How does this work?

go to inventory, click the game, send game to email or the winner and wait for the game to be redeemed

In case the winner hasn't redeemed the game after 7 days, you can make a support ticket to ask for a reroll.

You can't trade your steam library.

If the game is in your library, it's permanently tied to your account.

don't be confused with 'inventory' or 'library'. both are different things.

I think you're confusing your inventory with your Steam library.

Is there any way to have an unplayed game in my library into a gift?

If not, then my money spent (in advance for another monthly giveaway too) is lost and I'll just buy it again but as a gift.

Sigh... there should have been a note/message/announcement about this somewhere though.

The total and complete new gifter's guide to gifting:

• This is your library. You already own these games, you cannot gift them.
• This is your inventory. You have purchased these games but HAVE NOT tied them to your own account.
• Click this or this to view your inventory. These are the games you can gift to others.

• When you purchase a new game, you can either Purchase for yourself, or purchase as a gift. Purchasing for yourself puts the game in your library. Purchasing as a gift gives you these options to either send it to a friend immediately, or store it in your inventory to send to a friend later. Most folks purchase the gift, and "store it in my inventory for later" (last option) and then send it to the winner after the giveaway is over.

It's actually in our FAQ.

• Please note you cannot gift games from your Steam library. They are permanently attached to your account and not giftable.

Valve also informs you of this during registration.

• Once you have created a Steam account and registered your CD Key or purchased a game on Steam, that game is permanently tied to that particular account.

I will close this thread now.