Giveaway Official Rules

Official Giveaway Rules

Last updated: April 24, 2026

Quick note before the legal stuff. I run giveaways sometimes on this blog and I want them to be fun, fair, and squeaky clean. These are the general rules that apply to every giveaway I run here. The specifics for any individual giveaway (the prize, the dates, how to enter) will always be in the post for that giveaway, and that post will link back to this page. Read both and you’ll have the full picture.

If you’re not into the legal language, the short version is: no purchase needed, you have to be 18 and a US resident, one person per household, I’ll pick a winner at random, and I’ll never ask you for money or sensitive information to claim a prize.

Okay, here are the full rules.

1. No Purchase Necessary

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A purchase or payment will not increase your chances of winning. Void where prohibited by law.

2. Sponsor

Unless the Giveaway Post names a different Sponsor, the sponsor of each Giveaway is Jennifer Soltys, located in Worth, Illinois (“Sponsor”). General questions regarding Giveaways on this Site should be directed to [email protected].

For some Giveaways, a brand partner or third party may serve as the Sponsor instead. When that is the case, the Giveaway Post will clearly identify the Sponsor and provide Sponsor contact information, and that Sponsor will be responsible for prize fulfillment, winner verification, and tax reporting for that Giveaway. In those Giveaways, Jennifer Soltys acts as the Administrator of the Giveaway on behalf of the Sponsor.

3. How These General Rules Work

These Official Rules (“General Rules”) govern every sweepstakes, giveaway, or random drawing (each, a “Giveaway”) run on Seeding Serendipity at https://seedingserendipity.com/ (the “Site”). The specific prize, prize approximate retail value (“ARV”), entry period, entry methods, and number of winners for each Giveaway will be described in the individual Giveaway post on the Site (the “Giveaway Post”). The Giveaway Post and these General Rules together make up the complete Official Rules for that Giveaway. If anything in a Giveaway Post conflicts with these General Rules, the Giveaway Post controls for that specific Giveaway.

4. Eligibility

Each Giveaway is open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia who are at least eighteen (18) years old at the time of entry, or the age of majority in their state of residence, whichever is greater.

Employees, officers, contractors, and immediate family members (spouse, parents, children, siblings, and their spouses) or household members of Sponsor, and any company involved in the design, production, execution, or distribution of a Giveaway are not eligible to enter or win.

Void in Puerto Rico, all US territories and possessions, and everywhere outside the United States. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.

By entering, you represent and warrant that you meet all eligibility requirements.

5. How to Enter

Entry instructions for each Giveaway will be described in the Giveaway Post. Entry methods may include, but are not limited to:

  • Leaving a comment on the Giveaway Post
  • Subscribing to the email list for the Site
  • Following the Site on a social media platform
  • Tagging a friend in a social media post
  • Sharing the Giveaway Post on a social media platform
  • Completing an entry form

The Giveaway Post will specify which methods are available, how many entries each method earns, and any limits on entries per person.

Entries must be received by the deadline specified in the Giveaway Post. Sponsor’s computer is the official timekeeping device. Entries generated by script, macro, bot, or any other automated means are void. Entries that are incomplete, illegible, corrupted, or submitted after the deadline are void. Proof of submission is not proof of receipt.

Limit: Unless the Giveaway Post says otherwise, there is a limit of one (1) entry per person, per household, per email address, per social media account, and per IP address, per entry method. Multiple accounts, multiple email addresses, or any attempt to circumvent entry limits will result in disqualification of all entries by that person.

6. Giveaway Period

The start date, end date, and ending time (including time zone) for each Giveaway will be stated in the Giveaway Post. Only entries received during the stated Giveaway Period are eligible.

7. Prizes

The prize for each Giveaway and its approximate retail value will be stated in the Giveaway Post. Prizes are non-transferable, non-assignable, and cannot be substituted, redeemed for cash, or exchanged, except at Sponsor’s sole discretion. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value if the advertised prize becomes unavailable for any reason.

All federal, state, and local taxes on a prize are the sole responsibility of the winner. If the ARV of a prize is $600 or more, the winner will be required to complete and return an IRS Form W-9 before the prize is awarded, and Sponsor will issue an IRS Form 1099 to the winner and to the IRS reporting the value of the prize.

Unless the Giveaway Post says otherwise, prizes are available only to winners with a valid US shipping address. PO boxes are accepted where the shipping carrier permits. Sponsor is not responsible for prizes lost, stolen, damaged, or delayed in transit.

8. Odds of Winning

Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received during the Giveaway Period.

9. Winner Selection and Notification

The winner of each Giveaway will be selected at random from all eligible entries received during the Giveaway Period. The drawing will be conducted by Sponsor or by a random selection tool chosen by Sponsor (for example, the random draw feature in a giveaway management tool). The decision of Sponsor is final and binding in all matters related to the Giveaway.

The potential winner will be notified within seven (7) days of the drawing using the contact information provided at entry (email, direct message, or the contact method associated with the winning entry). The potential winner must respond within three (3) days of the first notification attempt to claim the prize. If the potential winner does not respond within that time, forfeits the prize, is found to be ineligible, declines the prize, or cannot be reached, the prize will be forfeited and Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, select an alternate winner from the remaining eligible entries.

Before a prize is awarded, the potential winner may be required to sign and return an Affidavit of Eligibility, a Liability and Publicity Release (where legal), and a completed IRS Form W-9 where applicable. Failure to return required documents within the time specified by Sponsor will result in forfeiture of the prize.

10. Publicity

By accepting a prize, the winner agrees that Sponsor may use the winner’s first name, last initial, city, state, likeness, photograph, voice, and social media handle for promotional, advertising, and publicity purposes in any media worldwide, now known or later developed, without further compensation or notice, except where prohibited by law.

11. General Conditions

Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel, suspend, or modify a Giveaway if fraud, technical failures, human error, or any other factor beyond Sponsor’s reasonable control impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the Giveaway. In that case, Sponsor may select the winner from all eligible, non-suspect entries received before the event requiring cancellation, suspension, or modification.

Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process, violating these Official Rules, or acting in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of a Giveaway is a violation of criminal and civil law. Should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages and other remedies to the fullest extent permitted by law.

12. Release and Limitation of Liability

By entering a Giveaway, you release and hold harmless Sponsor, Administrator (if different from Sponsor), their respective affiliates, and each of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, and contractors (collectively, the “Released Parties”) from any and all claims, damages, losses, costs, and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, arising out of or in connection with:

  • Participation in the Giveaway
  • Acceptance, use, misuse, or possession of any prize
  • Any typographical, printing, production, or technical error
  • Late, lost, damaged, misdirected, undelivered, or stolen entries, prize notifications, or prizes
  • Any injury, loss, or damage of any kind to persons or property resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of a prize
  • Any interruption, malfunction, or failure of any hardware, software, network, server, or internet service

The Released Parties are not responsible for entries that are late, lost, incomplete, misdirected, or not received due to computer, network, technical, human, or other errors of any kind.

13. Disputes and Governing Law

Except where prohibited, you agree that:

  • Any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or connected with a Giveaway or any prize awarded will be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action.
  • Any and all claims, judgments, and awards will be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering, but in no event will attorneys’ fees be awarded or recoverable.
  • Under no circumstances will you be permitted to obtain awards for, and you hereby waive all rights to claim, indirect, punitive, incidental, or consequential damages, or any other damages, including attorneys’ fees, other than your actual out-of-pocket expenses.
  • All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation, and enforceability of these Official Rules, your rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of Sponsor or Administrator in connection with a Giveaway, will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules.
  • Any legal proceedings arising out of a Giveaway or relating to these Official Rules will be instituted exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Cook County, Illinois, and you consent to the jurisdiction of those courts.

14. Privacy

Information collected from entrants is subject to the Privacy Policy posted at https://seedingserendipity.com/privacy-policy/. By entering, you consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information as described in the Privacy Policy. Sponsor will not sell entrant information to third parties.

15. Not Sponsored By Social Media Platforms

Giveaways run on this Site are in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, X (Twitter), YouTube, or any other social media platform. You understand that you are providing your information to Sponsor and not to any social media platform. By entering a Giveaway on or through a social media platform, you release each such platform from any and all liability related to the Giveaway.

16. Winners List

To request the name of the winner of a specific Giveaway, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to 6646 W. 99th St., Chicago Ridge, IL 60415, Attn: Giveaway Winners List, within sixty (60) days after the end date of that Giveaway. Please specify which Giveaway you are asking about by title and end date.

17. Contact

Questions about these General Rules or a specific Giveaway can be sent to [email protected].

By entering any Giveaway on this Site, you agree to be bound by these Official Rules and by the decisions of Sponsor, which are final and binding in all matters related to the Giveaway.