Another way that you could win and never know it is if you miss your winning telephone call. Many sponsors won't leave messages if they aren't able to reach you, and they'll try only a certain number of times before they move on to the next potential winner. Be sure to follow these tips to make sure that your winning phone calls actually reach you.
10. Not Being Patient Enough
This is probably the hardest advice of all, but sometimes you're not winning because you simply haven't waited long enough to receive your prizes. Some people win after their first week of entering sweepstakes, but for most it takes much longer. Everyone goes through dry spells, and it's important that you don't give up. Stick to your strategy and keep entering, and the wins will follow sooner or later.