122 Prize Ideas for Every Contest on Your Calendar

by Julie Foley Second Street

Spring Prize Ideas

March Promotion Ideas | April Promotion Ideas | May Promotion Ideas

Basketball
1. College Tournament Tickets
2. VIP Courtside Experience
3. Meet-and-Greet with Players
4. Team Merchandise
5. Trip to Tournament Games

Check out this great basketball prize pack from WKYT-TV.
WKYT Created an Awesome Basketball Prize Pack

Mother’s Day
6. Spa Day
7. Jewelry
8. Maid Services
9. Salon Gift Cards
10. Makeovers

Wedding Season
11. Dream Wedding Dress
12. Spa & Salon Treatments
13. Honeymoons
14. Groom & Groomsmen Tuxedos
15. Floral Arrangements
16. DJ or Music
17. Cake & Catering Services

This sweepstakes offered the grand prize of a $9,000 dream wedding and received over 53,000 entries!

$9000 Fairy Tale Wedding

Golf
18. Tickets to Major Tournaments
19. Trip to Exclusive Golf Courses
20. Golf for a Year
21. Golf Equipment
22. Golf Lessons

Summer Prize Ideas

June Promotion Ideas | July Promotion Ideas | August Promotion Ideas

Father’s Day
23. BBQ Grill or Grilling Supplies
24. Outdoor Getaways
25. Electronics
26. Man Cave Makeover

The Post-Register created this Father’s Day quiz including a sweepstakes for a season pass to three local golf courses.

Father's Day Quiz Includes Golf Sweepstakes

Summer Fun
27. Gas Cards
28. Getaways
29. Family Tickets to Local Attractions
30. Hotel Stays
31. Movie Tickets

Swimming & Pools
32. New Pool
33. Pool Opening Service
34. Pool Maintenance for a Year
35. Pool Fence

This giveaway for a new pool fence was a perfect way to incorporate the sponsor’s products and generate qualified leads.

Pick Prizes Featuring Your Sponsor's Products

Travel
36. Vacation or Trip
37. Airplane Tickets or Vouchers
38. Meal Tickets or Vouchers
39. Rental Car Voucher

Outdoor Home Improvement
40. New Deck or Deck Remodel
41. Backyard Landscaping Makeover
42. Deck & Patio Furniture Set
43. Gift Card to Home Improvement Retailer
44. New Roof or Roof Repair Service

This backyard photo contest by the Omaha World-Herald offered a $10,000 yard and landscaping makeover.

Photo Contest Offered $10K Yard Makeover

Indoor Home Improvement
45. New Kitchen or Bathroom Remodel
46. High-end Appliances
47. Whole House New Windows
48. Whole House New Doors
49. Gift Card to Appliance Store

Patriotic
50. Tickets to Patriotic Holiday Events
51. BBQ Grill and Backyard Party Supplies

Fall Prize Ideas

September Promotion Ideas | October Promotion Ideas | November Promotion Ideas

Football
52. Tailgate Supply Pack
53. Mancave Makeover
54. Tickets to Football’s Big Game
55. Trip and Tickets to College Bowl Games
56. Fan Merchandise Makeover

Inside Columbia Magazine created this sweepstakes offering an Ultimate Tailgate Package – a cooler full of beef and beer – valued at over $500.

Ultimate Football Tailgating Prize Pack

School Events
57. Gift Card to Children’s Clothing Store
58. College Fund or Cash
59. Electronics

Halloween
60. Costume Shop Gift Card
61. Tickets to Haunted Houses
62. Family Tickets to Fall Events

WTVR offered four tickets to their sponsor’s haunted house as well as a $200 gift card.

Haunted House Tickets and a Gift Card

Thanksgiving
63. Grocery Gift Card
64. Catered Thanksgiving Meal

Winter Prize Ideas

December Promotion Ideas | January Promotion Ideas | February Promotion Ideas

Christmas
65. Shopping Spree
66. Retail Gift Cards
67. Jewelry
68. Electronics
69. Tickets to Holiday Events

Health & Fitness
70. Gym Membership for a Year
71. Home Gym Makeover
72. Electronic Fitness Equipment
73. Sports Retail Gift Cards
74. Personal Training Sessions

KY3 incorporated a sweepstakes into their fitness quiz sponsored by a local sports retailer. The prize was a $300 gift card to the store.

Quiz Includes Sweeps for $300 Gift Card

Valentine’s Day
75. Couples Vacation
76. Spa Day for Two
77. Jewelry
78. Restaurant Gift Cards

Auto Racing
79. Tickets to Major Races
80. VIP On-Track Experience
81. Fan Merchandise Makeover
82. Gift Card to Fan Shop

Year-Round Prize Ideas

Automotive
83. Win a Car
84. Lease for a Year
85. Car Service for a Year
86. Tickets to Auto Show
87. Gas Card

Entercom Seattle’s pro football pick’em prizes featured their automotive sponsor’s products.

Pick Prizes Highlighting Your Advertisers

Local Events
88. Ticket Packages to Event
89. Meal Vouchers or Tickets
90. VIP Experience to Event

Pets
91. Pet Food for a Year
92. Grooming for a Year
93. Doggie Day Care Gift Cards
94. Pet Store Gift Card

Fan Spirit
95. Tickets to Big Games
96. Exclusive Tickets to Movie Releases
97. VIP Fan Experiences
98. Total Fan Merchandise Makeover

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch worked with the Mizzou Athletic Program, their sponsor, to create this awesome prize pack for their biggest fan photo contest.

VIP Experience for Biggest Fan Photo Contest

Creative & Talent
99. Tickets to Local Art & Music Shows
100. High-End Band Equipment
101. Art Show Spending Vouchers

Music, Movies, & TV
102. Movie Premier Experience
103. Backstage Passes
104. Prize Pack with Exclusive Merchandise
105. Multi-Pack Tickets

Beauty
106. Beauty Store Gift Cards
107. Salons and Spa Services

The Bangor Daily News created this sweepstakes for their sponsor, a local salon and spa, offering a $300 spa day. They even used survey questions to make the promotion more valuable to their sponsor.

Salon & Spa Sweeps Offers $300 Spa DAy

Restaurants & Bars
108. Restaurant Gift Cards
109. Eat for a Year
110. Grocery Gift Cards
111. Catered Party
112. Exclusive Tasting Event
113. Tours of Breweries or Distilleries
114. Tickets to Beer Festivals

Parenting
115. Newborn Survival Pack
116. Baby Proofing Services
117. Children’s Retail Gift Card
118. Toy Shopping Spree

Nature & Weather
119. Vacations to National Parks
120. High-End Cameras and Equipment
121. Storm Shelters
122. Snow Blowers

Right before spring storm season, KY3-TV ran a sweepstakes giving away a storm shelter valued at nearly $5,000.

$5,000 Storm Shelter Giveaway

Don’t wait to build out your engagement campaign calendar. With all these prize ideas, you’ll have all the tools you need to make your next contest a success. If you plan on working with an advertiser, download the Seller’s Guide to find survey questions, promotion ideas, and more for over 30 top advertising categories.

Get your copy of the Seller's Guide to Promotions.