Competitions

Competitions and Prize Draws for the Police Community
A flutter on a competition or prize draw is a bit of fun, and now and then it pays off. This section gathers the competition and prize-draw deals open to the police community, from car competitions to lottery syndicates, for serving officers, PCSOs, Special Constables, retired officers, police staff and their families.

These are entertainment rather than a way to make money, and the sensible approach is to treat the entry fee as the cost of the fun rather than an investment.
What competitions are available
A couple of options feature here. BOTB runs weekly competitions to win cars and other prizes, with a guaranteed winner each week and low-cost entry tickets. Lotto Social organises lottery syndicates, grouping players together to enter draws such as EuroMillions with more lines than a single entry would buy.

Syndicate play spreads the cost of multiple lines across a group, which increases the number of entries without increasing the individual outlay. Competition sites differ from the lottery in that the odds are fixed by the number of tickets sold, so smaller competitions can offer better chances than a national draw.
Playing competitions sensibly
Setting a fixed budget is the single most important habit here. Deciding in advance what is affordable to spend on competitions each month, and sticking to it, keeps the activity firmly in the fun column. Chasing losses is the trap to avoid, since the entry fee buys a chance and nothing more.

Free-entry routes are worth knowing about too. Many competitions are legally required to offer a no-purchase entry method, so it is sometimes possible to enter without paying. Anyone who feels their gambling is becoming a problem can find free, confidential support through GamCare. For genuinely no-cost savings, the Freebies section lists giveaways and free offers for the police community.