It’s a fair question: with so many competition sites around, how do you know a draw is genuine and not rigged? Here’s what to look for — and how a transparent draw lets you check the result for yourself.
What makes a competition legitimate in the UK?
A lawful UK prize competition must include a genuine element of skill (the skill question) and must offer a free entry route. Sites that do both, publish clear terms, and pay winners openly are operating correctly. Avoid anything that lets you enter with no skill element and no free route.
How transparency through published entry lists works
The winner is drawn at random from all confirmed entries. The thing that lets you trust the result — rather than just taking the operator’s word for it — is transparency. After a competition closes, a trustworthy site publishes the complete entry list: every ticket number alongside the entrant who holds it (shown as first initial and surname). Once the list is public, the announced winning number can be checked straight against it, so anyone can see exactly who was entered and confirm the winning ticket really belongs to the named winner. There’s nowhere for a rigged draw to hide when the full list is out in the open for everyone to read.
How to spot a trustworthy competition site
- Transparent, published-entry-list draws you can verify — check the winning number against the full list yourself.
- Published winners — real names and prizes on a public results page.
- A clear skill question and a genuine free entry route.
- Independent reviews (e.g. Trustpilot) and transparent terms.
- Clear 18+ / UK-only rules and responsible-play tools.
At Nitrous Competitions winners are drawn at random from all confirmed entries, and after each competition closes we publish the complete entry list — every ticket number and entrant — on our Entry List page so you can check the winning number for yourself. See how it works in our FAQ or browse the live competitions. 18+, UK only.