sweepstakes
n. C / Un. a type of contest where the winner is chosen by luck or chance. You usually enter for free or by buying a product to win a prize.
n. a form of gambling or competition in which the prize is awarded to a winner chosen by lot or at random. Often used in marketing contexts where entry is tied to a purchase or registration.
She won a new car in the holiday sweepstakes.
The company launched a national sweepstakes to encourage customers to sign up for their monthly newsletter.
While some participants spend hours entering every available sweepstakes, the mathematical probability of winning a major prize remains remarkably low for any single individual.
Often functions as a singular noun despite the 's' ending, though it can also be treated as plural.
I entered a sweepstakeI entered a sweepstakesIn modern American English, the word almost always ends in 's' even when referring to a single contest.