Join the 2014 24 Hours of PASS Business Analytics Challenge and You Could Win a Free Ticket!

Calling all data junkies and business analysts! Play along with @SQLServer on Twitter, February 5^th during the 24 Hours of PASS, Business Analytics Edition for your chance to win a cool Microsoft T-shirt and a ticket to the 2014 PASS Business Analytics Conference in San Jose, CA! Beginning at 8 am PT on February 5^th, you can benefit from twelve live 1-hour sessions (followed by 12 hours of on-demand replay) that will cover data analytics and visualization, big data innovations and integration, information delivery, advanced analytics and more! 

Near the end of each of the twelve live sessions (approximately 55-59 minutes after the session starts), you’ll have the opportunity to win a T-shirt by being the first to correctly answer a question related to the session you just finished watching in this #pass24HOP Challenge.  (We will tweet 5 minutes prior to each question to give you time to be prepare.) What’s more, we will randomly select one lucky winner from all the eligible entries received to receive a free ticket to PASS BAC!

To take part in the #pass24Hop Challenge, you must:

• Sign in to your Twitter account. If you do not have an account, visit www.twitter.com to create one. Twitter accounts are free.
• Once logged into your Twitter account, follow the links and instructions to become a follower of SQL Server at @SQLServer.
• From your account, as you see the question sent from @SQLServer, send a reply to @SQLServer and include your answer to the posted question
• Your reply tweet must contain the hashtags #pass24hop and #msbi to be eligible for entry
• The first person to tweet a correct reply will win a Microsoft-branded T-shirt.
• In addition, one Grand Prize winner will be randomly selected from among all eligible entries received, limit one Grand Prize drawing entry per person, per question. The Grand Prize winner will receive a ticket to the 2014 PASS Business Analytics Conference in San Jose, CA. (Please note: The prize consists of Event registration only, the winner solely responsible for any travel or expenses not included in registration. This award is non-transferable.)
• See official rules below.

Register now for 24 Hours of Pass and get ready for 24 hours of play!  Learn more about the 24 Hours of Pass here and read the official rules below.

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2014 PASS BUSINESS ANALYTICS #pass24HOP CHALLENGE – OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.

COMMON TERMS USED IN THESE RULES:

These are the official rules that govern how #pass24HOP Challenge (“Challenge”) promotion will operate. This promotion will be simply referred to as the “Challenge” throughout the rest of these rules.

In these rules, “we,” “our,” and “us” refer to Microsoft Corporation, the sponsor of the Challenge. “You” refers to an eligible Challenge entrant.

WHAT ARE THE START AND END DATES? 
This Challenge starts at 8:00 a.m. PT on February 5, 2014 and ends at 8:00 p.m. PT on February 5, 2014 (“Entry Period”).  The Entry Period consists of 12 separate Prize Periods as further described below.

CAN I ENTER? 
You are eligible to enter this Challenge if you meet the following requirements at time of entry:

• You are a Business Analytics or IT Professional 18 years of age or older, who is participating in the free 24 Hours of PASS: Business Analytics event “(Entrant”). Details of the event are available here.

and

• If you are 18 of age or older, but are considered a minor in your legal place of residence, you must ask your parent’s or legal guardian’s permission prior to entering this Challenge; and

• You are NOT a resident of any of the following countries: Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria.

• PLEASE NOTE: U.S. export regulations prohibit the export of goods and services to Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria. Therefore residents of these countries / regions are not eligible to participate.

• You are NOT an employee of Microsoft Corporation or an employee of a Microsoft subsidiary; and

• You are NOT involved in any part of the administration and execution of this Challenge; and

• You are NOT an immediate family (parent, sibling, spouse, child) or household member of a Microsoft employee, an employee of a Microsoft subsidiary, or a person involved in any part of the administration and execution of this Challenge

This Challenge is void wherever prohibited by law.

HOW DO I ENTER? 

At the end of each of the first twelve live 24 Hours of PASS sessions (at approximately 58-59 minutes past each hour) a new trivia question regarding the most recent PASS session will be posted online on the @SQLServer Twitter account.

To enter, you must do all of the following:

1. Sign in to your Twitter account. If you do not have an account, visit www.twitter.com to create one. Twitter accounts are free.
2. Once logged into your Twitter account, follow the links and instructions to become a follower of @SQLServer.
3. From your own account, reply to @SQLServer and include in the tweet your answer to the posted question.
4. Your tweet must contain both the #msbi #pass24hop hashtags to be eligible for entry
5. Your tweet must include the complete answer to the question, or it will be disqualified.
6. The first person to correctly tweet a correct reply to each question will win the prize described below.  In addition, all eligible entries received will be entered into the Grand Prize drawing. Limit one Grand Prize drawing entry per person per question.   

We are not responsible for entries that we do not receive for any reason, or for entries that we receive but are not decipherable for any reason, or for entries that do not include both the #PASS24hop and #msbi hashtags, or do not provide a complete answer.

We will automatically disqualify:

• Any incomplete or illegible entry; and

• Any entries that we receive from you that are in excess of the entry limit described above; and

• Any entries that do not comply with Twitter.com terms of use. 

WINNER SELECTION AND PRIZES 
The first person to correctly respond will receive a Microsoft branded T-shirt.  Approximate Retail Value each $20.  A total of twelve prizes are available.

In addition, at the close of the Entry Period one Grand Prize winner will be randomly selected from among all eligible entries received.  The Grand Prize is complimentary registration for the PASS Business Analytics Conference http://www.sqlpass.org/bac/2014/Home.aspx. The prize consists of Event registration only, winner solely responsible for any travel or expenses not included in registration.  Value $1,985

Limit of one T-shirt and one Grand Prize per person or Twitter account for the duration of the Challenge, regardless of the number of correct answers submitted.

If you are a potential winner, we will notify you via Direct Message on Twitter to the account provided at time of entry within seven (7) days following the end of the Entry Period.  If the notification that we send is returned as undeliverable, or you are otherwise unreachable for any reason, we may award the prize to an alternate, randomly selected winner.  Winners can expect to receive their prize within four (4) to six (6) weeks following verification of eligibility.

If there is a dispute as to who is the potential winner, we reserve the right to make final decisions on who is the winner based on the accuracy of the answer provided, ensuring that the rules of including hashtags is followed, and the times the answers arrives based on what times are listed on www.twitter.com.

If you are a potential winner, we may require you to sign an Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability/Publicity Release within 10 days of notification.  If you are a potential winner and you are 18 or older, but are considered a minor in your place of legal residence, we may require your parent or legal guardian to sign all required forms on your behalf.  If you do not complete the required forms as instructed and/or return the required forms within the time period listed on the winner notification message, we may disqualify you and select an alternate, randomly selected winner.

If you are confirmed as a winner of this Challenge:

• You may not exchange your prize for cash or any other merchandise or services.  However, if for any reason an advertised prize is unavailable, we reserve the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value; and

• You may not designate someone else as the winner.  If you are unable or unwilling to accept your prize, we will award it to an alternate potential winner; and

• If you accept a prize, you will be solely responsible for all applicable taxes related to accepting the prize; and

• If you are otherwise eligible for this Challenge, but are considered a minor in your place of residence, we may award the prize to your parent/legal guardian on your behalf; and 

WHAT ARE YOUR ODDS OF WINNING? 
Your odds of winning this Challenge depend on the number of eligible entries we receive and they time the entries are posted to www.twitter.com.

WHAT OTHER CONDITIONS ARE YOU AGREEING TO BY ENTERING THIS CHALLENGE? 
By entering this Challenge you agree:

• To abide by these Official Rules; and

• To release and hold harmless Microsoft, and its respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, employees and agents from any and all liability or any injury, loss or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with this Challenge or any prize won; and

• That Microsoft’s decisions will be final and binding on all matters related to this Challenge; and

• That by accepting a prize, Microsoft may use of your proper name and state of residence online and in print, or in any other media, in connection with this Challenge, without payment or compensation to you, except where prohibited by law

WHAT LAWS GOVERN THE WAY THIS CHALLENGE IS EXECUTED AND ADMINISTRATED? 
This Challenge will be governed by the laws of the State of Washington, and you consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the courts of the State of Washington for any disputes arising out of this Challenge. 

WHAT IF SOMETHING UNEXPECTED HAPPENS AND THE CHALLENGE CAN’T RUN AS PLANNED? 
If cheating, a virus, bug, catastrophic event, or any other unforeseen or unexpected event that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled, (also referred to as force majeure) affects the fairness and / or integrity of this Challenge, we reserve the right to cancel, change or suspend this Challenge.  This right is reserved whether the event is due to human or technical error. If a solution cannot be found to restore the integrity of the Challenge, we reserve the right to select winners from among all eligible entries received before we had to cancel, change or suspend the Challenge.

If you attempt to compromise the integrity or the legitimate operation of this Challenge by hacking or by cheating or committing fraud in ANY way, we may seek damages from you to the fullest extent permitted by law.  Further, we may ban you from participating in any of our future Challenge, so please play fairly.

HOW CAN YOU FIND OUT WHO WON? 
To find out who won, send an email to v-daconn@microsoft.com by March 6, 2014 with the subject line: “#PASS24HOP Business Analytics Challenge Winners List”.

WHO IS SPONSORING THIS CHALLENGE? 
Microsoft Corporation 
One Microsoft Way 
Redmond, WA 98052