I have won thousands of dollars in cash and prizes from promotional contests. My latest prize was a trip for two to Jamaica.

Here are my secrets for bettering your chances of winning a national sweepstakes or a local store giveaway. I spend only 20 minutes a day at it.

Mail-in sweepstakes

Big sweepstakes usually blindfold the selectors. Smaller contests, such as those at stores, are less formal. Learn to exploit the differences...

Use large or oddly shaped envelopes. Some sweepstakes require a specific envelope or postcard size. If not, the more surface area that can be grabbed by a selector, the better. I use large padded envelopes on occasion, though the cost can be prohibitive.

Send colored envelopes. A brightly colored envelope is several times more likely to win a local sweepstakes, for which the selector might not be blindfolded. I have not found any one color to be most successful.

Decorate your envelopes. I add stickers, glue-on glitter, even fingerpaint to the outside of my sweepstakes-entry envelopes, especially those for local sweepstakes. This helps my envelopes stand out from the rest.

I usually limit my number of entries to just a few per sweepstakes. It is better to enter several sweepstakes than to put all your eggs in one basket.

In-store drawings

You usually drop entries into a box for store contests. To better your odds...

Fold entry cards. An entry card folded into an interesting shape is more likely to be grabbed than one lying flat, hidden in a stack of entries. Accordion-style folding has proven particularly effective for me.

Take entry forms home. Fill them out, and return with them later. Few people have the patience to fill out more than one or two entries while standing in the store. Boost your odds by entering many times -- assuming the rules permit it.

I like to drop off my entries on several occasions, so they don’t wind up together. It’s also best to spread entries among more than one store location.

Example: When a local supermarket chain ran a sweepstakes for a vacation to Puerto Rico, I filled out 200 entries and dropped them off at a dozen stores. While there was only one grand prize, each store was giving away a television. I won the vacation and three TVs.

Contests

Contests differ from sweepstakes because skill is required. But you can win even with little skill.

For essay-writing contests, saying positive things about the company sponsoring the contest is more important than writing well. I won a contest sponsored by the LA Dodgers by describing my fantasy of pitching for the team -- and striking out its opponents. The prize? The honor of throwing out the first ceremonial pitch before 38,000 fans, as well as tickets to the game for friends.

Sweepstakes to Avoid

Don’t bother with...

Most Internet sweepstakes. Enter only those sponsored by familiar companies. Otherwise, the only guaranteed return has been to fill my E-mail account with junk E-mail.

Sweepstakes that require entrants to make purchases.

Sweepstakes with long entry periods. Anything longer than a few months will have large numbers of entries and much smaller odds of winning.

Contests or sweepstakes that have “strings” attached.

Example: Car giveaways in shopping malls generally insist that you listen to a sales pitch before your entry becomes valid.

Tax deduction

Track postage and envelope expenses for each sweepstakes or contest. When you win, consult your accountant. The amount you spent is deductible up to the amount you won during the year.

Finding Sweepstakes

Many advertisers promote sweepstakes in the coupon section of newspapers. Other sources are magazines, TV and radio ads and newsletters...

Rags to Riches Sweepstakes Newsletter Box 891, Derry, New Hampshire 03038. www.ragstoriches.com. $3/issue.

SweepSheet, 105 Town Line Rd., #329, Vernon Hills, Illinois 60061.
www.sweepsheet.com. 26 issues. $45/yr.

Two free on-line newsletters...

Sweepstakesonline.com

Sweepthenet.com