Do you have to be in the show to win a giveaway on Whatnot?

Yes. Whatnot says entrants must be present in the show when the winner is selected. If you leave before the winner is selected you are removed from the giveaway, and if you return before then you are automatically re-entered.

Do you have to pay if you win a giveaway on Whatnot?

Not for the prize or the shipping. Whatnot says giveaways are free to enter and that sellers pay giveaway shipping costs. If the prize ships internationally, the recipient is responsible for any customs duties, import taxes or other fees.

How long does a Whatnot giveaway last?

A Whatnot giveaway can run for up to five minutes. The seller can let the timer end or end the giveaway early to select a winner, and once a giveaway starts it can't be paused or canceled.

Can a Whatnot seller require a purchase to enter a giveaway?

Whatnot prohibits requiring a purchase to win a giveaway. Buyer Appreciation Giveaways are for users who make a purchase after the giveaway listing is created, but Whatnot says users in the United States and Canada can also enter them for free through a web form.

Can you be suspended from Whatnot giveaways?

Whatnot says it may suspend a user's eligibility to enter giveaways if it identifies giveaway abuse, such as entry into an unnatural number of giveaways. Sellers who break the giveaway policies can temporarily or permanently lose the ability to run giveaways.

Whatnot Giveaway Rules: What Sellers and Card Breakers Need to Know

October 9, 2026 ChronicCards

Last updated: October 9, 2026

Key Takeaways

Whatnot has three giveaway types: Standard, Follower-Only and Buyer Appreciation Giveaways (BAGs).
A giveaway can run for up to five minutes, can't be paused or canceled once it starts, and Whatnot selects the winner at random.
Sellers pay all giveaway shipping costs, which Whatnot deducts from the seller's balance when the giveaway is run. Sellers must ship giveaway items within two business days.
Whatnot prohibits requiring a purchase to win. For Buyer Appreciation Giveaways, users in the United States and Canada can enter for free through a web form.
Sellers can't deny a winner, change the prize based on who wins, or randomize with wheels or physical machines.

Whatnot giveaway rules
Types of giveaways
Buyer Appreciation Giveaway rules
What sellers can't do
Official rules requirements
Shipping and fulfillment
How to run a giveaway
Tips for card breakers
Sources

Whatnot's giveaway rules come down to a few points: Whatnot selects the winner at random, the seller pays the shipping and must ship the item to whoever wins, and a seller can't require a purchase to win or add entry requirements beyond the ones built into Whatnot's giveaway feature. This is a summary of Whatnot's published policies, not legal advice.

What Are the Whatnot Giveaway Rules?

Whatnot giveaways let sellers offer items for free during a show. The basic rules, per Whatnot's Help Center:

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Length. A giveaway can run for up to five minutes. The seller can let the timer end or end it early to select a winner.
Winner. Whatnot selects the winner at random and announces them publicly during the show.
No pausing. Once a giveaway starts, it can't be paused or canceled.
One at a time. A seller can only run one giveaway at a time, and can keep selling while it runs.
Entry. A viewer needs a shipping address and a payment method saved to their Whatnot account, and must be present in the show when the winner is selected. Viewers can only enter in the Whatnot app.
One entry each. Each user is allowed one entry per eligible giveaway.
No cash. Cash giveaways aren't allowed on Whatnot, except for collectible currency. Whatnot says it may approve currency giveaways in limited circumstances through active partnerships.

What Are the Types of Whatnot Giveaways?

Whatnot lists three types.

Type	Who can enter	Seller option
Standard Giveaway	Viewers in the show, once the giveaway is live	Can be limited to domestic users (based on the seller's location)
Follower-Only Giveaway	Only users who follow the seller	Can be limited to domestic users (based on the seller's location)
Buyer Appreciation Giveaway (BAG)	Users who make a purchase in the show after the giveaway is created, plus US and Canadian users who enter for free through a web form	Seller chooses whether international buyers can take part or domestic buyers only

What Are the Buyer Appreciation Giveaway Rules?

Whatnot says BAGs are intended to show appreciation for users who have made a purchase during a seller's show. The rules:

Free entry. United States and Canadian users can enter for free through a web form found on the giveaway details page. After submitting the form, they still have to tap Enter Giveaway in the livestream and stay until a winner is selected.
No minimum spend. Whatnot lists requiring a buyer to spend above a certain amount to qualify for a BAG as an example of prohibited behavior.
No paid-entry raffles. Whatnot says sellers may not use BAGs to run paid entry raffles, including sweepstakes, lottery, derby games or similar. Our glossary covers the hobby's own raffle-style format, the razz.
No edits. BAG listings can't be edited or deleted after they're created.

What Can't Sellers Do in a Whatnot Giveaway?

Whatnot's list of prohibited giveaway behavior includes:

Denying a winner. A seller must not deny a user the item they won.
Hiding the prize. The seller must disclose what the winner will receive before running the giveaway, in the listing and/or in the livestream. Surprise Products may be given away provided the mystery item remains on screen until fully opened.
Changing the prize based on who wins. A seller may not downgrade the prize if the winner has not made a purchase, or upgrade it because a buyer won.
Adding your own entry requirements. Sellers can't add their own restrictions, such as requiring users to follow them on other social media platforms.
Future redemption. All giveaways must be completed within the livestream in which the giveaway was run.
Wheels and machines. Randomization cannot be done through a physical machine such as a gumball machine or a raffle drum. Sellers also may not use randomizer wheels, physical or digital.

Whatnot says prohibited giveaway behavior, or failing to fulfill a giveaway, may result in account action, which may include a temporary or permanent loss of the ability to run giveaways. Whatnot also says sellers are held responsible for unfulfilled giveaways and, in some cases, may be billed back for the estimated value of the giveaway.

One thing Whatnot does allow: sellers may promote and establish targets for running giveaways, such as stating a giveaway will be run at a certain sales goal or time of day.

What Do Official Rules Have to Include?

Whatnot's Giveaway Rules & Requirements page says the seller, and not Whatnot, is solely responsible for compliance with all applicable rules and regulations governing a promotion, and that the seller must post a set of Official Rules. Per Whatnot, those rules must include:

A statement, as applicable, that no purchase is necessary to enter or win. Whatnot says it must appear in all caps every time a seller promotes the giveaway or invites others to participate.
A statement that the promotion is void where prohibited.
Who is eligible to enter, including age and geographic restrictions, and how to enter.
A description of the prize or prizes, the number of prizes and their approximate retail value.
How the winner will be selected, an odds statement, and how prizes will be distributed.
A timeline of key dates and times, as applicable.
A complete release for Whatnot from liability, and a statement that the promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by or associated with Whatnot.
A description of any free alternative method of entry, if required by applicable law.

Per Whatnot, giveaways in Canada also need a statement that the winner must answer a skill-testing question before the prize can be awarded. Whatnot's page includes an example set of rules, but Whatnot does not guarantee it will comply with the laws in your jurisdiction.

For Buyer Appreciation Giveaways, Whatnot says it automatically displays its standard giveaway requirements in the listing details, and that sellers can also add their own official rules.

Who Pays for Giveaway Shipping on Whatnot?

The seller does. Per Whatnot:

Sellers are responsible for all giveaway shipping costs, including international shipping if International Shipping is enabled.
Shipping costs are deducted from the seller's Whatnot balance when the giveaway is run. If the balance doesn't cover the cost, it may become negative, and the amount owed is deducted from future earnings.
Sellers must ship giveaway items within two business days, like any other order.

For platform fees, see our guide to Whatnot seller fees for card breakers.

How Do You Run a Giveaway on Whatnot?

Whatnot says giveaways can only run during a live show, and that listings can be created before you go live or during the show.

Create the listing. In the app, open Seller Hub and your scheduled show, tap Shop, select Create Listing, add your item details and select Giveaway. Choose who can enter (Everyone, Followers only or Buyer Appreciation) and tap Publish.
Start it. From your show, tap the Shop, open the Giveaway tab and tap Run Giveaway next to the listing.

Giveaway Tips for Card Breakers

Our suggestions for anyone running card breaks:

Show the prize before you start. Whatnot requires the prize to be disclosed before the giveaway runs. We suggest showing the card or pack on your mat as well as naming it in the listing. Our Custom Sports Card Break Mats are 4 mm thick neoprene with an anti-slip backing and hemmed edges, printed with your logo.
Put your logo on the prize. Our Custom One Touch Stickers are printed with your logo and go over the top edge of a one-touch magnetic card holder. Each order is 80 stickers.

For your on-camera setup, see our Whatnot background ideas or browse all custom card breaker supplies.