Not Everyone's Mama

I’m not normally a sore loser.  In fact, I’m usually a very good loser.  I feel a moment of disappointment then think on to the next thing.  This time though, I’m mad.

Remember that whole iPad giveaway?  That I was giving extra entries into my giveaways for if you registered at that site?  I was in the lead until March 31 at about 6 PM.  I was ahead before then by about 2000 points.  Then this guy jumps ahead of me by quite a bit. He was in around the 1600 point range and adds  5000 points out of nowhere to his score.  So, I sat there that night until 2 in the morning, searching for places and specials.  By the time I went to bed, I was ahead by 1000 points again.  I was worried when that he’d jump on and add more while I was sleeping, but I was tired.

I got up at 7.  Still ahead by 1000.  The rules stated that the winner would be chosen on April 1 when they checked the points.  It didn’t say what time.  So, I continued adding and was ahead by quite a bit.  Then I notice that guy’s points are going up again.  Right when he pulled ahead of me, they called the contest and he won.  (At like noon or 1 PM.)

It didn’t make sense to me.  I had stayed up way later adding stuff (I could tell because his points were staying the same) and I was on in the morning adding things.  I still was only able to add another 6000 points to my score.  How the heck was he able to add 9000 points in less time than I got the 6000?

And they call the contest right when he pulls ahead of me?

I had noticed all night on the 31 when I was adding stuff, one at a time, my points would go up by 50, his would jump by a couple of hundred.  WTH?

I mentioned my thoughts to the owner of the contest.  I said something reeked.

His response?

This is my first contest, It could have been organized better, and I should have made more precise rules and drawing times etc. As far as the winner, He is responsible for a large percentage of the listings on the site… some type of automation was used which sucks but I didnt explicitly say it wasnt allowed… and may not have, being that the goal is to get huge amounts of information. Now I know.

My response?  If he was using automated software, disqualify him.  We all know you don’t use that to enter contests.

I lost the iPad due to a computer beating me out.  Even racing the computer, I was only 100-200 points behind when they called it.

If I had known automated software was allowed, I wouldn’t have busted my butt adding establishments and specials all month to keep my lead.  Probably 2500 of my points came from referrals.  When it was called I had over 11,000 points.  You got like 10 pts per establishment and 50 pts per special if that tells you how hard I was working to keep my lead.

I wish one of you guys would have beat me.  It would feel so much better getting beat by someone who put an honest effort into it vs being beat by a computer that I had no hope of winning against.

I’m a sore loser.  But, they got what they wanted. Now they have almost all of the bars/restaurants in central Iowa listed, plus tons from Mansfield, Oh and the Omaha, NE area.  I tried doing big cities where there’d be a lot of bars to list, but I didn’t feel comfortable with those because I couldn’t tell by all their names whether they were in fact a bar or restaurant.  I ended up going back to places I have lived and know the area and establishments.

I’m still mad.

I was always taught cheaters never win – but they do don’t they?

I need to let it roll and get over it don’t I?

I will.  After I stew for a little longer.

I will never enter a giveaway of that type again unless it specifically says, NO automated software.  That is so uncool to those of us who actually are working towards the prize.

I also will never buy cheapest car insurance from a ambulance chasing lawyer.  Did that make any sense?  Neither did how that person got away with winning that contest.

Have a great day.

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