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From: boucher@hsi.UUCP (Keith Boucher)
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Re: sweepstakes odds
Message-ID: <296@hsi.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 19-Jan-86 12:30:54 EST
Article-I.D.: hsi.296
Posted: Sun Jan 19 12:30:54 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 22-Jan-86 04:24:02 EST
References: <215@kodak.UUCP> <773@hou2g.UUCP>
Organization: Health Systems Int., New Haven, CT.
Lines: 22

> Are these outfits (Publisher's Clearinghouse, et al) sending
> these entries to countries other than the US?  And do they
> award the prize to someone else if the "pre-selected" numbers
> are not sent in?
> 
> If so, show me how, with a 20% return rate for entries, and
> less than 200,000,000 households in the country, the odds can
> be any worse than 40,000,000 to 1.
> 
> 		=========================================
I don't know anything about foreign countries but they claim to award all
prizes.  They send more than one entry to some households however.  We
got five entries at my house between myself and my wife.  Our names must be
on quite a few mailing lists.  This is probably the norm rather than the
exception.  Sometimes I enter and other times I don't bother.  My wife did
order a magazine subscription last year through Publishers Clearing House
and I don't see how it is a better deal than dealing with the magazine directly.
I am not impressed with their rates.  I would prefer to deal directly with
the magazine and cut out the middleman.  If there was a substantial discount
then I would consider dealing with PCH.

				Keith Boucher HSI New Haven, CT