With so many competition sites advertising on social media, it’s sensible to ask whether they’re genuine. The good news is you don’t have to take anyone’s word for it. A legitimate site leaves a trail of evidence you can check in a few minutes. Here’s exactly what to look for — and how Nitrous measures up.
1. A real, registered UK company
Every legitimate operator should tell you who they are. Look for a company name, a Companies House number and a registered address, usually on the About, Contact or Terms page. You can search the number for free on the Companies House website and see when the company was formed and who runs it.
At Nitrous: we’re registered in England & Wales, Company No. 11316541, founded in 2018. Details are on our About and Contact pages.
2. A genuine skill question
UK prize competitions require an element of skill or knowledge to enter. A proper site asks a question before your entry counts, and wrong answers don’t go into the draw. It shouldn’t be hidden or skippable. Read our plain-English explainer on why this matters.
3. A free entry route that actually works
A trustworthy site offers a free postal route with the same chance as a paid entry, and explains clearly how to use it. If you can’t find the postal address or the instructions, that’s a warning sign.
At Nitrous: every competition has one, and the full postal instructions are in our terms. See our free postal entry guide.
4. Draws you can watch
A draw that happens out of sight is hard to trust. The best sites draw their winners where you can see them.
At Nitrous: main competition winners are picked live on draw night. You can watch on our live page, and the draw method for each competition is fixed before it goes live. More on our Fair draws & Live Draw Night page.
5. Full entry lists you can check
This is the strongest proof of all. After a competition closes, a transparent site publishes the complete entry list — every ticket number — so you can confirm the winning ticket was a real entry and that the draw included everyone.
At Nitrous: every completed competition’s entry list is on the Winners & Results page and the entry list page.
6. Real winners, published openly
Look for a results page with a steady history of winners, ticket numbers and dates — not just a handful of glossy photos. Independent reviews help too: a large number of reviews collected over years is far harder to fake than a few recent ones.
7. Grown-up rules on age and wellbeing
A responsible operator is strictly 18+ and UK only, checks identity before handing over prizes, and gives you ways to take a break. See our responsible play page.
Your 2-minute legitimacy checklist
| Check | What good looks like | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Company number and address you can look up | No company details anywhere |
| Skill question | Asked before every entry | No question, or answers don't matter |
| Free route | Clear postal instructions, equal chance | Hidden, vague or missing |
| Draw | Live and watchable, method fixed in advance | Winner just 'announced' |
| Entry list | Full list published after each draw | No way to check the entries |
| Winners | Long, dated history of results | A few photos, no ticket numbers |
| Age | Strictly 18+, ID checks for prizes | No age rules |
Common worries, answered
“Do people really win?” Yes — check any site’s results page and look for a long, dated history. Ours lists every completed draw with its winning ticket.
“Could the site pick a friend?” That’s exactly why live draws and published entry lists matter: the draw is public, and the full list lets anyone check the winning ticket was a genuine entry.
“Is my payment safe?” Use sites that take payment through recognised payment providers and never ask you to pay by bank transfer to a personal account.
If you’re comparing sites, our guide to choosing the best UK competition sites turns this checklist into a side-by-side comparison.
See the evidence for yourself. Browse the live competitions, watch a live draw or check past winners and entry lists. 18+ UK only. Please play responsibly — see our responsible play page.