Built by a Canadian contester, for Canadian contesters

I entered my first online contests when I was 15 years old. At the time, Coca-Cola ran promotions through iCoke.ca, where codes from bottle caps could be redeemed for points and contest entries. I would pick up discarded Coke bottle caps around my high school and enter every valid code I found.

That was the beginning of a hobby I have continued for more than 16 years.

Since then, I have won countless contests with prizes collectively worth tens of thousands of dollars. My wins have included gift cards, clothing, cell phones, televisions, other electronics, and tickets to concerts and comedy shows. Apparently, the luck sometimes follows me offline too—I even won the draw at my office Christmas party two years in a row.

Contest wins are never guaranteed, but entering consistently has given me opportunities and experiences I otherwise might never have had.

The day I almost won a Dodge Ram

One of my most memorable contest experiences happened at a Calgary Flames game, when I was invited onto the ice for a chance to win what many contesters consider the ultimate prize: a new vehicle.

The game involved a large spinning Dodge Ram wheel divided into coloured sections. I was assigned the yellow “N” section, and the wheel was spinning counterclockwise. When it stopped, the pointer was only inches away from landing on the yellow “N”—and awarding me a new Dodge Ram truck.

I did not drive home in a new truck that night, but getting that close remains one of my favourite contesting stories. It also reminded me that entering contests can lead to memorable experiences even when the biggest prize narrowly escapes you.

Why I created ContestLog

After years of entering contests, I kept wishing for a website that did two things well: maintained a comprehensive directory of legitimate online contests open to Canadians and provided a simple way to remember which contests I had entered and when I could enter again.

Contest information is scattered across sponsor websites, radio stations, television networks, social-media accounts, local businesses, and contest forums. Eligibility can also be confusing. A contest may be open across Canada, limited to one province, restricted to a particular city, or available only within a radio station's broadcast area.

I created ContestLog to bring that information together and make it easier to:

• Discover active Canadian contests and giveaways
• Find contests you are actually eligible to enter
• Separate local, provincial, and nationwide opportunities
• Understand whether entry is permitted once, daily, or weekly
• Save contests and track repeat entries
• Find no-purchase entry options when they are available
• Learn practical strategies from an experienced Canadian contester

You can start by browsing the active Canadian contest directory, finding contests available in your region, or organizing repeat entries with the free contest tracker.

My contest-entering strategy

My basic strategy is simple:

Enter everything. Enter often. Focus on local contests.

“Enter everything” does not mean ignoring eligibility requirements or entering for prizes you cannot use. It means giving yourself plenty of legitimate opportunities instead of waiting for one perfect giveaway.

Entering often is especially important when a contest permits daily or weekly entries. Local contests deserve particular attention because their potential entrant pool is normally smaller than a nationwide giveaway promoted by a major brand.

For more of my approach, read How to Win Contests in Canada, Why Local Giveaways Can Offer Better Odds, How Instant-Win Contests Work, and How to Use ContestLog Canada.

Can contesting supplement your income?

Contesting should never be treated as reliable employment or guaranteed income. There is no assurance that you will win, regardless of how consistently you enter.

However, contest prizes can occasionally improve your household budget in two ways. Winning something you already needed can save you from buying it yourself. Some prizes can also be sold when the contest rules and prize conditions permit it.

Years of contesting have made me quite familiar with selling items through eBay, Kijiji, Facebook Marketplace, and StubHub. Not every prize is transferable or suitable for resale, so it is important to review the rules, applicable laws, platform policies, fees, and tax considerations first. I think of this as an occasional benefit of the hobby—not predictable monthly income.

How ContestLog organizes listing details

ContestLog brings together information from sponsor pages, official rules, and other public promotional sources. I organize available details into useful fields such as:

• The sponsor and entry page
• The opening and closing dates
• Geographic eligibility and permitted entry frequency
• Prize information
• Whether a no-purchase method is available
• The entry platform and other notable requirements

Sponsors' official rules always take precedence, and entrants should read them before entering. If you notice inaccurate information, an expired promotion, or a broken link, please contact me so I can investigate and correct it.

Sharing more than a list of links

ContestLog is intended to be more than another collection of giveaway links. I want it to become the resource I wished existed when I started: a complete and organized Canadian contest directory, a practical entry tracker, and a place where I can share lessons learned from more than 16 years of entering.

I cannot promise that using ContestLog will make you a winner. I can help you find more legitimate opportunities, avoid contests you are not eligible for, stay organized, and enter more consistently.

Good luck—and I hope the next pointer lands on your section.

— Alex
Founder and editor, ContestLog Canada