Sweepstakes are known for offering everything from dream vacations to shiny new gadgets, but sometimes brands get a little… creative. While most prizes are predictable, some giveaways are unforgettable simply because they’re weird, hilarious, or totally unexpected.
Let’s dive into some of the most unusual sweepstakes prizes ever offered — and why they’re part of what makes this hobby so much fun.
A Year’s Supply of Pickles (Yes, Really)
Food companies love giving away their products, but some take it to the next level. One sweepstakes from a pickle brand offered a year’s supply of pickles — a prize that delighted some entrants and confused others. Would you keep them all for yourself or become the neighborhood pickle dealer?
It may sound silly, but for pickle fans, this was the ultimate win.
Name a Roach After Your Ex
One zoo-hosted sweepstakes let winners name a cockroach after their ex for Valentine’s Day. While there wasn’t a physical prize, the bragging rights and digital certificate made it go viral. It’s proof that sometimes, a prize doesn’t need to be valuable — just memorable.
A Custom Coffin (Yes, You Read That Right)
A horror movie promotion once offered a personalized coffin as a grand prize. This offbeat reward was designed to match the theme of the film, but it definitely left people doing a double take. Practical? Not really. Hilarious and on-brand? Absolutely.
It’s just one of many examples where sweepstakes lean into humor and theatrics.
Get Paid to Stay in Bed
A sleepwear company offered a prize that involved getting paid to stay in bed for a weekend. Winners were gifted luxury pajamas, snacks, streaming subscriptions, and a cash stipend — all to promote their cozy new product line.
This one blurred the line between product promotion and self-care fantasy, and honestly, we’re here for it.
A Trip to Space (Almost)
One of the most ambitious sweepstakes ever offered a chance to go to space. While most entrants didn’t win the rocket ride, some contests gave away “astronaut training” experiences or zero-gravity flights. These prizes show just how far some brands will go to make their promotions stand out.
A Lifetime Supply of Toilet Paper
What started as a quirky prize became the dream during pandemic shortages. Several household brands ran sweepstakes offering “toilet paper for life,” with calculations based on average household use.
It’s the kind of prize that sounds ridiculous — until you realize how practical it really is.
Celebrity Encounters with a Twist
Some celebrity sweepstakes have offered incredibly strange encounters — like eating spaghetti with a comedian or getting a bedtime story read by a celebrity. These aren’t just meetings, they’re moments designed for social media gold.
When it comes to viral value, these oddball prizes really deliver.
Weird + Wonderful = Unforgettable
While a car or cash is always nice, there’s something undeniably fun about entering to win something totally off-the-wall. These weird prizes may not always be worth the most, but they’re the ones that people talk about long after the contest ends.
So the next time you see a sweepstakes offering something a little unusual — lean in. You just might win a story worth telling forever.