Frequently Asked Questions (v3, 9 July 2026 removed skill-question section; v3 wording refresh)
Welcome to Ticket Hive's frequently asked questions. If your question isn't answered here, please contact us via the support link at the bottom of the page.
▍1. Account & signup#
▍1.1 How do I create an account?#
Click "Sign up" in the top right of the page. Enter your email, set a password, and confirm your date of birth. We'll send you a verification email click the link inside to activate the account.
1.2 I'm 18 or older but my date of birth says no. Why? We use the date of birth you submit at signup. If it was entered incorrectly, please update it on the profile page. We cannot accept late changes for any ticket you have already entered while marked as under 18.
▍1.3 I bought tickets as a guest how do I claim them?#
Click the "Claim account" link in your basket confirmation email. We'll merge the tickets into a new or existing player account on the same email. Your ticket numbers stay the same.
▍1.4 I forgot my password.#
Use the "Forgot password" link on the login page. We'll send a reset link to your email. Reset links expire after one hour.
▍2. Tickets & entry#
▍2.1 How are tickets allocated?#
Tickets are numbered sequentially and allocated at random from the available pool when you click "Add to basket". You can see your numbers on the success screen and on the basket page.
▍2.2 Can I buy more than one ticket?#
Yes. We display the maximum per customer on each competition page some competitions cap per-person tickets to keep the prize pool fair.
▍2.3 Is there a maximum per person?#
Yes. Each competition has its own per-person cap. The cap is shown on the competition page above the ticket-quantity picker. We also enforce a per-player monthly spend cap that you can set yourself on the Account page.
▍2.4 What's a free postal entry route?#
By UK law (Gambling Act 2005 §14(5)), every prize competition must offer a free entry route with identical odds to paid entries. We offer a free postal route on every competition — see the comp page or our dedicated free postal terms for the address and instructions.
▍3. Draws & winners#
▍4.1 When does the draw happen?#
On the closing date shown on each competition page. The draw usually runs within 24 hours of the closing time, and our scheduled-draws job runs every minute so it's typically much faster than that.
▍4.2 How is the winner picked?#
Winners are selected by a verifiably random draw using a cryptographically-secure RNG. The draw mechanism meets the UK Voluntary Code of Good Practice §2.2 for prize draws.
▍4.3 Can I watch the draw?#
Yes for any draw we publish the inputs (server seed hash) before the draw and the seed reveal after. See the competition page for the audit data.
▍4.4 What if the competition doesn't sell out?#
A winner is always drawn. If the competition is not fully entered by the closing date (i.e. 100% of tickets are entered, paid or postal), the winner receives a 75% cash alternative based on total entry revenue. The remaining 25% covers platform and processing fees.
▍5. Cash alternative & Website Credit#
5.1 How is the 75% calculated? 75% of the total revenue from successful payments for that specific competition. Refunded payments are excluded. The amount is paid in pence, and we round down to the nearest whole penny.
▍5.2 When does the cash alternative become Website Credit?#
If the calculated amount is less than £20, the amount is credited to the winner's Website Credit account instead of paid in cash. The £20 figure is inclusive any amount strictly below £20 is credited.
▍5.3 Can Website Credit be withdrawn?#
No. Website Credit has no cash value and cannot be exchanged for cash.
▍5.4 Can Website Credit be transferred?#
No. Website Credit is locked to the winning account and cannot be transferred to any other person or account.
▍5.5 Does Website Credit expire?#
No. Website Credit remains on your account for as long as your account is active. If you close your account, the balance is forfeited.
▍5.6 What happens to Website Credit if I close my account?#
It is forfeited the closing endpoint writes a single negative ledger entry to zero the balance. Closing your account is permanent.
▍5.7 Are free competitions different?#
Yes. If a competition is free to enter (the admin set the ticket price to £0), a prize is always awarded there is no cash alternative and no Website Credit option for free competitions.
▍5.8 Where do I see my balance?#
On the Account page, then click "Website Credit". You'll see the running balance, the last 50 ledger entries, and your monthly spend limit.
▍6. Account management#
▍6.1 Can I take a break?#
Yes. On Account → Play controls you can pause your account for a week, a month, 3 months, 6 months, or up to 12 months. While paused, you can still log in and view your tickets but you cannot enter new competitions or receive marketing emails.
▍6.2 Can I close my account?#
Yes. Closing your account is permanent. Any Website Credit is forfeited. We retain the financial record of past payments for 7 years to meet UK tax rules.
▍6.3 Can I set a monthly spend limit?#
Yes. The default for new signups is £250/month, but you can raise, lower, or disable this limit at any time on the Account → Website Credit page. You can also set the limit to £0 to freeze new entries.
▍7. Responsible play & support#
▍7.1 How do I tell if my play is becoming harmful?#
UK Gambling Commission research lists common warning signs: spending more than you planned, chasing losses, playing to escape personal problems, hiding play from family. Our responsible play page has the full list and links to free, confidential support.
▍7.2 Who can I contact for free support?#
The full list is on our responsible play page. It includes BeGambleAware, Citizens Advice, Money Advice Trust, National Debtline, Samaritans, and Mind.