Old Nov 2, 2015, 8:31 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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.
Print Wikipost

Priceless Surprises Promotion

Old Feb 27, 2016, 9:54 am
  #3106  
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: CAN, LAX, TPE
Programs: AA, AS, CI, DL, UA
Posts: 2,882
Received 1 this week and 1 last week, both 500. Still missing 92
coolfish1103 is offline  
Old Feb 27, 2016, 10:00 am
  #3107  
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 394
Originally Posted by Paul5795
94 wins for me totaling 63,500 points!
94 wins for my wife, totaling 57,500 points!

All 121,000 points have now posted into our two IHG accounts. And an added bonus: I only sent in 91 entries for myself, but IHG must have assumed I sent in 94 because they let me play the elevator game 94 times!

A great promo! IHG rocks!
As of today, over 3000 replies, 280,000 views to this thread. From a sheer publicity standpoint, IHG would have to view this as a successful promotion.

Never mind that most of the posts were about kinks in the execution, mostly resolved in the past month. And never mind the eventual cost of delivering on these points, as it has attracted new paying hotel customers as well.

I would guess that they now think the model they have developed can be used in the future, and so they will do so, maybe with less-generous offers, but still hoping to use the publicity machine they have created.

As a side note, how many others have followed this thread nearly every day, and read (and not too embarrassed to admit) nearly every post on it?
SEAfarer is offline  
Old Feb 27, 2016, 10:32 am
  #3108  
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: FL, USA
Programs: AA Plat, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat, Marriot Gold
Posts: 1,666
Originally Posted by SEAfarer
As of today, over 3000 replies, 280,000 views to this thread. From a sheer publicity standpoint, IHG would have to view this as a successful promotion.

Never mind that most of the posts were about kinks in the execution, mostly resolved in the past month. And never mind the eventual cost of delivering on these points, as it has attracted new paying hotel customers as well.

I would guess that they now think the model they have developed can be used in the future, and so they will do so, maybe with less-generous offers, but still hoping to use the publicity machine they have created.

As a side note, how many others have followed this thread nearly every day, and read (and not too embarrassed to admit) nearly every post on it?
I agree with you and not hte crowd that says they will never do this again. I am know purposely choosing IHG properties due to this promo and the credit card combination. I don't see how they lost here.

And yes, I think I have read every post and try to check i a couple times a day if I can.
miadukes is offline  
Old Feb 27, 2016, 11:53 am
  #3109  
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: AA LifeTime PLT (2.982 MM, But 3MM+ Total), HHonors GOLD, IHG AMB
Posts: 787
Originally Posted by librarygal
QUESTION: Did most of you actually write out 94 3 by 5 cards in one sitting? And mail all 94 letters in one mail box all at the same time? I thought the mail man would throw them all in the trash thinking it was some type of joke. (So I mailed ten at a time over multiple days.)

What did you do?
I wrote 10 cards first because I had 10 stamps that I recently found in a box, thus those were free for me. When I received 3 emails on 2/11, I knew the contest was legit and wrote 84 in one sitting. Mailed those 84 all at once. A postal worker in the USA cannot "throw [stamped mail] in the trash thinking it was some type of joke" because that would be a federal crime, big time. Therefore, don't think that.

Good Luck!
Spock Seat is offline  
Old Feb 27, 2016, 12:20 pm
  #3110  
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: SFO
Programs: BA Avios, UA MP, AA, Choice, Club Carlson
Posts: 1,094
Partner and I did 94 and 94 entries.
Mailed at the beginning of the month separated by 3 days apart to make it interesting.
First batch made it, got emails, and played game 90 times for first account. 4 missing.
Second batch - nada - no emails - nothing.

This is such a highly variable system.
Sent emails via web and also questions email to HelloWorld. 1 week has gone by and 2-3 emails - nada.
We will see what happens, game ends soon right?
mrkymark is offline  
Old Feb 27, 2016, 12:28 pm
  #3111  
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: FL, USA
Programs: AA Plat, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat, Marriot Gold
Posts: 1,666
Originally Posted by mrkymark
Partner and I did 94 and 94 entries.
Mailed at the beginning of the month separated by 3 days apart to make it interesting.
First batch made it, got emails, and played game 90 times for first account. 4 missing.
Second batch - nada - no emails - nothing.

This is such a highly variable system.
Sent emails via web and also questions email to HelloWorld. 1 week has gone by and 2-3 emails - nada.
We will see what happens, game ends soon right?
I think its March 15th you have to play by
miadukes is offline  
Old Feb 27, 2016, 2:56 pm
  #3112  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 72
Filled out index cards 10 at a time & mailed 10 at a time, until the limit was reached. Worth the effort; nothing big won, but 50,000+ IHG points is nice to add to my account.

Good way for us to practice our penmanship!
Lou123 is offline  
Old Feb 27, 2016, 5:33 pm
  #3113  
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: LA
Programs: Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold, Delta Platinum Medallion, AAdvantage Platinum Pro
Posts: 600
Originally Posted by Lou123
Filled out index cards 10 at a time & mailed 10 at a time, until the limit was reached. Worth the effort; nothing big won, but 50,000+ IHG points is nice to add to my account.

Good way for us to practice our penmanship!
You didn't make your kids do the labor?

Miami305 is offline  
Old Feb 27, 2016, 6:59 pm
  #3114  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 72
Originally Posted by Lou123
Wrote 10 a day until I reached the end; nice promotion!
Originally Posted by Miami305
You didn't make your kids do the labor?

Children are grown; we travel to go see them; these free nights come in handy.

Holiday Inn may get lots of extra business from this promotion once folks see that it is a nice hotel. We have never been disappointed.
Lou123 is offline  
Old Feb 27, 2016, 9:08 pm
  #3115  
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 21
My wife and I both played.

I sent all of my entries on 2/13. I got 1 email 2/21; 92 emails 2/22; and 1 email 2/25. I won 2 x 5000, 1 x 2000, 2 x 1000, and the rest 500 points.

My wife mailed 45 entries on 2/13, and 50 (1 extra in case one gets lost) on 2/16. She got 42 emails on 2/22 and 51 emails on 2/26.

This is where it gets interesting. In redeeming the 51 emails that she received on 2/26, she got 5 that said that she didn't win. Like others wrote, she hit the 'back' button and replayed and won. I wasn't sure if she was really replaying or just playing the 'next' entry since it is the same link for all emails. Anyway, she ended up getting 51 winners. So it seems that hitting the back button and replaying really works.

Anyway, overall she won 1 x 5000, 3 x 2000, 1 x 1000, and 88 x 500. She's still waiting for 1 last email.
haroldflyer is offline  
Old Feb 28, 2016, 10:09 am
  #3116  
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: FL, USA
Programs: AA Plat, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat, Marriot Gold
Posts: 1,666
got my remaining 14 plays just now
miadukes is offline  
Old Feb 28, 2016, 10:21 am
  #3117  
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 394
Originally Posted by miadukes
And yes, I think I have read every post and try to check i a couple times a day if I can.
I've enjoyed hanging out here with you and all the others who have created a community spirit of helping each other get through this, which is the underlying basis of joining FT, but this group has been exceptionally cooperative.
SEAfarer is offline  
Old Feb 28, 2016, 11:13 am
  #3118  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: California
Programs: American, SWA, United, IHG,Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 1,829
Woo hop I just got my remaining plays now too!!!

I haven't played them yet. Happy Sunday!
RedElmo is offline  
Old Feb 28, 2016, 1:23 pm
  #3119  
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: ORD
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 2,781
2x5000, 1x2000, 2x1000 here. Mailed all of mine in the week before the deadline. Received 35 on the 21st, 7 on the 22nd, 23 on the 25th, 17 on the 26th, and one on the 27th. I mailed 90 total, so still waiting for a half dozen or so to come in.
linglingfool is offline  
Old Feb 28, 2016, 1:51 pm
  #3120  
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: CMH
Programs: AA EXP, EBS GLD, A|Club PLT, CC Silver, HH GLD
Posts: 782
2x No wins
1x 5,000
1x 2,000
3x 1,000
87x 500
Pucnit is offline  

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