Click here for the 93rd Sweepstakes rules

OFFICIAL RULES FOR THE READER’S DIGEST 94th SWEEPSTAKES

1. The 94th Sweepstakes is presented in conjunction with various product offers from Reader’s Digest and is open to residents of Australia and New Zealand only. The promotion opens on 3 January 2005 and closes on 28 December 2005. Based on past Sweepstakes, the approximate odds of winning a prize with each entry are as follows: one of the 2,800 Citizen watches worth $99: 1 in 1,800; one of the 3 minor cash prizes of the $5,000 Third Prize, the $15,000 Second Prize or the $30,000 Presidents Prize: 1 in 1,600,000; the $80,000 Thank You Prize and $20,000 Customer Appreciation Bonus: 1 in 2,100,000; the $75,000 Lucky Number Giveaway: 1 in 3,900,000; the $450,000 First Prize and $50,000 Super Bonus 1 in 4,900,000; the Super Bonus: 1 in 4,900,000; the $15,000 Easter Quick Draw, the $15,000 July Quick Draw and $15,000 Spring Quick Draw: 1 in 1,200,000. “Reader’s Digest reserves the right to double the value of any or all of the prizes offered in the President’s Prize Draw, Easter Quick Draw, July Quick Draw and Spring Quick Draw and the Super Bonus Draw, subject to the approval of the ACT lottery permit authority. Those prizes would then respectively be increased to $60,000 for the President’s Prize Draw, $30,000 in each of the Easter, July and Spring Quick Draws and $100,000 for the Super Bonus Draw. The total maximum potential prize value based on doubling all these prizes would then respectively be increased to $1,172,200. The decision to double any or all of the prizes in the above four draws will be totally at the discretion of Reader’s Digest.” In the event that these prize draws are doubled, any amount unclaimed will be distributed in the unclaimed prize draw in accordance with these rules.

2. Multiple entries are permitted provided each entry is on an original Reader’s Digest 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.

3. 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.

4. In the final stages, Chartered Accountants KPMG will make random selections from all entries received. These selections will be retained and entered in the draw for prizes. KPMG will supervise the draws and the winners declared will be final and no further correspondence will be entered into.

5. The $15,000 Easter Quick Draw will be drawn at 10.30am AEDST on 4 April 2005 and the winner will be announced in The Australian on 15 April 2005 and in The Sunday Star-Times on 17 April 2005. The $15,000 July Quick Draw will be drawn at 10.30am AEDST on 4 July 2005 and the winner will be announced in The Australian on 15 July 2005 and in The Sunday Star-Times on 17 July 2005. The $15,000 Spring Quick Draw will be drawn at 10.30am AEDST on 4 October 2005 and the winner will be announced in The Australian on 14 October 2005 and in The Sunday Star-Times on 16 October 2005. The First Prize, Super Bonus, Second Prize, Third Prize, Thank you Prize & Customer Appreciation Bonus, Presidents Prize and Citizen watches will be drawn at 10.30am AEDST on 2 January 2006. Winners from these draws as well as the Lucky Number Prize winner will be notified by mail and announced in The Australian on 6 January 2006 and The Sunday Star-Times on 8 January 2006. All draws will take place at 80 Bay Street, Ultimo, NSW 2007. All winners will be notified by mail within 7 days of each draw. In the event that a winner is under the age of 18 years, the prize will be awarded to the winner’s parent or guardian. The promoter may conduct such further draws at the same place as the original draw as is necessary on 17 April 2006 in order to distribute any prize unclaimed by that date subject, however, to any written directions given under Reg 37 of the Lottery and Gaming Regulations 1993 (SA). In the event of any winners in the unclaimed prize draw, their names will be published in The Australian on 28 April 2006. The Promoter collects entrants’ personal information in order to conduct the promotion. If the information requested is not provided, the entrant may not participate in the promotion. By entering the promotion, unless otherwise advised, each entrant also agrees that the Promoter may use this information, or disclose it to other organisations that may use it, in any media for future promotional, marketing and publicity purposes without any further reference, payment or other compensation to the entrant, including sending the entrant electronic messages. All personal details of the entrants will be stored at the office of the Promoter. Entrants’ personal information may be disclosed to State and Territory lottery departments and winners’ names published as required under the relevant lottery legislation. As per the relevant Privacy Legislation, a request to access, update or correct any information should be directed to that office.

6. For the Lucky Number Giveaway, the winning number was randomly selected at a drawing by Chartered Accountants KPMG before the promotion commenced. KPMG retain the winning number in a security safe while the promotion is running. After the promotion closes on 28 December 2005, the winning number will be released by KPMG to the Sweepstakes Controller who will verify that the customer who was issued the winning number has in fact returned it to Reader’s Digest. If the winning number has not been returned, the $75,000 prize will be awarded to the person who returns the next nearest ascending number to the non-returned winning number. The winner will be announced on 2 January 2006 at 10.30am AEDST at Reader's Digest in Sydney.

7. 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. The promoter shall not be liable for any loss or damage, whatsoever which is suffered (including but not limited to indirect or consequential loss), or personal injury which is suffered or sustained, in connection with any of the prizes, except for any liability which cannot be excluded by law.

8. The promoter is Reader's Digest (Australia) Pty Ltd (ABN 81000565471), 80 Bay Street, Ultimo, NSW Australia. Authorised under NSW Permit No. TPL04/10549, Vic Permit No. 04/2944, ACT Permit No. TP04/4161, NT Permit No. NT04/11443, SA Permit No.T04/4036.

9. 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 94th Sweepstakes is 28 December 2005. 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. Reader’s Digest 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, Reader’s Digest accepts no responsibility for damage to computer systems from downloading any information necessary to participate in the Sweepstakes. Reader’s Digest reserves the right to terminate or modify the Sweepstakes or the on-line portion of the Sweepstakes at any time if the Reader’s Digest on-line service is no longer available or is compromised by any virus, bugs, or other intervention beyond Reader’s Digest’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. Reader’s Digest 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.

Click here for the 93rd Sweepstakes rules