A sweepstakes is technically a lottery in which the prize is financed through the tickets sold. In the United States the word has become associated with promotions where prizes are given away for free. In other words, they specifically do not require a purchase to enter (these are called prize draws in the United Kingdom). Sweepstakes sponsors are very careful to dis-associate themselves from any suggestion that players must pay to enter, as this would bring them into conflict with lottery laws. The popularity of the term sweepstakes may derive from the Irish Sweepstakes, which was very popular throughout the world from the 1930s to the 1980s.