Spot the ball
{{Short description|Type of newspaper contest}}
{{use dmy dates |date=September 2020}}
Spot the ball is a traditional newspaper promotion, where the player has to guess the position of a ball which has been removed from a photograph of a ball sport, especially association football.
A spot-the-ball competition may be classed as betting, a prize competition, or a lottery, depending on its form. If it is classed as a prize competition, the promoter does not need a betting operating licence to run it.{{cite web|url=https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/for-the-public/Fundraising-and-promotions/Commercial-schemes/Spot-the-ball.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090828082748/http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/gf-faqs/competitions_and_prize_draws/what_licence_do_i_need_to_run.aspx |url-status=live |title=What licence do I need to run a spot the ball competition?|work=Gambling Commission|access-date=28 December 2013|date=September 2013|archive-date=28 August 2009 }}
In the United Kingdom, the last big payout was in 2004.{{Cite web|title = Spot the Ball: why has no jackpot been paid out for 10 years?|url = https://www.theguardian.com/football/shortcuts/2015/jan/14/how-to-spot-the-ball-in-spot-the-ball |date=January 14, 2015 |website = the Guardian|access-date = 2016-01-13|first = Paula|last = Cocozza}}