Millions of individuals look forward to the annual home giveaways of the Scripps Networks. The giveaways include the HGTV Dream Home Sweepstakes and the DIY Ultimate Retreat Giveaway, and there is a rush of entries from people who want to win a beautifully designed new home. But have you ever wondered how does Scripps Network draws the winner’s name from more than 100 million entries?
And if you consider that people send their entries through two channels- online and through the postal service, the whole process appears to be more mind-boggling. Perhaps you must have also thought, do I have the same chances of winning or not through these two channels?
However, there is nothing to worry about! Since there is so much public interest in Scripps Network’s giveaways, they have to be very conscious about running them. They remain under constant scrutiny; hence, they take ample measures to ensure that the prizes are awarded fairly. In fact, every single entry has equal chances of winning.
Scripps Network follows a three-step process to ensure the same.
Divide All Entries into Bin and Assign Bin Numbers
When the entries are received, they get sorted into batches based on the order in which they came in. The batches are then put into bins, and the bins are assigned a number. Usually, a bin has 26000 to 50000 entries. The process is the same for both physical and online entries; mail-in entries go into physical bins, while virtual entries are placed into virtual bins. Virtual bins are nothing but a collection of online entries.
Draw a Bin Number from a Hopper
In this step, the potential winners are thinned down by selecting the lucky bin from which the final winner would be drawn. And the process is similar to the lottery drawings that you would have seen on the television. The bin numbers are written on pin pong balls that are put into a hopper that mixes the balls. The hopper then picks up a ball at random, and that the number of that ball decides the winning bin.
So now, only the entries in the winning bin would be further considered for the next step.
Choosing the Winning Entry from the Lucky Bin
The next course of action depends on whether the selected bin number belonged to a physical bin or a virtual bin.
If it’s a physical bin, the employees of HGTV or Ritway empty it on the floor. Then one employee is chosen and blindfolded, and that employee is sent to the heap of envelopes and asked to pick one at random. That envelop carries the winning entry. (Now you may try decorating your envelopes before you mail them to increase your chances of winning by 0.00001 percent!)
In case the selected bin was a virtual one, a computer program is used to cycle through all the names. The cycling is so fast that one simply cannot read the names. Now one employee would be asked to press the spacebar for selecting the winner. The cycling stops at a random name, and that’s how the lucky winner gets selected.
How is The Process Scrutinized?
You might think if the Ritway and the Scripps Network team follow the three-step process stringently or not. Then let us tell you that you don’t have anything to worry about! The whole selection process is scrutinized by inspectors and auditors to rule out any possible foul play. They check the ping pong balls before they are put into the hopper, watch the entire process, and ensure that everything is above board.
The Scripps Network doesn’t handle the process itself but utilizes the services of a sweepstakes administrator. And for many years, Ritway has been providing these services to the Scripps Network. This guarantees no conflict of interest between the sponsor and the winner. You can also check out these videos from Scripps Network if you want to know more about the process.
How Are The Scripp Network Winners Notified?
Before notifying the HGTV dream home winner, the details of the winner are verified to ensure eligibility for the win. If there is no discrepancy, the next step is to inform the winner.
The Scripp Network likes to announce the big win in style, by arriving at the winner’s home, office, or family gathering. Sometimes, the winner may be informed by registered mail. The dates for the winner selection process and for notification are mentioned in the rules of HGTV Dream Home Sweepstakes and other giveaways.
So if you are sweepstakes or giveaway enthusiast, this is your chance to win big. You can send your entries through mail or online for HGTV Dream Home Sweepstakes, and pray that luck favors you!
Note: HGTV no longer accepts mail-in entries for their Dream Home Giveaway.
