OFFICIAL RULES
1. Promotion Name
The promotion is called the Gilded Trash 5K Download Sweepstakes, referred to in these rules as the “Sweepstakes.”
2. Sponsor
The Sweepstakes is sponsored and administered by:
Gilded Trash Productions LLC[729 Park Ave, Johnstown, PA 15902]Website: gildedtrash.com
Gilded Trash Productions LLC is referred to in these rules as the “Sponsor.”
3. Promotion Period
The Sweepstakes begins at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time on August 26, 2026, and ends at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on December 31, 2026. This period is referred to as the “Promotion Period.”
The Sponsor’s designated website and records will serve as the official timekeeping method for the Sweepstakes.
Entries received before or after the Promotion Period are not eligible.
4. Eligibility
The Sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the fifty United States and the District of Columbia who:
Are at least 18 years old at the time of entry;
Reside in an eligible jurisdiction;
Submit a complete and valid entry during the Promotion Period; and
Comply with these Official Rules.
The Sweepstakes is void in Rhode Island and wherever prohibited or restricted by law.
Employees, officers, contractors, agents, and representatives of Gilded Trash Productions LLC, along with members of their immediate households, are not eligible to enter.
For purposes of these rules, immediate household members include spouses, domestic partners, parents, legal guardians, children, siblings, and anyone who resides in the same household as an otherwise excluded person.
5. No Purchase Necessary
NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE AN ENTRANT’S CHANCES OF WINNING.
Podcast episodes are available to access without purchasing merchandise or making any payment to the Sponsor.
Entrants are invited to download and listen to a Gilded Trash episode before completing the entry form. The Sponsor will not require proof of purchase, a merchandise order, a paid subscription, or any other payment as a condition of entry.
6. How to Enter
During the Promotion Period:
Visit the official Sweepstakes page at gildedtrash.com.
Locate the entry form identified by the subject “5K Promo Entry.”
Complete all required fields.
Identify one Gilded Trash episode.
Share what you liked about the episode, such as a favorite moment, memorable story, funniest line, or other genuine reaction.
Submit the completed form before the end of the Promotion Period.
The entry form is the official free method of entry.
Only entries submitted through the designated form will be accepted. Social-media comments, messages, shares, tags, follows, likes, merchandise orders, podcast reviews, emails, and verbal submissions do not constitute official entries.
7. Entry Limit
There is a limit of one entry per person during the entire Promotion Period.
Submitting multiple entries using different email addresses, names, accounts, devices, or identities may result in the disqualification of all entries associated with that person.
Automated, generated, copied, fraudulent, incomplete, unintelligible, or manipulated entries may be disqualified at the Sponsor’s reasonable discretion.
If multiple valid submissions are received from the same person, only the first eligible submission will be considered.
8. Entry Content
Entry responses must be appropriate for a general audience and must not contain:
Threats, harassment, or unlawful material;
Defamatory or knowingly false statements;
Personal or confidential information belonging to another person;
Material that infringes another party’s copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity, or other rights;
Malicious links, code, spam, or advertising; or
Content unrelated to the requested entry question.
An entrant retains ownership of their original response but grants the Sponsor permission to review and use the response for Sweepstakes administration.
The Sponsor will not publicly identify an entrant or publish an entry response without permission, except as reasonably necessary to administer the Sweepstakes, announce a winner, comply with applicable law, or respond to a valid legal request.
9. Qualifying Download Totals
Prize availability is conditional upon the total number of qualifying Gilded Trash episode downloads recorded by the Sweepstakes deadline.
For this Sweepstakes, “qualifying episode downloads” means the total podcast-download count reported through the Sponsor’s official Buzzsprout podcast analytics as of 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on December 31, 2026.
The Sponsor will use the download total displayed in its official Buzzsprout reporting records after the reporting system has processed activity through the deadline.
The Sponsor may disregard downloads that Buzzsprout or the Sponsor reasonably identifies as fraudulent, automated, duplicated, artificially generated, manipulated, or otherwise invalid.
The Sponsor’s good-faith determination of the final qualifying download total will be final, subject to applicable law.
10. Conditional Prize Tiers
Fewer Than 2,500 Downloads
If fewer than 2,500 qualifying episode downloads are recorded by the deadline:
The 2,500-download prize tier will not be activated;
The 5,000-download prize tier will not be activated; and
No prizes will be awarded.
At Least 2,500 but Fewer Than 5,000 Downloads
If at least 2,500 but fewer than 5,000 qualifying episode downloads are recorded by the deadline:
Two $50 merchandise gift-card prizes will be activated and awarded; and
The five $100 grand prizes will not be activated or awarded.
At Least 5,000 Downloads
If at least 5,000 qualifying episode downloads are recorded by the deadline:
Two $50 merchandise gift-card prizes will be activated and awarded; and
Five $100 merchandise gift-card grand prizes will also be activated and awarded.
Any prize tier whose required download threshold is not reached will be forfeited and will not be awarded.
11. Prizes and Approximate Retail Value
The maximum available prizes are:
2,500-Download Tier
Two Gilded Trash merchandise gift cards valued at $50 each.
Total approximate retail value: $100.
5,000-Download Grand-Prize Tier
Five Gilded Trash merchandise gift cards valued at $100 each.
Total approximate retail value: $500.
The maximum total approximate retail value of all available prizes is $600.
The number and value of prizes actually awarded depend upon which download threshold is reached by the deadline.
12. Gift-Card Conditions
Gift cards may be used only toward eligible merchandise available through the Gilded Trash online shop, subject to the shop platform’s terms and any restrictions displayed at redemption.
Gift cards:
Have no cash value except where required by law;
May not be redeemed for cash from the Sponsor;
May not be replaced if lost, stolen, deleted, or used without authorization;
May not be sold or transferred for value without the Sponsor’s written permission; and
May not be substituted for another prize by a winner.
The Sponsor may substitute a prize of equal or greater value if an advertised prize becomes unavailable for reasons beyond the Sponsor’s reasonable control.
Merchandise prices, taxes, and shipping charges may apply. Any amount exceeding the gift-card balance is the winner’s responsibility. Orders exceeding $75 receive free shipping only under the shop’s shipping policy and terms in effect when the order is placed.
No purchase is required to enter or win. A winner is not required to spend more than the gift-card value and may choose not to redeem the prize.
13. Winner Selection
After the Promotion Period ends and the final qualifying download total is confirmed, potential winners will be selected through a randomized electronic drawing from all eligible entries received during the Promotion Period.
The drawing is scheduled to occur on January 1, 2027.
The Sponsor will record the random-selection process for documentation, verification, and transparency. The recording may display entry numbers or other nonpublic identifiers. Personal contact information will not be intentionally displayed in any publicly released version of the recording.
The two potential winners selected for the 2,500-download tier will remain eligible for the 5,000-download grand-prize drawing.
A person may win no more than one prize within each prize tier but may win one $50 prize and one $100 grand prize if independently selected in both drawings.
The Sponsor may conduct additional random drawings if an initially selected entrant is disqualified, cannot be contacted, declines the prize, or fails to respond within the required period.
14. Odds of Winning
The odds of winning depend upon:
The number of eligible entries received; and
Which download prize tiers are activated.
No purchase, merchandise order, podcast review, social-media interaction, or other payment will improve an entrant’s chances of winning.
15. Winner Notification and Announcement
Potential winners will be contacted using the email address or other contact information submitted on the official entry form.
Each potential winner must respond within seven calendar days after the notification is sent.
A potential winner may be required to:
Confirm their identity, age, and eligibility;
Confirm that they complied with these Official Rules;
Provide a valid mailing or email address;
Complete an eligibility declaration or prize-acceptance form; and
Provide information reasonably necessary to issue the prize or comply with applicable tax-reporting requirements.
If a potential winner:
Cannot be contacted;
Does not respond within seven calendar days;
Provides inaccurate or incomplete information;
Is found to be ineligible;
Violates these Official Rules; or
Declines the prize,
the potential winner will be disqualified and the Sponsor may select an alternate potential winner through another random drawing.
Winners will be publicly announced no later than January 3, 2027, subject to timely eligibility confirmation.
The public announcement may identify a winner by first name, last initial, and state of residence unless the winner gives permission for additional information to be shared or applicable law requires otherwise.
16. Taxes
Winners are responsible for all federal, state, and local taxes or other obligations associated with accepting or using a prize.
The Sponsor may require tax information when legally necessary. The Sponsor will issue any required tax documentation in accordance with applicable law.
17. Privacy
Information collected through the entry form will be used to:
Administer the Sweepstakes;
Verify eligibility;
Contact potential winners;
Deliver prizes;
Prevent duplicate or fraudulent entries;
Maintain required business records; and
Comply with applicable legal obligations.
Submitting an entry does not automatically enroll an entrant in marketing emails or authorize unrelated promotional messages unless the entrant separately and affirmatively agrees to receive them.
The Sponsor will not sell entrant information as part of the Sweepstakes.
18. Publicity
Except where prohibited by law, acceptance of a prize grants the Sponsor permission to use the winner’s first name, last initial, state of residence, likeness, voice, and prize information for reasonable promotional and announcement purposes without additional compensation.
A winner may be asked to provide separate written permission before any additional personal information, full legal name, photograph, video, or detailed entry response is published.
19. General Conditions
By entering, each entrant agrees to:
Comply with these Official Rules;
Accept the Sponsor’s reasonable and good-faith decisions concerning Sweepstakes administration;
Provide truthful and accurate entry information;
Avoid interfering with the entry process, website, download reporting, drawing, or other participants; and
Accept that prize availability depends upon the stated download thresholds.
The Sponsor may disqualify any person who attempts to:
Submit fraudulent or duplicate entries;
Artificially inflate podcast-download totals;
Use bots, scripts, click farms, automated tools, or deceptive practices;
Tamper with the website, entry form, analytics, or drawing;
Harass the Sponsor, another entrant, or a winner; or
Undermine the fair operation of the Sweepstakes.
The Sponsor will not materially change the eligibility requirements, entry method, prize thresholds, available prizes, or winner-selection process after the Sweepstakes begins except when reasonably necessary to comply with law or address circumstances beyond the Sponsor’s control.
20. Technical Problems and Right to Modify or Cancel
The Sponsor is not responsible for:
Lost, late, incomplete, corrupted, misdirected, or undelivered entries;
Incorrect contact information submitted by an entrant;
Internet, hosting, email, form, website, platform, analytics, or software failures;
Delayed podcast-analytics reporting;
Unauthorized human intervention;
Device incompatibility;
Spam filtering or blocked winner notifications; or
Events beyond the Sponsor’s reasonable control.
If fraud, technical failure, platform failure, legal restrictions, natural disaster, or another event materially affects the integrity or lawful operation of the Sweepstakes, the Sponsor may suspend, modify, or cancel it to the extent reasonably necessary and permitted by law.
If cancellation occurs after prizes have been activated and awarding them remains lawful and reasonably possible, the Sponsor may select winners from eligible entries received before the interruption.
21. Release and Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, entrants and winners release and hold harmless the Sponsor and its owners, officers, employees, contractors, representatives, affiliates, merchandise providers, podcast-distribution platforms, website providers, and advertising partners from claims arising from:
Participation in the Sweepstakes;
Acceptance, possession, use, misuse, loss, or redemption of a prize;
Technical failures outside the Sponsor’s reasonable control;
Unauthorized interference by third parties; or
Use of winner information authorized under these Official Rules.
Nothing in these Official Rules waives rights or remedies that cannot legally be waived.
22. Disputes and Governing Law
The Sweepstakes and these Official Rules are governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, without regard to conflict-of-law principles.
To the extent permitted by law, disputes arising from the Sweepstakes must be brought individually and not as part of a class or representative action.
Any legal proceeding that is not resolved informally will be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction located in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, unless applicable law requires another jurisdiction or venue.
If any part of these Official Rules is found invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in effect to the fullest extent permitted by law.
23. Social-Media and Platform Disclaimer
This Sweepstakes is sponsored solely by Gilded Trash Productions LLC.
It is not sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with:
TikTok;
Meta;
Facebook;
Instagram;