(1) Me, too. I win with the free codes. Won a couple that way just this past week, as a matter of fact.
Exception: There is a sweeps that makes you produce the product wrapper with the UPC code if you are the winner. People post reminders in Comments for that one. That doesn't seem legal since you are not supposed to have to buy to win, but there it is.
(2) There is no need to accept e-mail out of fear of not receiving a winning notice. If the win notice is to be made by e-mail, you will still get it. Again, this is personal experience talking.
Exception: Once in a blue moon you DO have to accept e-mail to guarantee that you will get the winning notice, but they make such a big deal of it that you won't miss those rare few. When I went to opt out of the first e-mail I received, I got a message that said, "Are you SURE you want to opt out?? You won't get a winning notice if you do win." This was years ago.
Best 10/2009 win: 47inch LCD 1080p HDTV including a TV stand, Nintendo Wii and two games (1 of 10 Grand Prizes)
Best 11/2009 win: Kindle (1 of 7 Grand Prizes)
Best 12/2009 win: $5 Home Depot gift card (1 of 10,500 fourth prizes)
Best 1/2010 wins: Loacker bag with 8 mugs (1 of 1000)--from my very first sweeping entry in the New Year!
................................. Philips Prestigo Universal Remote Control (1 of 5 remotes out of 50 second place prizes)
................................. $5 check from Cheerios (now a total of 4 out of 40,608) actual money--woo!
Best 2/2010 win: stainless steel tongs, $2.66