# Competition closing dates, draw times and countdowns

An entry closing time, a postal receipt deadline and the time a winner is drawn can be different. Check the exact date, time and time zone in the operator’s terms. A countdown is a display of time remaining, not evidence that every other figure has just refreshed.

Publisher: Competition Group Ltd
Canonical: https://compapp.co.uk/guides/competition-closing-dates
Published: 2026-09-11
Sources checked: 2026-09-11
Audience: adults 18+

## Which time are you looking at?



Four times that can mean different things

| 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](https://www.asa.org.uk/advice-online/promotional-marketing-closing-dates.html) 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](https://compapp.co.uk/guides/report-a-competition-concern).

## 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

- [ASA/CAP: closing dates](https://www.asa.org.uk/advice-online/promotional-marketing-closing-dates.html)
- [DCMS: Voluntary Code of Good Practice for Prize Draw Operators](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/voluntary-code-of-good-practice-for-prize-draw-operators/voluntary-code-of-good-practice-for-prize-draw-operators)

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