Question Answered: What Is A Special Early Look?
Hi, everyone! As Manager of the Sweepstakes Administration Department at PCH, I’ve conducted many “Special Early Look” drawings. Tari Woods from Colorado became the lucky winner of $1,000,000.00 on May 31st from such a drawing for Giveaway No. 1830! I’ve heard that some of you asked what a special early look is and why she was awarded a Million Dollar Prize and not $5,000.00 A Week for Life.
So here’s an explanation of how it works….
When Tari submitted her PCH Sweepstakes entry, it was during a “Special Early Look” timeframe. Each entry submitted by the deadline is assigned a Prize Number from a participating universe of numbers for the ongoing Giveaway. All the numbers assigned during that timeframe are eligible to win the SuperPrize in a “Special Early Look” SuperPrize Event.
To prepare for the “Special Early Look” drawing, we in Sweepstakes Administration take all the proper internal controls, and, with the oversight of independent auditors, award underwriters and other PCH officials, make sure all eligible numbers are loaded into PCH’s Winning Number Generator.
Once a winning number is randomly selected, we check to see if there’s a matching number among the timely returned entries. If there is, that lucky entrant wins the top prize for that event. In the case of our most recent SuperPrize Event, the primary prize we promoted was $5,000.00 A Week for Life! Then, PCH replenishes the prize funds so the Giveaway can continue until its scheduled ending date.
But if there is no timely returned matching winning number entry from the “Special Early Look” promotion, as was the case with our May 31st Event, the primary prize amount is not awarded, as stated in the Official Rules. In that event, we may go to a Second Chance drawing to award an alternate prize amount.
Lots of our winners have won from a Second Chance drawing, including Tari, who won $1,000,000.00! Not bad for a Second Chance!
As you can see, a lot of work and preparation happens behind the scenes to award each and every SuperPrize. And though the May 31st Event is over, the August 31st “Forever” Prize Event is right around the corner! We’re prepared to award a winner $5,000 a week for life PLUS after that, $5,000 a week for the life of someone they choose! But, this event will also be a “Special Early Look” with a Second Chance drawing. If there is no timely matching winning number entry, a $1,000,000.00 Prize is guaranteed!
Either way, winning would surely be life-changing, so be sure to enter the PCH Sweepstakes as often as you can. Although no one knows what the matching winning number will be for the “Special Early Look,” you can’t win if you don’t enter. And I can’t stress this enough: winner selection is always random and unbiased. All entries have the SAME chance of winning. There’s no telling what the next SuperPrize Event winning number will be and who might possibly have it…
Bet you’re hoping it will be yours!
Maryann Carter
Contest Manager
