What Is an Alternate Method of Entry in a Sweepstakes?
Learn how free entry keeps sweepstakes odds equal and what to include on a mailed entry.
An alternate method of entry (AMOE) is a free way to enter a sweepstakes without buying anything. It sits beside a purchase-based entry route so shoppers and non-buyers can take part on the same terms. BrandMovers describes it in its 2026 promotions compliance guide as a second entry path that requires no purchase or payment.
For readers, that means a purchase receipt is one option, not the only option.
Verification note: Program terms and availability can change. This page was checked against linked sources on November 06, 2026.
Why sponsors add a free entry route
U.S. prize law looks for three parts: prize, chance, and payment. Payment is often called consideration.
When all three are present, the promotion can look like an unlawful private lottery. As Foley Hoag explains in its guide to avoiding an illegal lottery, the free entry removes the payment element. That change keeps a chance-based prize offer in the sweepstakes category.
Do free entries have the same chance to win
Yes, when the offer is set up correctly. The sponsor must pool purchase entries and free entries together and draw winners at random from that combined pool. Maverik's Raptor Rampage rules for Sept. 30–Dec. 29, 2026 state that pattern clearly: all valid entries share one drawing, with odds based on total entries received. More total entries means lower odds for each entry, whether paid or free.
What a mail-in entry usually asks for
Mail remains a common AMOE, especially for store and beverage offers. Dierbergs and Heartland Coca-Cola's October promotion rules describe the familiar format for their Oct. 13–Nov.
2, 2026 offer. A mailed entry often asks the entrant to: Read the sponsor's written rules for size, envelope, and entry-limit details. A late, postage-due, or bulk-mailed entry may not count.
- hand-print name, address, email, and phone on a letter or card
- add correct postage and mail it separately
- meet the stated postmark and receipt dates
What wording to look for before you enter
For mailed sweepstakes, FindLaw notes that the mailing, rules, and any order or entry form must state that no purchase is necessary and that buying will not improve the chance of winning. That disclosure should be easy to see, not buried in small print. The U.S.
Postal Service ties that duty to the Deceptive Mail Prevention and Enforcement Act, enacted Dec. 12, 1999, with an April 4, 2000 rule making noncompliant sweepstakes mail nonmailable. Foley Hoag also warns that a token free entry does not fix unequal odds, order-conditioned entry, or misleading disclosures, pointing to a $9.5 million judgment against sweepstakes promoter Crystal Ewing.
Check equal treatment, deadlines, and limits before you buy or mail.