Untappd launches 10-week Check In Challenge with $10,000 in prizes

Untappd is rolling out a holiday-season promotion from Nov. 2, 2026, to Jan. 10, 2027, giving drinkers weekly chances to win cash prizes for checking in drinks across beer, wine, spirits and more. The campaign is designed to drive discovery across categories and launch a new Check In Challenge series.

Why it matters: - Untappd is using the busiest drinking season of the year to push users beyond their usual choices. - The promotion gives drinkers a simple incentive to try new categories and keep using the app through the holidays. - The campaign also introduces a new series format, which could become a recurring engagement tool for the platform.

What happened: - Untappd announced the $10,000 Check In Challenge on Nov. 2, 2026. - The 10-week campaign runs from Nov. 2, 2026, through Jan. 10, 2027. - The challenge covers beer, wine, spirits, cider, ready-to-drink cocktails and other beverage categories. - Each week features a new category, a new badge and a new drawing.

The details: - Participants complete the weekly challenge by checking in one qualifying drink that matches the category. - Each badge earned counts as an entry into that week’s drawing. - Two winners are selected at random each week. - Each winner receives a $500 digital Visa gift card or local equivalent. - The 10-week prize pool totals $10,000. - Users can win one prize over the course of the challenge. - Weekly challenge details will be posted at promos.untappd.com, in the Untappd app, on the Untappd blog and on @untappd on Facebook and Instagram. - The challenge is open to Untappd users of legal drinking age in their country of residence. - No purchase is necessary, and full eligibility and prize rules are available at the Official Rules.

Between the lines: - The campaign leans on Untappd’s core behavior: discover a drink, check it in and earn a badge. - The holiday timing aligns with social drinking occasions, which could increase participation and app engagement. - Tyler Kairys, vice president of marketing at Next Glass, said the company wants to turn holiday drink discovery into a community activity and give users a reason to explore a different category each week. - Untappd is positioning the promotion as Season 1 of a broader Check In Challenge series, signaling plans for future campaigns.

What’s next: - New weekly challenges will continue through Jan. 10, 2027. - Winners will be announced on Untappd’s social channels each week. - Untappd says future seasons of the Check In Challenge are coming. - New users can download the free app on iOS or Android to join.

The bottom line: - Untappd is turning holiday drinking into a gamified contest, with weekly badges, weekly prizes and a built-in push to explore more categories.