A Web-Based Sweepstakes has similar functionality as the older Client-based server models. There are several components that make both sweepstakes games operate:
The Game Terminal (GT). Also known as the sweepstakes product kiosk. The product typically being sold is Internet time or any other merchandise the business decides to sale as part of the sweepstakes promotion. The sweepstakes game terminal is where the customer accesses their Internet time and has the opportunity to play the games to reveal their sweepstakes prizes. Many sweepstakes businesses will have one to several hundred of these sweepstakes game terminals in their facility.
The Sweepstakes Game Server. This is the highly technical piece of Hardware that typically uses SQL software applications to manage the network and data base. It is sometimes referred to as the “brain” of the entire operation for the site. It manages the operations of the games, your customer’s data and the sweepstakes finite prize pool.
The Point of Sale (POS). This is the CPU that controls the basic sales to your customers. Typically, most POS units allow the business owners and employees to set up customer accounts, sale merchandise (Internet time), redeem sweepstakes prizes and do basic bookkeeping reports.
Cash Drawer, Scanner and Printer. Some sweepstakes software models will utilize this hardware to help with time management. The cash drawer, scanner and printer all work with the POS. Typically, when Internet time is purchased a receipt is given to the client with a customer number that they will use to enter on the keypad at the GT. When a customer is ready to redeem sweepstakes prizes, they will come to the window where the employee will scan the ticket to verify that the customer has won any sweepstakes prizes.
Card Reader. In some cases card readers are used. When a customer purchases Internet time, the tenant gives them a scanned card. The customer simply takes the card and slides it through the card reader at the GT or sweepstakes kiosk. The card does not have any money on it at all. The card simply has the unique customer identification on it that would have been typically given on a printed ticket. The GT communicates with the Server to verify if the card that holds the number is one from that facility, thereby, allowing the customer to login to their account. The customer can then proceed with surfing the Internet with the time they have purchased and play the free sweepstakes entries they received.
At this time there are two types of systems used in deploying a sweepstakes gaming platform; Client-Server sweepstakes model and the high technology Web-Based sweepstakes solution. Both solutions have their own “finite pool” of sweepstakes prizes per location.
The Client-Server solution requires the sweepstakes facility to have all of the components mentioned earlier to be onsite. All data is collected and stored on the Server (onsite). All of the computers used as the sweepstakes game terminals have information and programs that have been downloaded and imaged to help operate the entire sweepstakes software solution. There is usually a management CPU that helps with networking the GT’s for Internet access.
The Web-Based solution uses servers that are in “the cloud” and are located in colocation centers These facilities temperatures are carefully monitored and are considered high tech and super secure. Google, Facebook and Amazon use these colocation centers to help run their businesses. One of the advantages of using several of these centers is because if one goes down the other facility(s) have the data and this insures 100% uptime for the clients that use web-based platforms to run their software applications. PromoTek sweepstakes gaming platform uses these types of centers for their web-based solution. This allows our clients to manage their sweepstakes facilities from anywhere on the planet. Also, their customers can access the platform to play at home.
There are many benefits of having a Web-Based Internet Sweepstakes Platform installed in your sweepstakes location:
– Server is off-site
– No Cost to purchase Server
– Easy Installation (Plug and Play)
– Data is stored immediately per play
– POS / Back Office Books are off-site
– Cost to start the business is much less
– Perfect for our Internet sweepstakes totems
– Very easy to open up stores in distant locations
– New games are added instantaneously without your assistance
– Easy to check your locations books from any web-enabled device
– Customers can play at home (reveal sweepstakes entries). This means customers can play at home when you store is closed down or if a customer needs to leave, but wants to reveal their sweepstakes entries online at a later date. This gives the business owner an opportunity to make money that would otherwise be impossible with the Client-based model.
Of course the Client-server model requires you to purchase a Server and the POS that can cost thousands of dollars. The disadvantage of this system is that the Server is on-site and could face possible damage from it being moved around or drinks getting spilled on it. Eventually, all on-site servers need to have work done to them and will need to be re-placed over time from wear and tear. This means you may have to shut your business down for days or even weeks while you wait for a service technician to come to your site to repair or even replace the hardware. It cost money when you have work done to or replace a server, not to mention the lost revenue you would have made if you where open. With the web-based platform you will never have to worry about this happening.
The fact is, the Web-based sweepstakes platform is easy to install, perfect for generating much needed revenue for your store and is perfectly legal to operate. If fact, fortune 500 companies like Coco-Cola and Publishers Clearing House use the online web-based platform for their promotional sweepstakes.
