Is entering competitions a waste of time?

[ChocolateRaisin09]

AIBU to enter loads of online competitions while we sit in front of the TV of an evening? Usually I'd be browsing Pinterest or something equally unproductive... but I could actually win something right?
Saying that, I've just done a few, and they say I can enter every day if I like. That makes me think my chances are incredibly small. When I was little my dad won quite a few comps, I'm guessing with the internet things are more competitive? :D
You may be able to tell, I'm new to this. Am I wasting my time?

I love entering competitions and have been doing it for a few years. I use mse competitions forum and win about 1 small prize a month and 3 bigish prizes a year. My top wins were: A washing machine, ipad, £500, £500 next voucher, £300, ipod, phone, denby tea set and luxury Christmas hampers.

I have recently won a couple of things on Mumsnet. (Owl babies bundle and voucher)

In the past entering internet comps I have won
£100 Kwik save vouchers
Clothes show tickets
Knickers and bra set
Al Murray tickets
Theatre tickets
Chelt literacy festival goodie bag
RHS address book
Poster for play room
Scissor sisters tickets
Kasabian tickets

I had a few months out of work in my early 20s and entered lots of comps and won most of the stuff then. I usually get one or 2 things a year now.

I've won a few things in my time. I once won a £200 voucher for John Lewis and I also won £100 voucher for a local shop. Plus bits and pieces of other things here and there.

And I only enter the odd one here and there. I suppose if I entered more, the returns might be higher.

I wouldn't enter anything that costs money to enter though.

I won two things on Mumsnet. One was the haiku competition where we won something from the Boden catalogue and a trip to London to stay in a hotel, go to a party and meet Gordon Brown. A few months ago I won £100. I'm a bit shy about entering any more, seems greedy.

Waste of time. I entered every competition in take a break and that's life each week for a year (I was out of work) and won bugger all. That was around 20 competitions a week!!!! Or I could just be the most unlucky person in the competition world.

If you are using the time that you would normally just be watching TV then no it's not a waste of time.

I have won

1. £1000 cash
2. A week for four fully inclusive at Celtic Manor resort.
3. Two weeks fully inclusive island for two people island hopping in the Seychelles.

To win you need to be entering 20 or more competitions a day, not a week.

But that's not too time consuming.
If you go to a good competition web site ( I like MSE) and use autofill for forms, you can enter 20 competitions in half an hour.

I've had some really good wins, including a family trip to Disneyland Paris, but I enter around 100 per day.

I use MSE competitions board, there are compers on there entering 200 - 300 per day, and still not winning much.

I average around 2 wins per month, this year I've had 29 wins, ranging from books to an Annual Merlin Family Pass.

It can be a fun hobby, but if you do it expecting to win loads you may end up disappointed.

I did this for a while with the idea that if I entered enough, I would have to win something. I entered comps consistently for a few months and won nothing. Lots of spam and calls though :(

I’ve had a couple of decent wins. Both of these have involved a bit more effort than filling out an online form. One was where you had to email your entry, and the other I posted my entry on a postcard (alternative was to text). I have a theory that the more effort that’s involved the fewer entries there are. Don’t enter many now, think my lucks run out.

How do you all avoid all the calls and emails?

A really good friend of mine entered one of those competitions on TV just before the adverts came on...i think it was x factor.
Anyway....she won a brand new Merc, a trip to Florida for 4 people for an astronaut training experience...AND £10,000

And that was second prize!!!