50-50 Raffle

A 50-50 raffle is a GREAT way to arrange a raffle in a hurry - without the hassle of seeking prizes from donors and printing complicated tickets!

How to run a 50/50 raffle

The way it works is very simple.

You set a price for your tickets (usually a $1, but - of course - it's completely up to you!)

You then sell your tickets to the attendees at your next fundraising event. 

For this type of raffle, you can use the standard, numbered type of raffle tickets available in stationery stores (or you can even print your own).

A double ticket roll is handy, since you need 1 ticket for the buyer and 1 for the draw - you can buy Double Raffle Ticket Rolls(online at Amazon).

You then draw the winning number and the owner of that ticket receives half the 'pot' - the money raised through the sale of the tickets. 

Your organization receives the other half.

It's as simple as that - you don't need to provide any prizes, and you may be surprised to find that people are VERY willing to take part in a raffle with a cash prize. In fact, it feels more like a fun 'game' than actually contributing to a good cause!


50-50 Raffle Tips

  • When selling your tickets, stipulate that - in order to win - the owner of the winning ticket MUST be present when the raffle is drawn. It's always a good thing to keep people at your fundraising event as long as possible anyway. If the owner of the winning ticket ISN'T present, then simply draw another ticket.

  • Check the laws in your area regarding 50-50 raffles - since a cash prize is on offer, there may be restrictions about which type of organizations can hold raffles of this nature.

  • Equip your ticket sellers with 2-pocket aprons. They put the doubles of the tickets sold into one pocket, and the money into the other.

  • To increase ticket sales (and, subsequently, the size of the pot!), offer a discount... 6 tickets for $5, for example.

  • Ensure the cost of each ticket is a nice round number ($1, $2 etc). If you set a price requiring change ($1.50, for example)... you will regret it!

  • Don't limit your 50-50 raffles to fundraising events - you can also hold them at meetings! If you're a school, for example, then use them to add excitement to PTA meetings. You may even get more parents showing up.


How to hold a reverse raffle

Heads or tails raffle - a FUN idea!

Why tea towel fundraisers are SO successful 

List of fundraising ideas

Home page


Return to Top of Page