Publishers Clearing House

Publishers Clearing House (PCH) is an American company founded in 1953 by Harold Mertz. The company offered bulk mail direct marketing of periodicals (and later merchandise) as an alternative to door-to-door magazine subscription sales. Publishers Clearing House is most widely known for its sweepstakes and prize-based games, which were introduced in 1967. From August 2020 to March 2024, it owned the Wide Open Media publications Wide Open Spaces (about outdoors lifestyle), Wide Open Country (about country music), and FanBuzz (about sports).

PCH sweepstakes have been subject to legal action regarding whether consumers were misled about the odds of winning, and whether purchases improved their chances. By 2010, the company had reached settlements with all 50 states, and in 2023 the Federal Trade Commission ordered PCH to overhaul its sweepstakes processes. In 2025, PCH filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and its assets were acquired by ARB Interactive, an online sweepstakes company.