sweepstake
/ˈswiːpsteɪk
/noun (also sweepstakes)
1A form of gambling, especially on horse races, in which all the stakes are divided among the winners: [as modifier]: a sweepstake ticket...
- Some believe in a God who makes traffic lights turn green, who turns lottery tickets into sweepstake winners, and turns rain on a picnic day into sun.
- Back in the old days, when you entered a horse racing sweepstake you knew that only the person who drew the winning horse actually won anything.
- Inaugurated in the 1930s to raise money for Irish hospitals, the sweepstakes was based on the outcome of horse races.
1.1A race or gambling game in which the winnings comprise all the money that has been staked.
1.2A prize or prizes won in a sweepstake.You will also be entered to win one of the sweepstakes prizes....
- The rollout will be supported with radio, print, outdoor and a heavy sampling campaign along with a sweepstakes that dangles prizes ranging from a million dollars to vacation getaways.
- As I sit down to write this column at the end of December 2003, we have received 287 responses - so huge a return that you'd think we were offering some sort of sweepstakes prize.