People use these words as if they mean the same thing, but in the UK they don’t. The difference decides how something has to be run — and it’s a good way to tell whether a site is doing things properly. Here’s the plain-English version.
Prize competition
A prize competition asks entrants to show skill, judgement or knowledge. Online, that’s the question you answer before your entry counts. The question has to be a real test: if you get it wrong, your entry doesn’t go into the draw. Among the correct entries, the winner is then chosen at random.
Example: answer a question about the car on offer, buy tickets, and if your answer is right your tickets go into the draw.
Prize draw
A prize draw picks a winner purely at random, with no skill involved. To be run as a prize draw in the UK, there must be a genuinely free way to enter that is as easy and has the same chance as any paid route. That’s why you often see “no purchase necessary” on promotional draws.
Raffle
A raffle is a paid entry into a draw decided purely by chance, with no free route and no skill. In the UK this kind of draw is tightly restricted — it’s typically run by registered charities, sports clubs and societies under specific rules, or as a small one-off at an event. That’s why commercial competition sites don’t run raffles.
Side by side
| Prize competition | Prize draw | Raffle | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skill needed? | Yes — a real question | No | No |
| Free way to enter? | Offered on every Nitrous competition | Yes — required | No |
| How the winner is chosen | At random from correct entries | At random | At random |
| Typically run by | Competition sites | Brands and promotions | Charities, clubs, societies |
Where Nitrous fits
Every Nitrous competition is a prize competition:
- You answer a skill question before your entry counts, paid or free.
- There’s a free postal route on every competition, going into the same draw on equal terms (see our terms).
- Main draws are live on draw night, and every entry list is published on the results page.
- It’s strictly 18+ and UK only.
How to tell what you’re entering
- Is there a question? If yes, and wrong answers don’t count, it’s a prize competition.
- Is there a free route? Look in the terms for postal entry instructions.
- Who’s running it? A registered company with clear terms, or a charity or club?
For a wider checklist, read are online prize competitions legit? and our step-by-step guide to how UK prize competitions work.
Now you know the difference. 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.