Nov 2, 2015, 8:31 am
Last edit by: Suite Disposition
ALL THE URLS AND LINKS IN YOUR EMAILS ARE THE SAME. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO "REPLAY" A GIVEN EMAIL.
Plays are linked to your IHG account number and your IHG link you receive in the email. The links contained are unique to each IHG account number and cannot be "shared".
If you didn't receive all your plays and think that HW might have gotten your email address incorrect, then simply click the link again in your email.
Their email is [email protected].
Quantity of emails received does not always equal quantity of plays available. Emails received does imply that you have plays available.
If you click on your email links and receive a screen with the below message then you do not have plays available.
We love your enthusiasm!
However, you do not have any instant win chances to use.
Complete a qualified stay before February 15 to earn another chance to win.
Prizes:
Chances of winning:
500 pts 1:1.18 or 84.75% (This does not mean you will be guaranteed 500 pts per play)
1000 Pts 1:14.29 or 6.7%
2000 Pts 1:28.57 or 3.5%
5000 Pts 1:42.86 or 2.33%
Other prizes or no prizes: depends on number of entries
5B Prizes= 1,000, 2000, 5,000, $50 GC & Free night
BE SURE TO REGISTER BEFORE SENDING IN ENTRIES!
Leave Surprises here:
500 points (x1098)
1000 points (x42)
2000 points (x26)
5000 points (x17)
$50 Prepaid MasterCard (x13)
1 free night at any IHG hotel (x6)
$2500 Gilt.com GC (x1)
Sony Package (x1)
No Win (x7)
Official Rules
Logistics of the Mail-In Option:
Index Cards Okay? YES (I used 3x5 blank index cards and they were accepted)
Lined Index Cards Okay? Yes, of course, enough with the index cards!
OK to mail cards not inside an envelope? Not according to the rules, which state they must be inside envelopes, one card per envelope
Need to write title before each line? NO
Need second phone number? NO
Middle name required? NO (Left mine out, still got emails. If it's part of your account info, maybe leave it.)
Printed Destination Address Okay? YES (I used printed a bunch of sticker labels and put them on envelopes, accepted)
Printed Return Address Okay? YES (I used an ink stamp)
No Return Address Okay? Yes
Envelope size? Doesn't seem to matter
Non-IHG MasterCard Okay? YES
Debit MasterCard Okay? YES (I used an Ally Bank issued Debit MasterCard)
Use somebody else's MasterCard first 6 digits? YES
There have been reports of mail-in entry emails being sent out on 12/4 and 12/11, and the emails came in rapid succession. This is indicative of HelloWorld batching these out.
Initially batches of emails sent out was on Fridays but as of of 1/6/16 appears to be Wednesdays
#1 Batch=12/4
#2 Batch= 12/11
#3 Batch= 12/18
#4 Batch(xmas)= 12/23
#5 Batch(New Years Day)=12/30
#6 Batch= 1/6
#7 Batch= 1/13
#8 Batch= 1/18-1/24 (emails appear to be arriving daily)
#9 Batch= 2/3-2/5
As of 1/5, points have been posting within a week(ish) of playing and getting confirmation that you've won points.
Points will be paid out without additional email
Some points have been distributed (probably in batches on either Monday or Tuesday)
Points Payout Batches:
#1 12/28 & 12/29--500 pts, 1000pts, 2,000 & 5,000pts (plays before 12/25)
#2 1/4 & 1/5 (plays 12/25-12/30?)
#3 1/11(free nights & pts) & 1/12 (plays from 12/31-1/8)
#4 1/15 (limited due to MLK holiday on 1/18) (for plays from until 1/14)
#5 1/19 (plays from 1/15 til?)
#6 1/29 (plays until 1/24)
#7 2/3 (plays until 1/29)
#8 2/5 (plays until 1/31?)
Has anyone received email with instructions on how to redeem prize? YES ($50 MC redemption instructions received 12/28)
STATUS:
--As of 1/19/16 10:00 am et(estimated) all plays were showing up as no wins. . The play site seems to be undergoing maintenance. Best not to use up the majority of your plays until things smooth out.
--As of 2:45 pm ET on 1/19 play site appears to be back up.
--as of 4:17pm ET on 1/19 500 point plays seems to be working again. No 5B prizes seem to be won at this time
--As of 6pm ET on 1/19 emails being received for wins during the morning hours of 1/19 where it stated no win after select elevator.
--As of 2:30pm EST on 1/20 still reports of nearly 100% 500 pt wins only. Best not to play alot of plays unless you only want 500 pt wins
--As of 8:00 pm EST on 1/20 multiple reports of 5B prizes being won again. Seems to be back to normal.
--As of 2:00 pm EST on 1/21 reports of $50, 2k, 5k, 1k pt wins (unsure of free night wins)
--As of 6:00 pm est on 1/22 everything seems to be working as usual(although very few mentions of free night)
--As of 2:00 pm EST on 1/25 seems like daily emails have been sent out since 1/18 until now.
--As of 6pm EST on 1/29 reports of emails being received from mailed in entries from around mid January. So turnaround for new mailings appear to be about 1 week.
--As of 5pm EST on 2/2 appears that emails have stopped arriving daily with many reporting last email received on 1/29.
Plays are linked to your IHG account number and your IHG link you receive in the email. The links contained are unique to each IHG account number and cannot be "shared".
If you didn't receive all your plays and think that HW might have gotten your email address incorrect, then simply click the link again in your email.
Their email is [email protected].
Quantity of emails received does not always equal quantity of plays available. Emails received does imply that you have plays available.
If you click on your email links and receive a screen with the below message then you do not have plays available.
We love your enthusiasm!
However, you do not have any instant win chances to use.
Complete a qualified stay before February 15 to earn another chance to win.
Prizes:
Chances of winning:
500 pts 1:1.18 or 84.75% (This does not mean you will be guaranteed 500 pts per play)
1000 Pts 1:14.29 or 6.7%
2000 Pts 1:28.57 or 3.5%
5000 Pts 1:42.86 or 2.33%
Other prizes or no prizes: depends on number of entries
5B Prizes= 1,000, 2000, 5,000, $50 GC & Free night
BE SURE TO REGISTER BEFORE SENDING IN ENTRIES!
Leave Surprises here:
500 points (x1098)
1000 points (x42)
2000 points (x26)
5000 points (x17)
$50 Prepaid MasterCard (x13)
1 free night at any IHG hotel (x6)
$2500 Gilt.com GC (x1)
Sony Package (x1)
No Win (x7)
Official Rules
Logistics of the Mail-In Option:
Index Cards Okay? YES (I used 3x5 blank index cards and they were accepted)
Lined Index Cards Okay? Yes, of course, enough with the index cards!
OK to mail cards not inside an envelope? Not according to the rules, which state they must be inside envelopes, one card per envelope
Need to write title before each line? NO
Need second phone number? NO
Middle name required? NO (Left mine out, still got emails. If it's part of your account info, maybe leave it.)
Printed Destination Address Okay? YES (I used printed a bunch of sticker labels and put them on envelopes, accepted)
Printed Return Address Okay? YES (I used an ink stamp)
No Return Address Okay? Yes
Envelope size? Doesn't seem to matter
Non-IHG MasterCard Okay? YES
Debit MasterCard Okay? YES (I used an Ally Bank issued Debit MasterCard)
Use somebody else's MasterCard first 6 digits? YES
There have been reports of mail-in entry emails being sent out on 12/4 and 12/11, and the emails came in rapid succession. This is indicative of HelloWorld batching these out.
Initially batches of emails sent out was on Fridays but as of of 1/6/16 appears to be Wednesdays
#1 Batch=12/4
#2 Batch= 12/11
#3 Batch= 12/18
#4 Batch(xmas)= 12/23
#5 Batch(New Years Day)=12/30
#6 Batch= 1/6
#7 Batch= 1/13
#8 Batch= 1/18-1/24 (emails appear to be arriving daily)
#9 Batch= 2/3-2/5
As of 1/5, points have been posting within a week(ish) of playing and getting confirmation that you've won points.
Points will be paid out without additional email
Some points have been distributed (probably in batches on either Monday or Tuesday)
Points Payout Batches:
#1 12/28 & 12/29--500 pts, 1000pts, 2,000 & 5,000pts (plays before 12/25)
#2 1/4 & 1/5 (plays 12/25-12/30?)
#3 1/11(free nights & pts) & 1/12 (plays from 12/31-1/8)
#4 1/15 (limited due to MLK holiday on 1/18) (for plays from until 1/14)
#5 1/19 (plays from 1/15 til?)
#6 1/29 (plays until 1/24)
#7 2/3 (plays until 1/29)
#8 2/5 (plays until 1/31?)
Has anyone received email with instructions on how to redeem prize? YES ($50 MC redemption instructions received 12/28)
STATUS:
--As of 1/19/16 10:00 am et(estimated) all plays were showing up as no wins. . The play site seems to be undergoing maintenance. Best not to use up the majority of your plays until things smooth out.
--As of 2:45 pm ET on 1/19 play site appears to be back up.
--as of 4:17pm ET on 1/19 500 point plays seems to be working again. No 5B prizes seem to be won at this time
--As of 6pm ET on 1/19 emails being received for wins during the morning hours of 1/19 where it stated no win after select elevator.
--As of 2:30pm EST on 1/20 still reports of nearly 100% 500 pt wins only. Best not to play alot of plays unless you only want 500 pt wins
--As of 8:00 pm EST on 1/20 multiple reports of 5B prizes being won again. Seems to be back to normal.
--As of 2:00 pm EST on 1/21 reports of $50, 2k, 5k, 1k pt wins (unsure of free night wins)
--As of 6:00 pm est on 1/22 everything seems to be working as usual(although very few mentions of free night)
--As of 2:00 pm EST on 1/25 seems like daily emails have been sent out since 1/18 until now.
--As of 6pm EST on 1/29 reports of emails being received from mailed in entries from around mid January. So turnaround for new mailings appear to be about 1 week.
--As of 5pm EST on 2/2 appears that emails have stopped arriving daily with many reporting last email received on 1/29.
Priceless Surprises Promotion
Jan 19, 2016, 8:52 am
#1276
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: MGM
Programs: United Silver, PC Plat/Amb, HH Dmnd
Posts: 806
I'm guessing that what we're seeing is a reaction to way more write-in entries than they counted on. Either it's the deliberate "hose everybody" that a previous poster mentioned, or an unintentional glitch.
Let me be the first to say, I'm writing my Congressman and calling my lawyer! (not really)
Andyandy
Let me be the first to say, I'm writing my Congressman and calling my lawyer! (not really)
Andyandy
Jan 19, 2016, 8:53 am
#1277
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 40
Same here. I was excited to get 32 e-mails this morning. The first 4 were all 0 so I stopped playing. These were the last 32 of my first batch of 94.
Jan 19, 2016, 8:53 am
#1278
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 54
I thought all non-winners posted as 500 pts? Debating whether I should send remaining 75 entries for wife. Even at 500 pts per entry it would be worth it.
Jan 19, 2016, 8:59 am
#1279
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 3
Sent 94 back in early December. Received 7 emails this morning. All losers.
Can anyone confirm that the losers post as 500 pts?
I can't imagine this going well for IHG if all 94 entries show up as losers and I get nothing, considering their posted odds.
Can anyone confirm that the losers post as 500 pts?
I can't imagine this going well for IHG if all 94 entries show up as losers and I get nothing, considering their posted odds.
Jan 19, 2016, 9:00 am
#1280
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 40
The zero plays is probably because everyone got their emails today and everyone is playing at once.
My concern is that there's a limited number of prizes. Those who were the first to mail out entries were winning $50 gift cards, 5,000 points, etc. In my first 6 responses I got 4 winners of 1,000 points and 2 of 500 points. Out of my next 56 responses I got 1 winner of 1,000 points and 55 of 500 points. It's like all the top prizes are gone.
Jan 19, 2016, 9:08 am
#1282
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 394
Be sure to forward all of your "zeroes" to [email protected]
And, no, you are not competing with other players for the 500s. Or anything to do with time of day.
Once it drops out of the $50/free night competition, it's your play alone, and the odds are stated in the regs. Now, that's been changed, and, boy, how it has changed.
Those 500s were the baseline awards, and the only discussions I recall about legitimate zeroes suggested that if you had used up your 5 Bs, what would otherwise have been a 1000+ might fall through as a 0. Maybe 1 in 8 on average, but you'd still get the 7 in 8 500s. Based on that theory of the odds, at least.
Someone barked an order at the night programmer and went home. He had too many Cokes and candy bars, deleted three lines of code, and went home.
Most people don't like being Guinea pigs. Me, I used to get paid for this s*&t, so I guess it still resonates. At least they're consistent.
Oh, and I forgot to mention the lawyers, or at least the conference call to them, at that management meeting. They wouldn't be so much worried about us, but at the Sweepstakes laws, both federal and various states. HelloWorld would have a list of these experts on call, to aid itself and its clients. Interactions with varying industries' products and services would require individual tweaks, and gotchas that need to be thought of.
And after all that expert consultation, what could possibly go wrong?
Jan 19, 2016, 9:09 am
#1283
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 186
My concern is that there's a limited number of prizes. Those who were the first to mail out entries were winning $50 gift cards, 5,000 points, etc. In my first 6 responses I got 4 winners of 1,000 points and 2 of 500 points. Out of my next 56 responses I got 1 winner of 1,000 points and 55 of 500 points. It's like all the top prizes are gone.
Jan 19, 2016, 9:12 am
#1284
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 3
Lurker here for years, but never actually created an acct or posted until now. Datapoint - just received an email an hour or so ago from IHG/HelloWorld stating that I won one of the Arnold Palmer golf trip packages. Still working through verifying the legitamacy of the notification, calculating tax implications and trying to line up a babysitter for our daughter, but hesitantly excited. $49 in stamps for 94 envelopes might just be paying off! My husband is over the moon excited!
Jan 19, 2016, 9:15 am
#1285
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CLT
Programs: AA, UA, BA, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,074
Lurker here for years, but never actually created an acct or posted until now. Datapoint - just received an email an hour or so ago from IHG/HelloWorld stating that I won one of the Arnold Palmer golf trip packages. Still working through verifying the legitamacy of the notification, calculating tax implications and trying to line up a babysitter for our daughter, but hesitantly excited. $49 in stamps for 94 envelopes might just be paying off! My husband is over the moon excited!
Did that come from a regular play (the normal You've won a Priceless Surprise email that you clicked through to play and it said on screen that you won the Arnold Palmer trip)? Or do they just "use up" one of your entries and notify you directly that you won one of the big ones?
Jan 19, 2016, 9:15 am
#1286
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: ATL
Posts: 347
One more to the pile of WTH 3 zeroes in a row so far! I just got another 68 of mine and my wife got 74. I started this exercise with a test run of 4 entries. I finally received all of them after a good long wait, and each played out to win 500. Those points posted on 12/28. All looked good. After I got the “you win screen” so my wife and I wrote out the full 94 entries. Timeframes and results:
Initial 4 test
12/4 2 emails 2x500 posted 12/28
12/11 2 emails 2x500 posted 12/28
12/15 sent 90 for me and 94 for wife
1/6 1 email no win 1/12 mystery post of 5000 for this promo
?? 1/15 mystery post of 500 for this promo
1/19 68 emails 3xNo Win so I stopped
Based on my 1/6 play with a no win it looks like no wins are winning some. I have a 5000 point post that I am not sure where it came from though. There is definitely something weird happening on the IHG/or promotion groups side.
Initial 4 test
12/4 2 emails 2x500 posted 12/28
12/11 2 emails 2x500 posted 12/28
12/15 sent 90 for me and 94 for wife
1/6 1 email no win 1/12 mystery post of 5000 for this promo
?? 1/15 mystery post of 500 for this promo
1/19 68 emails 3xNo Win so I stopped
Based on my 1/6 play with a no win it looks like no wins are winning some. I have a 5000 point post that I am not sure where it came from though. There is definitely something weird happening on the IHG/or promotion groups side.
Jan 19, 2016, 9:16 am
#1287
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 40
By their own T&C, there cannot be a limited number of "section b" (ie. points) prizes.
Jan 19, 2016, 9:19 am
#1288
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 78
I think it is a glitch, since it seems like from around 8:50 central time, nothing but 0 points are showing up. Earlier in the morning, I got 500 points from each entry, but I stopped because I didn't have time to open them all at once. Since about 8:50, nothing but 0 points.
Another interesting point is previously a few weeks ago, if I remember correctly, if I clicked though an email entry that I already played, it said something like the entry was already played. Now, if I do that, even on the entries that I won 500 points from, it says I won nothing, sorry play again. That is why I think it is a glitch. Not going to open any more of my entries.
Another interesting point is previously a few weeks ago, if I remember correctly, if I clicked though an email entry that I already played, it said something like the entry was already played. Now, if I do that, even on the entries that I won 500 points from, it says I won nothing, sorry play again. That is why I think it is a glitch. Not going to open any more of my entries.
Jan 19, 2016, 9:19 am
#1289
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CLT
Programs: AA, UA, BA, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,074
Yep. And someone posted above that previous non-winners posted as 500. So everything seems to be pointing to non-winners being a glitch. But I'm still going to hold off playing more until more news develops.
Jan 19, 2016, 9:26 am
#1290
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 3
Same here
Opened 9 emails all zeros....not sure what to do now....