OFFICIAL RULES FOR THE READER’S DIGEST 98th SWEEPSTAKES

1. This 98th Sweepstakes is presented in conjunction with various product offers from the Promoter and its associated publications and is open to residents of Australia and New Zealand aged 18 years or older only. The promotion opens on 22nd December 2008 and closes at midnight AEST on 11th December 2009.  Based on past Sweepstakes, the approximate odds of winning a prize with each entry document are as follows: the $500,000 Super Grand Prize and $50,000 Early Bird Bonus: 1 in 5,473,000; one of the 1,700 Citizen watches: 1 in 3,219; the 2 minor cash prizes of the $5,000 Third Prize or the $10,000 Second Prize: 1 in 5,473,000; the $75,000 Lucky Number Giveaway: 1 in 2,141,000; the $100,000 Thank You Prize and $20,000 Customer Appreciation Bonus: 1 in 5,384,000; the $25,000 Chairman’s Award: 1 in 2,008,000; the $20,000 Advance Windfall, the $10,000 Fast Fortune, the $10,000 Early Bounty and $20,000 Rapid Payout: 1 in 588,000. These odds are calculated on an average of six numbers allocated per entry document.
   
   
2. The Promoter reserves the right to increase the value of any prize on offer in one or more promotions. The maximum amount that any prize may be increased by will be capped at double the original value of the prize. The decision to increase any prize value and the amount of the increase for a promotion will be totally at the discretion of the Promoter and will be indicated in the promotional material for the affected promotion. Should the winning entry come from a promotion in which an increased prize value has been offered, the Promoter will award the winner the increased prize value indicated in that promotion. For all other promotions a winning entry will receive the stated prize value without the increase. If the Promoter decides to offer an increase in the value of any or all of the prizes, the total maximum potential value based on a maximum doubling of prizes would then respectively be increased to $1,930,000.
   
   
3. Multiple entries are permitted provided each entry is on an original entry form. No facsimiles or copies permitted. Different limitations may apply for website and phone entry when offered. Entries are not transferable. To be eligible, entries must be received by the Sweepstakes closing date. Additional deadlines apply to certain prizes including the Bonus prizes and, based on postal guidelines, we allow one week for delivery and one week for return in addition to any deadline stated. In some cases where it will not be necessary to return an entry form in order to participate, specific mention will be made of that fact in the promotional material. All eligible entries will qualify as finalists and will have a fair and equal chance to win. All prizes are guaranteed to be awarded.
   
   
4. Cash prizes may be represented from time to time as recurring payment options, home improvements, cars, travel, holidays or merchandise. Prize preferences indicated by participants at time of entry simply highlight options available and are not binding; actual choices will be confirmed with the winner following the draw. The Citizen Watch prizes are not redeemable for cash. Cash prizes will be paid in the local currency of the winner. Prizes are not transferable.
   
   
5. In the final stages, Chartered Accountants KPMG will conduct the draws and the winners declared will be final and no further correspondence will be entered into.
   
   
6. The $20,000 Advance Windfall Draw will be drawn at 10.30am AEST on 23rd March 2009, the $10,000 Fast Fortune Draw will be drawn at 10.30am AEST on 22nd June 2009, the $10,000 Early Bounty Draw will be drawn at 10.30am AEST on 21st September 2009 and the $20,000 Rapid Payout Draw will be drawn at 10.30am AEST on 23rd November 2009. Winners’ names will be announced in The Australian on 27th March 2009, 26th June 2009, 25th September 2009 and 27th November 2009 and in The Sunday Star-Times on 29th March 2009, 28th June 2009, 27th September 2009 and 29th November 2009 respectively. The Super Grand Prize Draw, Early Bird Bonus, Second Prize Draw, Third Prize Draw, Thank you Prize Draw, Customer Appreciation Bonus, Chairman’s Award Draw and Citizen watches will be drawn at 10.30am AEDST on 18th December 2009. Winners from these draws as well as the Lucky Number Giveaway winner will be notified by mail and announced in The Australian on 21st December 2009 and The Sunday Star-Times on 27th December 2009. If the Super Grand Prize winner comes from the FY09 Paid Ack Catalogues an extra $10,000 Cash will be awarded. If the Super Grand Prize winner comes from the Advance Upgrade mailing an extra $5,000 cash will be awarded. If the Super Grand Prize winner comes from the Select Editions ‘Plus 12’ Mailing, an extra $12,000 Cash will be awarded. If the Super Grand Prize winner comes from the October 2009 Book Catalogue or ‘The Get Ready for Summer Catalogue’ an extra $52,750 will be awarded.If the Super Grand Prize winner comes from the Summa Cum Laude Magazine renewal offer an extra $1,000 cash will be awarded. All draws will take place at 80 Bay Street, Ultimo, NSW 2007. All winners will be notified by mail within 7 days of each relevant draw. The Promoter may conduct such further draws at the same place as the original draw as is necessary at 10.30 am AEDST on 19th March 2010 in order to distribute any prize unclaimed by that date subject, however, subject to any written directions from a regulatory authority. In the event of any winners in the unclaimed prize draw, their names will be published in The Australian on 26th March 2010 and The Sunday Star-Times on 28th March 2010.
   
   
7. For the Lucky Number Giveaway, 1000 numbers will be randomly selected at a draw by Chartered Accountants KPMG before the promotion commences. KPMG retain the winning numbers in a security safe while the promotion is running. After the promotion closes on 11th December 2009, the first winning number on the list will be released by KPMG to the Sweepstakes Controller who will verify that the participant who was issued the winning number has in fact returned it as directed. If the first drawn winning number has not been returned, the $75,000 prize will be awarded to the next number from the list of 1000 numbers which has been returned, and so on, until we come to a number that has been returned/claimed by a participant. The winner will be announced on 18th December 2009 at 10.30am AEDST at Reader's Digest in Sydney. 
   
   
8. Entrants consent to the Promoter using the entrant's name, likeness, image and/or voice in the event they are a winner (including photograph, film and/or recording of the same) in any media for an unlimited period without remuneration for the purpose of promoting this competition (including any outcome), and promoting any products manufactured, distributed and/or supplied by the Promoter.
   
   
9. The promotional material, information on how to enter, the Official Prize List and the conditions of entry described in them form part of the Sweepstakes rules. Prizes will be awarded within 28 days of the results being determined. Employees (and their immediate families) of the Promoter and its contractors directly associated with the Sweepstakes are ineligible. The Promoter's decision on all matters pertaining to these rules is final.
   
   
10. If entry is to be made via the Internet: The close time and date for entry into the promotion is 11.59PM AEST on the deadline date stated, or if no deadline day is stated, by the final closing date. Closing date for the 98th Sweepstakes is 11th December 2009. Limitations on the number of entries permitted could include either one (1) entry only permitted per unique email address OR one (1) entry only permitted per household OR one (1) entry only permitted per entry opportunity. Any cost associated with accessing the promotional website is the entrant’s responsibility and is dependent on the Internet service provider used. The Promoter accepts no responsibility for late, non-directed or misdirected e-mail, for any technical hardware or software failures of any kind, lost or unavailable network connections or failed, incomplete, garbled or delayed computer transmission or any human error which may occur in the receipt or processing of entries. Further, the Promoter accepts no responsibility for damage to computer systems from downloading any information necessary to participate in the Sweepstakes. The Promoter reserves the right to terminate or modify the Sweepstakes or the on-line portion of the Sweepstakes at any time if the Promoter’s on-line service is no longer available or is compromised by any virus, bugs, or other intervention beyond the Promoter’s control. In either of these events, prizes may be awarded based on electronic entries received prior to date of termination and mail-in entries received as of the closing date. The Promoter reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any entrant who tampers with the internet entry process or is in any other way responsible for compromising the orderly operation of the Sweepstakes via the internet.  The use of any automated software or any other mechanical or electronic means that allows an entrant to automatically enter repeatedly is prohibited and will render all entries submitted by that entrant invalid. 
    
    
11. If entry is to be made via SMS: Entries are to be sent to the SMS number specified on the promotional material. Premium SMS cost is $0.55. Entrants must have premium service access and compatible handset. Service provider is IDS. SMS entries via the Internet are ineligible. Entries are deemed to be received at the time of receipt into the promotion database and NOT at the time of transmission by the entrant. The start time for the entry into the promotion via SMS is 12:00am AEDST on the start date stated.  The close time for the entry into the promotion is 11:59pm AEDST on the closing date stated or if no deadline day is stated, by the final closing date. Closing date for the 98th Sweepstakes is 11th December 2009. Limitations on the number of entries permitted could include either one (1) entry only permitted per person OR one (1) entry only permitted per household OR one (1) entry only permitted per entry opportunity OR one (1) entry permitted per mobile phone number. Winner(s) who have entered via SMS will be contacted by SMS and/or phone and the Promoter will record their address details so that the prize may be awarded. The Promoter reserves the right, at any time, to disqualify any entrant who tampers with the entry process including but not limited to tampering by way of use of techniques designed to avoid the payment of SMS costs. If there is a dispute as to the identity of an entrant, the entrant will be deemed to be the person in whose name the mobile phone account is held. The Promoter accepts no responsibility for late or misdirected SMS.
    
    
12. The Promoter is Reader’s Digest (Australia) Pty Ltd, (ABN 81000565471), 80 Bay Street, Ultimo, NSW Australia. (www.readersdigest.com.au) (www.readersdigest.co.nz). Ph: Aust 1300300162 - NZ 0800540048. Authorised under NSW Permit No. LTPS/08/08320, VIC Permit No. 08/3730, ACT Permit No. TP08/03429.2, SA Permit No.T08/3349.