1. Who we are
These terms are between you and SOBO Competitions Ltd, a company registered in England & Wales (company number [company number]), registered office [registered office address], United Kingdom. We operate prize competitions of skill. We are not a gambling operator and we do not run lotteries: entry to every paid competition requires the correct answer to a question of skill, judgement or knowledge, and a free entry route is available. Contact us at hello@sobocompetitions.com.
2. These terms and the competition rules
By creating an account or entering a competition you agree to these terms, our Competition Rules, our Privacy Policy and our Refunds & Cancellations Policy. Where a specific competition has additional rules, those rules apply in addition to these terms and prevail if there is a conflict. We record which version of each document you accepted and when.
3. Eligibility
- You must be 18 or over.
- You must be resident in the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland).
- You must enter in your own name and hold only one account.
- Directors, employees and contractors of SOBO Competitions Ltd, and their immediate families, may not enter.
- You must not be self-excluded from our platform.
We may ask for proof of age, identity and address at any time, and we may withhold a prize until those checks are complete. Entries from anyone who does not meet these conditions are void and any prize is forfeited; the entry fee may be refunded at our discretion.
4. Skill requirement
Each paid competition includes a question of skill, judgement or knowledge. You must select or provide the correct answer before your entry is accepted. Incorrect answers do not create a valid entry and you will not be charged. This requirement is what makes our competitions prize competitions under the Gambling Act 2005 rather than lotteries.
5. Free entry route
Every paid competition has a free entry route with the same chance of winning as a paid entry, as described on the free entry page and in the Competition Rules. Free entries are subject to the same eligibility conditions, the same skill question and the same per-person entry limit.
6. Entries, tickets and limits
- Each competition states its ticket price, total number of tickets and the maximum number of entries per person.
- Ticket numbers are allocated at random from the remaining pool; you cannot choose a specific number.
- Tickets are held for 10 minutes while you pay. Unpaid holds are released automatically.
- Your entry is confirmed only when payment has been received and you receive a confirmation email.
7. Payment
Payments are processed by Stripe. We do not store your card details. Prices are in pounds sterling and include any applicable tax. If a payment is reversed, charged back or fails after entry, the related entries are void.
8. Closing, drawing and results
Each competition page shows the closing date and time and the draw date. Where a competition specifies a minimum number of entries and that minimum is not reached by the closing date, we may extend the closing date, reduce the prize proportionately, substitute a cash alternative of equivalent value, or cancel the competition and refund all paid entries in full. Which option applies is stated on the competition page before you enter.
Winners are selected from all valid entries using a cryptographically secure random number generator. The random seed, the number of entries and a verification hash are recorded before the winning number is revealed and published on our winners page so that any draw can be independently checked. See the Competition Rules for the full method.
9. Instant wins
Some competitions include instant win prizes attached to specific ticket numbers. Those numbers are allocated before the competition opens and are not visible to us or to you until won. If your ticket matches, you are notified immediately and the prize is separate from the main draw. Where a cash alternative is offered, you may choose it instead.
10. Prizes
- Prizes are as described on the competition page and are not transferable.
- Cash prizes are paid by bank transfer, normally within 48 hours of verification.
- Physical prizes are delivered within the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) within 14 days of verification.
- Where stated, a cash alternative may be taken instead of the prize.
- If a prize becomes unavailable for reasons outside our control we may substitute a prize of equal or greater value, or pay the stated cash alternative.
Winners have 90 days from first notification to claim. Our procedure for unclaimed prizes is set out in the Competition Rules.
11. Publicity
We will ask for your consent before publishing your first name, town or city, or any photo or video. You are free to refuse; refusing does not affect your prize. Where you do not consent, we publish only anonymised confirmation that the prize was awarded.
12. Refunds and cancellation
Entry to a competition is a service that begins immediately, so the statutory 14-day cancellation right does not usually apply once the draw has taken place. Our full position, including cancelled and under-subscribed draws, is in the Refunds & Cancellations Policy.
13. Responsible participation
We offer spending limits, cooling-off periods and self-exclusion from your account. See Play Responsibly. We may set limits on, restrict or close an account where we have concerns about harm.
14. Fraud, abuse and account closure
We may void entries, withhold prizes, suspend or close accounts, and report to the authorities where we identify fraud, multiple accounts, automated entry, payment abuse or breach of these terms. See our Fraud & AML Policy.
15. Our liability
Nothing in these terms limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, for fraud, or for any liability that cannot be limited by law. Subject to that, our total liability to you in connection with a competition is limited to the amount you paid to enter it. We are not liable for entries that are lost, delayed or corrupted in transit, or for events outside our reasonable control.
16. Complaints and disputes
We aim to resolve complaints within 14 days. Our process, including escalation, is in the Complaints Policy. These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales have jurisdiction; if you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland you may also bring proceedings there. Nothing here affects your statutory rights as a consumer.
17. Changes
We may change these terms. The version that applies to an entry is the version you accepted when you made it. Material changes are notified by email or on the site, and we ask you to accept the new version before your next entry.