> How to enter a UK prize competition free by post, why the odds are identical to a paid entry, and what the law asks of a free entry route. Source page: https://granddraws.co.uk/guides/free-postal-entry-explained [All guides](https://granddraws.co.uk/guides) # Free postal entry, explained Last updated 25 September 2026 · 4 min read Short answer A free postal entry lets you enter a prize draw without paying, by posting your details and your answer to the skill question. Where a competition relies on it to stay outside lottery law, the Gambling Act 2005 requires that entering by ordinary post is a genuine choice, clearly publicised, with prizes allocated no differently from paid entries. At Grand Draws a valid postal entry counts as one ticket, goes into the same draw and has exactly the same chance of winning. The only cost is the stamp. ## How it works at Grand Draws The steps are simple on purpose, because the route has to be genuinely usable. The full rules are on our free entry page; in short: - Write your full name, date of birth, address, email and a contact number on a postcard. - Add the exact name of the competition you're entering, your answer to its skill question, and a statement that you're 18 or over and resident in Great Britain. - Send it by first or second class post to the free entry address, in time to arrive before entries close. Proof of posting isn't proof of receipt. - Each valid postcard is one entry, equal to one paid ticket, and goes into the same draw on the same odds as everyone else's. ## Why sites offer it at all Not out of generosity. For a paid draw where chance decides the winner, a free route of equal standing is what stops it being a lottery under the Gambling Act 2005. The Act sets the conditions: you can choose to enter by a letter sent by ordinary post, or another way that is no dearer and no less convenient than paying; the choice is publicised so you're likely to see it; and prizes are allocated without distinguishing free entrants from paying ones. Promoting a lottery outside the law is an offence under section 258 of the Act, so the operator needs a working free route more than you do. It's reasonable to expect it to be easy to find. ## What a good free route looks like The most common failing in this market is a free route that exists on paper but not in practice. A good one avoids all of these: - Odds that quietly differ from paid entry. - An entry window that opens later or closes earlier than the paid one. - A cap on free entries while paid entries run uncapped. - An address buried so deep in the terms that finding it becomes the obstacle. ## Sources - [Gambling Act 2005, Schedule 2, paragraph 8: choice of free entry (legislation.gov.uk)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/19/schedule/2/paragraph/8) - [Gambling Act 2005, section 14: meaning of "lottery" (legislation.gov.uk)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/19/section/14) - [Gambling Act 2005, section 258: promotion of lottery (legislation.gov.uk)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/19/section/258) - [Gambling Commission: Free draws and prize competitions](https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/public-and-players/guide/page/free-draws-and-prize-competitions) - [CAP Code, section 8: promotional marketing (ASA)](https://www.asa.org.uk/type/non_broadcast/code_section/08.html) Checked against these sources on 25 September 2026. ## Common questions **Is a postal entry really as likely to win?** Yes. At Grand Draws each valid postcard counts as one ticket in the same draw, with exactly the same chance as a paid ticket. The law requires prizes to be allocated without distinguishing between the two. **How many free entries can I submit?** One entry per postcard, each posted separately. You can send as many as the per-person limit for that competition allows, which is the same limit that applies to paid entries. Bulk entries in a single envelope may be rejected. **Do I still have to answer the skill question?** Yes. The skill question applies to every entrant, and a wrong answer disqualifies a postal entry exactly as it would a paid one. ## Related guides [Are prize competitions gambling?When is a UK prize competition outside gambling law? The Gambling Act 2005 tests that decide it, what they mean in practice, and how to check a site.](https://granddraws.co.uk/guides/are-prize-competitions-gambling) [Competition odds, explained honestlyHow to work out your real odds in a UK prize competition, why a published ticket cap matters, and which odds claims are worth double-checking.](https://granddraws.co.uk/guides/competition-odds-explained) [How to compare UK prize competitionsA practical checklist for comparing UK prize competitions: the real prize, price, odds, free entry, the draw, who runs it, results and your limits.](https://granddraws.co.uk/guides/how-to-compare-prize-competitions) [Who can enter UK prize draws?Age limits, residence and citizenship, under-18s and entering from abroad: who is allowed to enter a UK prize draw, and what sets the rules.](https://granddraws.co.uk/guides/who-can-enter-uk-prize-draws) [How UK prize draws workWhat a prize draw is, how entries, odds and the draw itself work in the UK, and the different legal footings a draw can sit on.](https://granddraws.co.uk/guides/how-uk-prize-draws-work) ## Be first when we open Paid competitions open 30 October 2026, and our free £500 launch draw runs 1 to 30 October. Create a free account for first pick of tickets, free welcome rewards and launch-day alerts. 18+. [Create a free account](https://granddraws.co.uk/account?next=early-access) ## Your ticket could be next Every competition has published odds, a draw anyone can verify and a free postal route. 18+. [Browse competitions](https://granddraws.co.uk/competitions) --- Grand Draws is a UK skill-based prize competition operator. It is not a casino, not a lottery and not gambling. Every competition requires a correct answer to a genuine skill question and offers a free postal entry route on the same odds. 18+, UK residents only. Please enter within your means.