Giveaway rules template

Last updated: August 12, 2026 · about 5 minutes

Rules exist to answer questions before they are asked. Every line below exists because somebody, somewhere, argued about that exact point. Adapt it, publish it before entries open, and keep the published version.

This is a starting point written in plain English, not a legal document, and it is not legal advice. Requirements vary by state and country, and large prizes can trigger registration, bonding or disclosure obligations. For anything substantial, have a qualified lawyer review your version.

The template

Replace everything in square brackets. Delete what does not apply — a short set of rules you actually followed beats a long one you did not.

[Your name or brand] — [Prize] Giveaway: Official Rules

No purchase necessary. Entry is free and buying anything does not improve your chance of winning.

1. Who can enter. Open to residents of [country or states] who are [18] or older at the time of entry. Not open to [me, my household, my employees and their families]. One entry per person.

2. When. Entries open [date and time, with time zone] and close [date and time, with time zone]. Entries recorded after the closing time do not count, whatever the reason.

3. How to enter. [Comment on this post / reply with your answer / fill in this form]. That is the only entry route. [Optional: one bonus entry for tagging a friend, maximum one bonus per person.]

4. The prize. [Exact item, model, size, colour, quantity], approximate value [$X]. One winner. The prize cannot be exchanged for cash and cannot be transferred to anyone else. If the prize becomes unavailable I will substitute something of similar value.

5. How the winner is chosen. After entries close I will collect all valid entries into a list and draw one at random using [a random name picker / a list shuffle], recording the draw. The draw takes place on or around [date].

6. Telling the winner. I will announce the winner [here / on this account] and contact them by [direct message / email] within [48 hours]. The winner must reply within [72 hours] and provide a delivery address. If they do not, I will draw again from the remaining entries, and I may do this up to [three] times.

7. Delivery. The prize ships to [countries] at my cost, within [14 days] of receiving the address. [I cannot cover customs or import charges.]

8. Disqualification. I may remove entries that are duplicates from the same person, come from accounts created only to enter, are automated, or break [platform]'s rules.

9. Taxes. Any tax on the prize is the winner's responsibility.

10. Not affiliated with the platform. This giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed, administered by or associated with [platform]. By entering you release [platform] from any responsibility for it.

11. Your data. I will use your [username, email, address] only to run this giveaway and send the prize, and I will delete it within [90 days] afterwards. I will not add you to any mailing list without asking.

The six lines that matter most

If you only have space for a caption, keep these: entry is free, who can enter, when it closes with a time zone, what the prize is, that the winner is drawn at random, and how long they have to reply. Those six cover the overwhelming majority of real disputes.

Why each of the awkward clauses is there

Time zone on the closing time. “Closes Friday” means five different moments to an international audience, and someone will enter in the gap and be furious.
Excluding your own household. Not a legal necessity in most cases, but it removes the single most common accusation: that the winner was your friend. If a family member genuinely wins an open draw, you will never fully convince anyone.
A reply deadline. Without one you either wait forever or look arbitrary when you move on. With one, redrawing is just following the published rule.
Substitution. Stock runs out. Without this clause you have promised something specific that you may not be able to deliver.
Shipping scope. Deciding after the draw that you cannot afford to ship to another continent is the worst possible moment to find out.
The platform release. Instagram, YouTube and others generally require promotions to state that the platform is not involved. Check the current requirement for the platform you are using — the wording they ask for changes.
The data line. Collecting an address makes you a custodian of personal data. Saying what you will do with it and when you will delete it is both good manners and, in many places, a legal expectation.

Where to put it

Rules must be reachable before someone enters. In practice: the full version on a page or in a pinned comment, and the six-line version in the post itself with a link. Do not bury them in a story that expires in 24 hours — if the rules disappear, you cannot prove what they said.

Once published, do not edit them mid-giveaway. If you got something wrong, post a correction as a new, dated update rather than silently changing the original. Editing rules while entries are open is the fastest way to lose an argument you would otherwise have won.

Giveaway rules template

The template

The six lines that matter most

Why each of the awkward clauses is there

Where to put it

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