What is a Raffle?

A raffle is a type of lottery where people buy tickets with unique numbers for the chance to win a prize. It has a set draw date, winners are selected at random, and every prize must be won by someone who bought a ticket.

The most popular form of raffle is the small society raffle which requires a promoter to register at their local authority or council for a yearly rate of around £20 after an initial registration fee of £40.

Each raffle ticket has a unique number printed on both the main ticket and a detachable stub (also called a counterfoil). The buyer writes their name and contact details on the stub, tears it off and hands it to the seller. The buyer keeps the main ticket with the matching number.

On the draw date, all the collected stubs go into a container and one is drawn at random for each prize. The number on the drawn stub is matched to the ticket holder, who wins the prize. This is why unique numbering is essential — it is the only way to fairly link a drawn stub to a ticket buyer.

A raffle is a type of lottery. The main difference is that in a raffle every prize must be won — there is always a guaranteed winner. The term "lottery" covers everything from the National Lottery to a school PTA draw, but in legal terms under the Gambling Commission, raffles are classified as lotteries and follow the same regulations.

A raffle has a set draw date — tickets are sold in advance and winners are drawn at a specific time. A tombola is an instant-win game where players buy a ticket and find out immediately whether they have won a prize, usually by matching a number to a prize table.

Both are classed as lotteries under the Gambling Act 2005 and follow the same basic rules. The practical difference is timing: raffles build anticipation over days or weeks, while tombolas give instant results at an event. Many of our customers run both at the same event — a raffle for bigger prizes and a tombola for smaller ones.

A tombola is an instant-win game where each ticket either wins a prize or doesn't. Players draw a ticket from a drum or container, and if their ticket number ends in a winning digit (commonly 0 or 5), they win a prize from the table.

To run one, you need a set of numbered tickets, a container to draw from, and a table of prizes. Tombolas work best at events like school fairs, fetes and festivals where people want instant gratification. They are classed as incidental lotteries, so no licence is needed as long as tickets are sold and prizes are given out at the event on the day.

There are three main types: small society lotteries, incidental lotteries and private lotteries. A small society lottery is the most common — it requires council registration and lets you sell tickets in advance. An incidental lottery is a raffle held at an event where tickets are sold on the day only. A private lottery is for members of a club or society and must be held on the society's premises.

A small society lottery is a lottery/raffle run by a non commercial society (usually run for charitable purposes or any other purposes that is not for private gain). According to the Gambling Commission's guide some of the main rules that distinguish are as follows.

• You must be registered with your local council or authority.


• A minimum of 20% must be given to the good cause or purpose of the society.


• No one prize can be worth more than £25,000.


• You can't sell more than £20,000 of tickets in a single lottery or £250,000 in any given year.


• All tickets must be the same price.

An incidental lottery is a lottery/raffle that you are holding at an event, such as a fair or fete. You do not need a licence or any requirement to register at an authority/council, however, you must still adhere to the rules set by the Gambling Commission.

• Money must be raised for non commercial gain.


• You can sell tickets to anyone at the event only, on location whilst the event is taking place. You cannot sell online.


• Tickets must have unique numbers or identifiers so you can pick a winner.


• No limits to how much you can charge for a ticket, and can also offer discounts for multiple buys.

A private society lottery is a lottery/raffle that is run for members of your community group or club. You do not need a licence or any requirement to register at an authority/council, however, you must still adhere to the rules set by the Gambling Commission.

Money raised can be used for your club or community as long as it is relevant to the cause (e.g. a golf club raising money to buy new equipment).

• You can also raise money for charity or other good causes.


• Tickets can be sold to members or guests. Guests must purchase tickets on the premises.


• No specific requirements for tickets as long as they all cost the same price and they are not sold online.


• The draw must take place on the society's premises.

An online raffle is a raffle where tickets are sold over the internet rather than in person. To run one legally in the UK, the organiser needs a Gambling Commission operating licence or must work with a registered External Lottery Manager (ELM). Most small societies cannot sell tickets online — they promote online but sell physical tickets in person.

Many so-called "online raffles" you see on social media are actually prize competitions with a skill element, which fall outside gambling law. If you are considering selling tickets online, check with the Gambling Commission first. For more detail, see our section on running a raffle legally.

The Gambling Commission licence and regulate the individuals and businesses that provide gambling in Great Britain, including the National Lottery, to safeguard players and the wider public by ensuring gambling is fair and safe.

Yes, with cheap raffle ticket printing and donated prizes, raffles are one of the cheapest and simplest ways to raise funds for your cause. They also bring communities together, boost charity engagement and awareness and are a lot of fun. If you are holding an event, say a fair, fete or even a festival then a raffle makes an extremely worthwhile addition to your fundraising.

Roll tickets are small single tickets, uniquely numbered and connect end to end via a perforation. The customer retains a number, and so does the seller.

Raffle tickets are the bigger brother which allows for larger prize funds and public ticket selling which usually raises significantly more money. They make a more professional impression which is important for the buyer's trust and increases awareness of your brand.

With a larger print area, more information is seen by the purchaser of the ticket, and so it's easier to promote your cause which can lead to possible donations or event attention, which ultimately raises more money.

Raffle ticket books are a group of single raffle tickets stapled or glued into books. The most common book size is 5 but they can also be made up in books of 4, 6, 10, 20 and more. You can order raffle ticket books in any size you need.

A raffle draw is the same as a raffle. The term is used as you commonly draw a ticket randomly to pick a winner. The raffle draw could also be used as a term for the actual day of the raffle taking place. i.e. the draw date.