Instant Win Games - Win just about anything

My friends and family view me as a lucky person. Why? Because I play instant win games on my computer and win. To be honest, I have won complete junk and I have also won some big ticket prizes that are very nice.

I started playing these games about two or three years ago. At first, the prizes were small. I won lots of t-shirts, hats, etc. Then about two years ago, I was playing an instant win game called AOL In2TV. Up popped a screen saying I had won an entertainment package worth $2,400. I could hardly believe it! I had won a 32" Vivitek LCD TV and a Winbook Jiv Mini. My husband started to salivate at that point because the Winbook Jiv was superior to his custom built desk top by far. He anxiously awaited its arrival like a kid waits for Santa to shove presents under the tree.

Then I won airline tickets, which we plan to use to go to Disney this year. Last year I won a lap top from the Libby's Labels for Laptops contest. A wonderful Dell Vostro 1000, a very nice computer if I do say so myself.

Of course, if you win a prize whose value exceeds $600, per IRS regs, it is reportable on a 1099 form, which the prize company will issue you. In this case, the prize fulfillment company will send you affidavits and forms so that they can report the prize win properly. Since I have been a SAHM, it was often the only "income" I had to report on my taxes.

I generally only play those games that I truly want to win the prize offered. I keep an eye out for sweepstakes and enter those, especially regional ones which increase my chance of winning. In addition to miscellaneous clothing, I have won a $250 prepaid visa, several $50 gift cards, prepaid debit cards, smaller gift cards, a Sony PSP, free coupons, etc.

I usually play through the Myinstantwin site, but there are other sweeps sites that provide a list of instant win games, such as OLS, make it easy to search out only those sweeps and instant win games giving away prizes you want to win. If you pare down your sweeps entries to just those who offer prizes you want, you really don't have to spend a lot time entering contests. The payoff, however, can be huge. Winning airfare in my case meant that we could plan a family vacation much cheaper than we would have normally. My sister-in-law won an Ipod Shuffle from an instant win game and gave it to me because she knew I'd been wanting one. So even if you don't win something you want, it may just be the perfect gift for someone else.

Just like the lottery, you've got to play to win!