Which time are you looking at?
| Time | What to check |
|---|---|
| Paid entry closes | When the operator stops accepting this entry route. |
| Postal entry deadline | When the operator must receive or process an eligible postal entry. |
| Draw time | When winner selection is scheduled to happen. |
| Winner announcement | When and where the result will be published or the winner contacted. |
Read the date and time zone together
“Tonight” is easy to misread in an old post. Prefer a calendar date and an explicit time zone. UK local time changes between GMT and BST during the year; use the operator’s stated zone rather than assuming a screenshot matches your device.
If two pages disagree, check the terms and ask the operator. Keep a dated record of the information relevant to an entry you already made. Do not rely on the order of posts in a social feed as a statement of the current deadline.
Why can a countdown move while a sales figure stays still?
A device can calculate time remaining from a stored closing date every second. Sales information needs a new observation from the source. Those are separate processes, so a moving timer is not proof that the sales figure is live.
The Comp App can show a different snapshot from the operator’s page between collection times. A published closing date can also be corrected at the source. Check the current operator page and terms if a detail matters to your decision.
What if a date changes after entry?
Save the original promotion, terms and any change notice. ASA/CAP guidance on closing dates explains that changing a promotional deadline can disadvantage participants and is restricted. The voluntary code also addresses changes linked to low sales.
We cannot decide a refund or legal entitlement from a screenshot. Raise a specific question with the operator and keep its response. If you believe an advert misled you, see the reporting guide.
A closing time is information, not an instruction
A short countdown does not remove the need to read the terms or stick to a spending decision. You can skip a draw, disable notifications or take a break. Do not send a postal entry at the last moment on the assumption that a paid-entry countdown applies to it.
Sources and further reading
Source links checked on 11 September 2026. Read the original for its full scope and current wording.
Something needs correcting? Tell us what needs checking.