Sweepstakes Winner-It Could Happen

I'll cross my fingers when I hit "send", but won't hold my breath.  I'm talking about sweepstake or contest entries.  I'm not exactly lucky when it comes to being drawn at random as a winner, but I still like to click and enter, or fill out a door prize drawing.  My latest is a bid for a free 7 day cruise along the Mexican coast. Wish me luck. 

As much though as I like the thought of winning, I'm not a gambler.  I can't see spending much, if any money, sitting in a casino pulling down on a lever.  Pull tabs, even though charitable, have no appeal.  I'd much rather just donate to the cause.  Now I do like a good girls card night, but, mostly for the fun of playing the modified poker games, and knowing the money circulates amongst the group, and no high stakes-strictly nickels, dimes, and quarters.   We have silly  non Las Vegas card games like "change the diaper", "follow the queen", "7 card no peek", and "shit on  your neighbor".

Now then there are competition type things, that I do sometimes stake a claim into the winners circle.  I like calling into trivia on radio shows-most of the challenge is getting through.  I once won a bouquet of flowers a month for three months for knowing that Dr. Seuss wrote Green Eggs and Ham with just 50 total words.  I like friendly competition as much as the next person, and dutifully enter the company slow cooker cook off each year.  My deserts have never won, but I assisted a friend in correcting her not quite right apple crumble by suggestion she add just a touch of water to get some steam going. It was just sitting like an appley blob, with powdered cake mix over the top, not really baking-just getting hot.  After adding the 1/4 cup of water, it started baking right, ended up being delicious and she won the desert category-I was a tad jealous.  I won last year with my "baked" mushroom and spinach rigatoni, in the main dish category, so felt vindicated.

As for the random drawings, nothing.  No Redbook or Good Housekeeping monthly give aways have arrived in my mail box. I don't recall ever winning a door prize, unless the type where everyone leaves with something.  I do like the fun of it though, waiting for your number to be called!  So I'm curious.  What things of value have some of you won out there?  Has anyone been the big winner in a sweepstake?  Even if I never learn that a real person won, I'll  keep clicking away, or throwing my name in the hat.  Who knows-it could happen.