The Ultimate Guide to Running a Fundraising Raffle

A well-run fundraising raffle is one of the most profitable events in a teenage fundraiser's toolkit. The maths is almost always in your favour: if you can secure your prizes for free (and you can — more on that in our companion guide), then almost every penny raised from ticket sales is pure profit.

But there is a catch. Raffles in the UK are governed by law, and running one incorrectly can get you into serious trouble. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to run a completely legal, highly profitable fundraising raffle.

The UK Law on Raffles

In the UK, a raffle is classified as a lottery under the Gambling Act 2005. This means you cannot simply sell tickets and draw a winner without following the rules. However, the good news is that the rules for small fundraising raffles are straightforward and easy to follow.

There are two types of small raffle that are legal without a licence:

1. The Incidental Non-Commercial Lottery

This is the simplest type of raffle. It is legal if:

• The raffle takes place at a specific event (e.g., a quiz night, a school fete, or a community fair).
• The tickets are only sold at the event itself — not in advance.
• The draw takes place at the event.
• All proceeds go to a good cause (your expedition fund qualifies).
• No more than £100 is deducted from the proceeds for expenses.

This is the type of raffle you would run at a quiz night or community event. It is simple, legal, and requires no paperwork.

2. The Small Society Lottery

If you want to sell tickets in advance (e.g., at school over several weeks before the draw), you need to register as a Small Society Lottery with your local council. This is free to do and straightforward. The rules are:

• Total ticket sales must not exceed £20,000 per lottery.
• At least 20% of the proceeds must go to the good cause.
• You must submit a return to the council after the lottery.

Planning Your Raffle for Maximum Profit

The key to a profitable raffle is planning. Here is a step-by-step approach that consistently delivers strong results.

Step 1: Secure Your Prizes First

Never start selling tickets until you have your prizes confirmed. People buy raffle tickets based on the prizes on offer. A first prize of a £100 restaurant voucher will sell far more tickets than a first prize of a box of chocolates. Read our guide to securing raffle prizes for free to learn exactly how to get great prizes donated at no cost to you.

Step 2: Price Your Tickets Correctly

Ticket pricing is a balance between accessibility and profit. The most common and effective pricing strategies are:

• £1 per ticket or 6 for £5: This is the classic approach. The bundle deal encourages people to buy more tickets at once.
• £2 per ticket or 3 for £5: Works well if your prizes are high-value (e.g., total prize value over £200).

Step 3: Design Professional Tickets

Your tickets need to look professional to inspire confidence. Use Canva (it's free) to design a simple ticket that includes:

• Your name and the cause you are raising money for.
• The ticket price.
• The date and location of the draw.
• A stub for the buyer to keep and a counterfoil for you to keep (with their name and contact details).
• The top prizes listed clearly.

Step 4: Sell, Sell, Sell

The more people who see your tickets, the more you will sell. Think beyond your immediate circle:

• Sell at school during break and lunch times.
• Ask local businesses if you can leave a small display of tickets on their counter.
• Sell at community events, church fetes, and sports clubs.
• Ask parents to sell tickets to their colleagues at work.
• Post about the raffle on social media, including photos of the prizes.

Running the Draw

The draw itself should be an event — even if it is a small one. If you are running the raffle at a larger event like a quiz night, build anticipation by announcing the draw at a specific time and making it a highlight of the evening.

For the draw itself:

• Use a clearly visible container (a hat, a box, or a tombola drum) to mix the tickets.
• Ask someone independent — a teacher, a parent, or a respected community member — to draw the winning tickets. This adds credibility.
• Announce each winner clearly and enthusiastically.
• If a winner is not present, contact them using the details on their counterfoil within 24 hours.

How Much Can You Raise?

The numbers can be impressive. A raffle with three good prizes (total value £150–£200, secured for free) selling 200 tickets at £1 each or 6 for £5 can realistically raise £200–£300 in pure profit. Run it alongside a larger event like a quiz night and you could add another £200–£400 to your total for the evening.

The most important thing is to start planning early. Give yourself at least four to six weeks to secure prizes and sell tickets. Rushing a raffle is the most common reason they underperform.