Questions and answers

Anyone aged 18 or over who lives in the UK, with one account per person. Tools 2U Direct staff and their households can't enter.

Yes. Every paid competition has a free postal route with the same chance of winning. Send a postcard with your details and the answer. How to enter by post.

So we can check you're 18 or over, make sure each person gets the same limits, and contact you if you win. The name and email on your card must match your account.

Each competition page shows the most tickets one person can have. Postal entries count towards the same limit.

The draw still happens at the time shown, whatever sells. We never extend the closing date or shrink the prize because of low sales. Fewer tickets sold means better odds for each one.

Yes. Log in and tap the bell on any competition: we'll email you once when an upcoming one opens, or an hour before a live one closes.

When entries close, every ticket goes into a locked list. Then a random number between 1 and the maximum number of tickets comes from drand, an independent public service, and that number is the winning ticket. If nobody holds that ticket, the next drand number is used. Nobody at Tools 2U can choose or know the winner in advance. How it works.

Yes. Each competition has a live draw page that shows the list being locked, the random number coming out and the winning ticket, as it happens.

Ticket numbers are given out at random when you pay, so buying first or last makes no difference. Every ticket number has exactly the same chance of coming up in the draw.

After each draw we publish the full entry list, its fingerprint recorded at close, the random number and the sum. Anyone can repeat it and get the same winner.

Instant wins show straight away on screen and by email. For the main draw we email and phone the winner within 48 hours, and every entrant gets the result by email.

After a quick photo ID check, we deliver free anywhere in the UK within 28 days. Cash alternatives are paid by bank transfer within 48 hours of the ID check. Winners and prizes.

Only your first name, initial and county. A photo or quote is only ever used if you say yes.

No, because each ticket goes into the draw straight away. If we ever cancel a competition, or take a payment in error, we refund you, normally within 14 days.

Money held in your account that you can spend on tickets. You might get it from points, a refund to credit, or a postcard that arrived just too late. It doesn't expire while your account is open (unless it was promotional credit with a use-by date, which we always show), and it can't be swapped for cash.

Go to Orders in your account. Each order has a receipt you can print or save.

Use reset password and we'll email you a link.

Yes. In Settings you can set a monthly spending limit or take a break. Playing responsibly.

Send us a message and a real person will reply, usually within 2 working days.