Despite my optimism in previous posts, and my continual entering of hundreds of competitions every week I'm still awaiting my first competition win of 2010.

That's just the way it goes, I had a great December which has spurred me on to enter more comps but I've just been unlucky so far this year. But the luck does tend to even out so a big competition win could be around the corner.

I have enjoyed a competition prize this year, although it wasn't won by myself but by my Mum. She received an email from a PR company last Monday informing her that she had won two tickets to the Strictly Come Dancing tour taking place on Tuesday!

Very short notice which is always a problem with ticket entry prizes. They should allow at least a week so that people can move any plans they have made and sort out their travel plans. At least this one was for a local venue.

Anyway with only two tickets she couldn't really choose between either of her two best friends so passed them onto me. The tickets had to be collected from the Box Office on the night so myself and my wife went along.

When we got there we were informed that we had actually won 4 tickets and a meet and greet with the stars after the show. Very annoying as we wasted two tickets and couldn't go to the meet and greet as we had already made travel plans to return home after the show.

The seats we got were fantastic (front row) which made it all the more galling to waste two of them. It was a brilliant show which I would recommend to anyone who likes the TV show.

Anyway I'm still entering all of the online competitions I can at the moment, even though slightly disheartened, and keeping my fingers crossed that the next prize is a big one. Good luck to all the other compers out there.