Are you a textaholic? Why not turn your love of gab into an opportunity to win? With the popularity of texting, companies use it to promote services and products with sweepstakes. If you're completely new to the term, texting means using your phone or other mobile device to send messages via text instead of voice using the keys on the phone. You will often see the abbreviation SMS (short message service) associated with texting.

Where to Find Text Sweepstakes

Your favorite sweepstakes directories have listings for opportunities to win via texting—Sweepstakes Advantage, OnlineSweepstakes.com, Sweepstakes Mama, Infinite Sweeps and more. Just as with their other listings, details about sweeps rules and entry dates are given.

The Best Sweepstakes and SweepSheet Newsletters have sections with text-to-win sweeps in their print and online versions of their publications.

How to Enter

Generally, a company will give you a keyword or phrase to enter into the subject box of the text message area to be sent to a five or six-digit number. For example, this year (ending 9/6/2014) the Hershey company is sponsoring an instant-win game via text. They require eligible entries to be sent to 87963 with the phrase HERSHEYSMORES in the subject area. With text entries, you'll be contacted via text of a win.

What to Remember

Texting uses up minutes on your phone or other mobile device, so keep your budget in mind. Another thing to remember is that a company may send you promotional texts after you send in your entry. Sweepstakes are advertising tools for them after all. The rules of each sweepstakes should explain how to opt out of these promotional texts.

Text sweeps are very easy to enter, so they won't interrupt your social texting too much and you have the bonus of a chance to win. Have fun and good luck!

Learn more about some of the sweepstakes directories and publications mentioned at:
Best Sweepstakes Newsletter Review and
Sweepstakes Advantage Website Review