Is the PayPal Holiday Giveaway Free Entry Method working?

[hargrovekr]

I got an email promoting "Win up to $20 Million this Holiday" saying "Every time you checkout with PayPal for $10 or more, you’re automatically entered for a weekly chance to win $25, $50, $250, or $10,000 to shop with PayPal." 

It also has a "No Purchase Necessary" method, but each time I follow the instructions, it loops and no entries are registered. I've copied the rules below. Am I doing something incorrectly or is this entry method broken? Could it be fixed? I have tried Microsoft Edge and Chrome browsers. Thanks in advance for any insight.

Without Making Qualified Payments: To enter without making a Qualified Payment, customers must visit the Promotional Site, then click on the Free Entry Link (https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/holiday-giveaway/terms-amoe) and follow instructions to log in with their PayPal account, agree to these Official Rules, and click submit to receive fifty (50) entry into the applicable Weekly Entry Period associated with the time and date the entry is received. All entries must be received by the end of the applicable Weekly Entry Period in order to participate in that Weekly Entry Period. Sponsor’s database clock will be the official timekeeper for this Sweepstakes. Proof of submission is not considered proof of receipt by Sponsor of such entry.

[Carlawhitehead]

Hi, I received an email to say I’d won in the Christmas draw, waited more than the 5 days stated for it to show in my PayPal. Contacted them via the app to say I hadn’t received it, was told there was nothing they could do and to contact them by phone. The number I was given just keeps cutting me off. Contacted them again by the app and they’ve now forwarded it onto their customer services, but I still haven’t heard anything, and the money still isn’t in my PayPal wallet. Has anyone else had this problem with receiving their prize?

[Sueguffogg68]

Do you have to wait for it to go in your wallet before you can spend it then.?

I’m confused as it doesn’t explain just says I’ve won£25 in the prize draw…

[christopherc1]

Hi i have won £25 four times now and have spent it before it showed up in my account no problems

[aom5]

How can you spend it when it”s not there?

[jnelle82]

Mine is in my wallet, but how do i spend it please?

[aom5]

I’ve had the same problem.  I received TWO emails on 26/11 and 30/11 saying I had won £25 in the Christmas draw but no money has appeared in the Wallet section of my account.  None of the usual contact channels seem to work for the prize draw!

[si3]

Same here. Messaged paypal several times & told it's in my wallet, don't think so! Still waiting for my £50.00 prize 11 days later. Don't think I'll get it. So fed up with the poor customer service provided by paypal.

[JGT2]

I have exactly the same issue.

[asuit15]

I won $250 in the Holiday giveaway and tried to use the winnings to make a purchase online. Initially, it appeared that the transaction was successful and my order was placed but shortly thereafter I received an email from the retailer saying there was a problem with the payment method. Ultimately I had to use a different payment method to complete my order but the initial transaction is still pending on my PayPal account and the transaction amount was deducted from the giveaway winnings. I don't understand why it is still pending and the prize money deducted since I had to use a different payment method (PayPal credit) to complete the purchase anyway.

Anyone else have this issue? I have spent a couple of hours on the phone with PayPal customer service and was told that this is a technical error on PayPal's side and to wait a few days for it to be resolved. It has been over a week and there has still been no resolution or follow-up communication. 

[Mcotton01]

I am having the same problem. I won 250 as well and still have a pending transaction from 11/29 that I cannot cancel or change. I’m afraid I will lose out on the winnings.