[Warhaven]

So, I was reading the fine print for a sweepstakes on NewEgg:

No purchase necessary to win. A purchase does not increase or improve chances of winning. Void where prohibited by law. Unless otherwise exempted herein, the Sweepstakes is open only to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada who are at least of the legal age of majority in the state, district, province or territory in which they reside at the time of entry. This Sweepstakes is void in Rhode Island, New York and Florida.

The Sweepstakes entry period begins at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time (“PT”) on March 1, 2009 and ends at 11:59 p.m. PT on March 31, 2009 (“Entry Period”).

A daily prize winner will be selected each day for 31 consecutive days beginning on or around March 2, 2009. The grand prize winner will be selected on or around April 1, 2009. Winners will be selected in random drawings from among all then-eligible entries received. The potential winners will be notified by the Sweepstakes administrator by telephone (if available) or email. Odds of winning depend upon the number of eligible entries received by the end of the Entry Period. One entry per person or e-mail address during the Entry Period. A person is not eligible to win more than one prize. Entries may be submitted on the above form. Canadian residents will be required to correctly answer a time-limited skill testing question in order to claim a prize.

Approximate retail value of all prizes: USD $77,144.96/CAD $96,122.54. Prizes not allocated by state, province or territory.

For additional terms and conditions, please refer to the Official Rules.

Do Canadians always have to answer a pop quiz before they accept a prize from a sweepstakes? lol.

[Dakar V]

"What's the first letter of the alphabet?"
"Eh?"
"Correct!"

[Chuckit]

Answering a time-limited skill testing question isn't normal.

…but in Canada, it is.

[Phileas]

It depends on the province. It's one of these anachronistic laws that make no sense whatsoever anymore, but changing it would involve more hassle than it causes, so nobody bothers.

[goMac]

It likely has to do with how it has to be won in Canada. They may only allow you to hold gameshow style contests.

[Salty]

It's so we can insure that a Canadian wins and not an American passing through.

[rjenkinson]

It's meant to turn the contest into a game of skill, rather than a game of chance.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Chuckit 

Answering a time-limited skill testing question isn't normal.

…but in Canada, it is.

On the other hand, only in Canada they would call it a skill...

Everywhere else, it would probably fall into the common sense category

-t

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

On the other hand, only in Canada they would call it a skill...

Everywhere else, it would probably fall into the common sense category

-t

So kind of like Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Chuckit 

So kind of like Who Wants To Be Eh Millionaire?

Fixinated.

-t

[analogue SPRINKLES]

Originally Posted by rjenkinson 

It's meant to turn the contest into a game of skill, rather than a game of chance.

It is because if there was no question it would be considered gambling. Stupid but whatever.

[subego]

^^



Well played.

[Railroader]

Showing a little love to the Canadians here:



But not too much:
Q: How do you spell "Canada"
a: C eh N eh D eh

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by Dakar V 

"What's the first letter of the alphabet?"
"Eh?"
"Correct!"

I know this is a delayed reaction, but...

AHHHHHHHH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!

[Wiskedjak]

Originally Posted by rjenkinson 

It's meant to turn the contest into a game of skill, rather than a game of chance.

Online gambling sites should try this to get around US anti-gambling laws.

[gradient]

Yes, it's normal - just a legal technicality that doesn't get in the way of anyone winning anything, really. If we wanted to we could very easily find all sorts of laws in all parts of the world that are even sillier.