• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, November 8, 2024

In its latest move to gain market share for its search engine Bing to compete against Google and other new AI-based engines, Microsoft announced a $1 million prize for its most loyal user.

Microsoft's marketing and advertising push gives users 20 chances to win, and new ways are released each week.

The promotion also supports two nonprofits. Each entry can add up to $500,000 in donations. Microsoft said it will donate $5 toward UNICEF and World Wildlife Fund for each Rewards member with more than 50 entries.

Those who give the search engine a try can earn up to 200 entries by performing Bing-related activities such as setting Bing as the default search engine, adding the Microsoft Rewards extension, doing searches on the engine, installing Microsoft Edge or the Bing app, setting up Windows backup, and using Bing for everyday tasks.

Rewards also can be earned by inviting friends to join, making purchases in the Microsoft Store, or achieving a "Bing daily streak" by conducting three searches a day for a full week.

In addition to one user receiving $1 million, 10 more winners will receive $10,000.

The program is open to users living in the U.S., the U.K., Puerto Rico, Canada, France and Germany and will end in late December.

Browsers and search engines are two markets where Microsoft has been trying to excel at gaining users.

The company has designed laptops and tablets to take that share with its Windows browser and Bing CoPilot, which are integrated into the machines.

Microsoft’s gift sounds very much like Elon Musk's giveaway, but is not as generous. Musk, the owner of social media site X, gave away $1 million per day to those who registered to vote in swing states.

The random awards were provided through his super PAC until election day.