A raffle is one of the ideal activities for an association, town or village to raise funds and create more energy among residents. It is especially popular among older people. It has been a classic event in France for decades, and its popularity continues to endure.
However, organising a raffle requires good preparation: from managing participants, the venue and materials, to complying with regulations and organising extra stalls such as a drinks or snack area… there’s a lot to think about and nothing can be forgotten. To organise a successful raffle, here is everything you need to know in advance:
Summary
1. The different objectives of a raffle
Before you get started, whether you are a local council or an association aiming to raise funds, you first need to define your objectives, just like for any event. How many people do you want to reach? What will be the price per ticket or playing card? What revenue are you aiming for? Answering these questions in advance will help you plan more effectively, for example when booking a venue or hiring equipment.
a) Fundraising
If your raffle is mainly focused on fundraising, it’s effective to offer attractive prizes that encourage people to buy tickets. Think of valuable items or unique experiences that participants won’t easily find elsewhere. The idea is to create a strong motivation that boosts ticket sales.
Set a ticket price that maximises your revenue while still being affordable for your target audience. For example, consider a pricing structure that offers a discount for buying multiple tickets.
Make sure your promotional campaign clearly highlights the cause being supported. Use testimonials, real-life stories or figures showing the impact of previous initiatives to not only convince people to take part, but also to encourage others to support your raffle.
b) Community engagement
For a raffle focused on local involvement, you can offer prizes from local businesses or based on regional experiences. This strengthens the community spirit and supports the local economy.
Sell tickets at a lower price to enable as many people as possible to participate. The goal here is not maximum profit, but maximum neighbourhood participation.
Your promotional campaign can focus on creating a real community event around the raffle. Use local communication channels such as community papers, schools and the council’s social media to reach as many people as possible.
c) Entertainment
If the aim is mainly to offer a fun evening, prizes can be lighter and more playful, such as gadgets, cinema tickets or vouchers for local restaurants.
In this case, the ticket price should mainly cover the costs of the event, while remaining affordable to ensure a good turnout. The emphasis here is on the experience, not on profit.
Focus your communications on the fun aspect of the evening, using appealing visuals and inviting texts that make people look forward to an enjoyable, relaxed activity.
2. Book your venue well in advance
No raffle without a venue! Choose your location in advance and arrange a booking, possibly through your local council. Especially in spring and summer, community halls are often booked months in advance for various events.
As soon as you’ve picked a date, it’s best to make the reservation quickly. The venue must be equipped with enough tables and chairs, depending on the expected number of participants. Your local authority’s technical team can usually advise on the layout and help you estimate total costs (such as chair hire, hall rental, equipment like a fridge, and so on).
3. Apply for the necessary permits under local law
As with any community event (such as a sports tournament, tombola or car boot sale), you’ll need to apply for certain permits from the local authority to organise a raffle. In some regions, the requirements may be more complex and involve additional applications and administrative paperwork, which can take time.
Legal rules for organising a raffle in the UK
In the UK, the organisation of raffles is regulated by law and often limited to non-profit or charitable organisations. The purpose must generally be to support a social, cultural or charitable cause.
For small society raffles:
- Your organisation must be non-commercial (e.g., a charity or community group)
- The total value of prizes must not exceed £20,000 (or £250,000 annually)
- You must register with your local council, not the Gambling Commission
- All proceeds must go to a good cause
For incidental raffles (e.g. at a school fête or dinner):
- Tickets can only be sold and drawn during the event
- No licence is required, but you must not run the raffle for personal profit
Check with your local authority (e.g., London Borough Council) for detailed rules and applications.
The following applies: no profit-making for private individuals, clear and transparent organisation, and timely application for the necessary permits.
4. Choose the prizes for the winners
Prizes can include household appliances, gift vouchers, gourmet hampers, tickets for concerts or films, or even weekend stays in a chalet or other unique location.
Everything depends on the budget you have set in advance. Ensure the prizes are attractive enough to motivate people to buy tickets, but also that you still make a profit in the end. Clearly determine how many winners there will be per prize, to avoid surprises or mistakes at the last minute.
It is common to provide different prize categories, for example:
- Prizes of less than €25,
- Prizes up to €50,
- Prizes above €100,
- One main prize over €200.
5. Determine how many tickets to sell and the price per card
As mentioned earlier, you need to determine how many tickets or playing cards you want to sell and at what price, to meet your objectives. Only then can you accurately assess which costs to cover and what revenue to aim for. Also think about the sales method. If you focus mainly on online sales, it’s still a good idea to offer tickets on the day for people who decide at the last minute to participate.
6. Manage registrations and ticket sales
To efficiently manage registrations and ticket sales, using an online ticketing system is highly recommended. This not only helps you estimate the expected number of attendees, but also allows you to reach people from nearby towns and villages more easily.
By adding a registration form to your minisite, you can immediately collect participant information (such as name, email address, age, etc.). In just a few clicks, with online payment, participants can sign up. This lowers the barrier to entry.
Don’t forget to also offer older people the chance to register in person at the town hall or even on the day of the event itself.
7. Don’t forget the food and drink stalls!
A raffle can sometimes last over four hours! So be sure to include breaks and a drinks and snack stand open throughout the event. The drinks stall is also an excellent way to generate extra income during the raffle.
Provide snacks and drinks that appeal to both young and old, and take dietary needs or allergies into account. Think pancakes with sugar, chocolate or jam, hot dogs, chips, sweets, crisps or toasted sandwiches, keep the selection varied!
8. Promote your event well
To increase the visibility of your raffle, promotion through various channels is essential (flyers, online platforms, social media…). This boosts your chances of a high turnout and more ticket sales. Ask your local council to help with communication via email, posters around the town or their website.
On social media like Instagram, TikTok or Twitter, share engaging visual content: behind-the-scenes photos and videos of the preparations always perform well. Use relevant hashtags to extend your reach.
For Facebook, create an event and use it to post updates, engage your audience and encourage them to share the event with their network.
Always highlight the most attractive prizes in your communications, along with their value, this will help attract more participants.
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