How to run a 50/50 raffle in the UK: a guide for charities (2026)

Charities are always looking for ways to raise money and reach a new audience. A 50/50 raffle is a reliable way to do both with limited funds.

All you need is raffle tickets and a group of volunteers, and you are sure to get supporters excited regardless of their existing connection with your charity.

In this article, we will look at 50/50 raffles in depth: what they are, how UK gambling law applies, how to plan one, and how it can benefit your organisation.

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Table of contents

• What is a 50/50 raffle?

• Benefits of 50/50 raffles

• How to price 50/50 raffle tickets

• How to sell 50/50 raffle tickets in the UK

• Which UK route applies?

• How to host a 50/50 raffle

• 7 ideas and tips to raise more money with a 50/50 raffle

• Legal considerations for 50/50 raffles in the UK

• Other alternatives to 50/50 raffles

• Ready to host your 50/50 raffle?

• Frequently asked questions

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What is a 50/50 raffle?

A 50/50 raffle is a simple fundraising tool to add to any event. All you need is an enthusiastic crowd, a group of volunteers, and raffle tickets. Ticket prices can range from £1 to £20 to encourage supporters to purchase more than one.

Unlike a traditional raffle, the prize is half of the money raised, so everyone has a reason to buy a ticket. The more tickets you sell, the higher the pot.

Volunteers move around your event selling 50/50 raffle tickets while other activities are taking place. At the end of the event, you draw the winning ticket and announce the winner to the crowd.

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Benefits of 50/50 raffles

50/50 raffles offer a number of key benefits:

• Low cost and easy to organise. Requires minimal setup compared to traditional raffles with physical prizes. No need to secure or purchase expensive prizes: just split the proceeds.

• A guaranteed winner. Supporters love the chance to win cash, making it more enticing than donated items. The prize pool grows throughout the event, building excitement and increasing ticket sales.

• High profit potential. Since half of the proceeds go to the charity, even small ticket prices can generate significant funds. The larger the crowd, the higher the total pot, encouraging more participation.

• Last-minute spontaneity. Unlike auctions or major gifts, 50/50 raffles attract spontaneous participation. Supporters may purchase more tickets as the prize grows.

• Wide appeal. Unlike specialised auctions or themed fundraisers, cash prizes appeal to nearly everyone. Works well at a variety of events, from gala dinners and sports club tournaments to school fairs and corporate fundraisers.

• Flexible format. Can be adapted for online, hybrid, or in-person fundraisers. Digital raffle tools make it easy to sell tickets and select winners fairly.

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How to price 50/50 raffle tickets

The goal of a 50/50 raffle is to sell as many tickets as possible. Some of this will depend on the number of volunteers you have or your supporters' preferences. But the primary way to encourage more participation is to increase the amount they could win.

To find the best ticket price, you need to:

• Know your supporters' spending comfort level

• Compare with the cost of other fundraising activities at your event

• Consider the event type and attendee expectations

• Think about what pot size will excite your specific audience

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Example price points

• School fairs and PTA events: £1 to £5 tickets (even a £25 prize can be exciting for younger attendees)

• Village fêtes and community fundraisers: £2 to £5 tickets

• Charity gala dinners: £10 to £20 tickets, or a strip-of-five bundle for a better pot

• Sports club fundraisers: tiered pricing (£2 for one, £5 for three, £10 for an arm's length)

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How to sell 50/50 raffle tickets in the UK

Before you sell a single raffle ticket, you need to know which legal route your 50/50 raffle falls under. UK gambling law draws a clear line between two types of charity raffle, and the rules are different for each.

Route 1: at the event on the day (incidental non-commercial lottery)

If you sell tickets only at the venue, only on the day of the event, and draw the winner before the event ends, your raffle is an incidental non-commercial lottery under the Gambling Act 2005. No registration is required, but you must keep to the rules:

• Tickets must be physical (not sold online or in advance)

• Tickets can only be sold at the venue during the event

• Maximum £100 of proceeds may go towards expenses

• Maximum £500 of ticket-sale proceeds may be used as prize money (donated prizes are uncapped)

(Gambling Commission: how to run a fundraiser with lotteries or raffles at events)

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Route 2: online or in advance (small society lottery)

If you sell tickets online, before the event, or via social media, you need to register as a small society lottery with your local licensing authority (usually the council):

• Registration fee: £40 initial, £20 annual renewal

• Maximum £20,000 in ticket sales per single lottery

• Maximum £250,000 across all lotteries in one year

• At least 20% of proceeds must go to your good cause

• Maximum single prize: £25,000

• Submit a return to the local authority within three months of the draw

(Gambling Commission: small society lotteries)

Zeffy makes it straightforward to sell 50/50 raffle tickets online and at your event with customisable, automatically generated raffle tickets.

Zeffy accepts all major credit and debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and cheque. With Zeffy you can:

• Take card payments on the day with Tap to Pay on iPhone, so volunteers do not need a separate card reader

• Sell raffle tickets online in advance (once your small society lottery registration is in place)

• Scan tickets at the door with a QR code

• Increase sales by offering ticket bundles or discount codes

• Customise your raffle tickets with your charity's branding and sponsor logos

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Which UK route applies?

Use this table to decide before you start selling tickets. (Gambling Commission)

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How to host a 50/50 raffle

• 1. Decide which legal route applies. Work through the table above before you do anything else. If you plan to sell tickets online, via email, or before the day of the event, you are running a small society lottery and must register with your local licensing authority before any tickets go on sale. Check Gambling Commission guidance on small society lotteries for the current requirements.

• 2. Sell tickets effectively. Offer tickets online (if registered) and at the event for maximum participation. Encourage purchases when supporters buy event tickets, check in, or during key moments. Keep the process simple and convenient. Incentivise supporters to buy multiple tickets with bulk purchase discounts.

• 3. Promote the raffle during the event. Make periodic announcements about ticket sales and the growing prize amount. Place signs around the venue with raffle details, including the draw time. Make the draw process and timing clear at the point of sale, in line with the Fundraising Regulator's Code of Fundraising Practice (legal, open, honest, respectful). (Fundraising Regulator Code of Fundraising Practice)

• 4. Engage virtual or hybrid attendees. If hosting online, ensure virtual attendees know when the draw happens. Use a livestream or event platform to keep them engaged throughout the event.

• 5. Conduct a fair and transparent draw. Capture attendees' full attention when drawing the winner. Consider drawing the winner alongside other event activities or at the event's conclusion. Maintain transparency: avoid selling tickets to staff or volunteers to prevent concerns about fairness. Use a random selection tool such as RandomPicker for an unbiased draw. If you have registered as a small society lottery, remember to submit a return to the local authority within three months of the draw. If you collect names and contact details from ticket buyers (required for a small society lottery), you are a UK GDPR data controller under the Data Protection Act 2018. Have a lawful basis for processing that data and include a short privacy notice on your sales page. See the Information Commissioner's Office for guidance.

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7 ideas and tips to raise more money with a 50/50 raffle

50/50 raffles can help you raise more at your in-person, hybrid, or virtual event. In addition to what we have already covered, your charity can use the following approaches to increase ticket sales or collect more funds.

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1. Offer discounts

One way to encourage supporters to buy more raffle tickets is to offer a discount when they purchase more than one. Or, if they purchase through a specific channel (for example, buying raffle tickets online), offer promo codes. One ticket is £10, but supporters can buy three for £25.

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2. Use a multi-winner model

A 50/50 raffle means the charity gets half of the winnings and the winner gets the other half, but that does not mean you have to limit the number of winners. If your event is large enough and you expect to collect a significant amount from ticket sales, you can award more than one winner.

Say you collect £5,000. Your organisation will keep £2,500 and you can either divide the remainder into £500 amounts for five winners, or award decreasing amounts: £1,000 for the grand prize winner, two at £500, and four at £250. With a better chance of winning any amount, supporters may be more likely to buy one or more tickets.

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3. Ask volunteers to sell tickets before the event

Your volunteers are a vital part of your 50/50 raffle. But what if you asked them to sell tickets before the event too? With a little extra work, your volunteers can significantly increase ticket sales and offer the chance to win to their friends and family.

A note on timing: selling tickets before the event counts as advance sales, which means you are running a small society lottery. Make sure your council registration is in place before volunteers start selling.

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4. Encourage peer-to-peer raffle ticket sales

Peer-to-peer fundraising has become popular across all ages and community groups. Online platforms such as Zeffy make it straightforward to collect funds and sell raffle tickets.

You can create a peer-to-peer raffle campaign, add it to your website, and share it on social media or with emails to your current supporters. You can also reach out to donors and volunteers with a solid online following to promote your charity's raffle.

Important UK note: P2P raffle ticket sales, social media promotion of ticket sales, and any pre-event sales all place you firmly in the small society lottery route. Your local-authority registration must be in place before tickets go on sale online or via any peer-to-peer campaign.

5. Offer rewards to those who sell tickets

If you choose to sell tickets with a peer-to-peer campaign, consider offering rewards to those who sell the most. You can give everyone with their own campaign page a free raffle ticket, and either reward more based on how much they sell or offer a separate prize. Promote these incentives when contacting supporters about starting their own peer-to-peer campaign page.

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6. Sell space on your raffle tickets to sponsors

There are ways to raise event funds beyond selling more raffle tickets. When planning your event, form a committee to contact and secure event sponsors. Create different sponsorship levels with marketing perks to attract companies to your event.

Zeffy offers space for sponsor logos on your raffle tickets. You can add this to one of your sponsorship levels or offer it as a standalone option. Since attendees will see the company logo every time they look at their ticket, do not underestimate the value of the marketing opportunity you are offering.

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7. Promote tickets in your newsletter

If your charity has a monthly or quarterly newsletter, direct readers to your online event page to buy 50/50 raffle tickets. Supporters who receive your newsletter are long-term backers with a genuine interest in your organisation and its mission. When promoting tickets, share how the funds will be used with a beneficiary story that brings the work to life.

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8. Use paid ads to reach a larger audience

Who does not want to win cash? A 50/50 raffle offers supporters the chance to take home half of the amount raised. With a prize like that, you should not limit your marketing to people who already know you. If you expect to raise a significant amount, it may be worth placing ads on Facebook, Instagram, and Google.

One important caveat: paid promotion of a charity raffle only applies if you are registered as a small society lottery. You cannot promote an incidental event-only lottery online or via paid advertising. The Gambling Commission also has display requirements for online lotteries, including a licensed-status statement in a specified format.

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Legal considerations for 50/50 raffles in the UK

In the UK, charity raffles are regulated by the Gambling Act 2005 and overseen by the Gambling Commission. There is no equivalent of a US-style federal reporting threshold; instead, the law focuses on how the lottery is run and whether the correct registration is in place.

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The two legal routes

As covered above, your 50/50 raffle falls into one of two categories:

Incidental non-commercial lottery: tickets sold at the venue, on the day, in physical form only. No registration required. Expenses capped at £100 from proceeds; prize money from proceeds capped at £500 (donated prizes uncapped). (Gambling Commission)

Small society lottery: any online, advance, or pre-event ticket sales. Register with your local licensing authority (usually the council) before selling a single ticket. The registration fee is £40 initially and £20 for annual renewal. Key limits: £20,000 in ticket sales per single lottery; £250,000 across all lotteries in a year; no single prize over £25,000; at least 20% of proceeds must go to your good cause. Submit a return to the local authority within three months of the draw. (Gambling Commission)

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Who can register

You do not have to be a registered charity to run a small society lottery. Constituted community groups, sports clubs, churches, and unincorporated associations can register too, provided the lottery is for a non-commercial purpose (charitable, sporting, cultural or similar). (Gambling Commission: small society lotteries)

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Ticket information requirements

If you are running a small society lottery, each ticket must show:

• The name of the society running the lottery

• The ticket price (which must be the same for all tickets)

• The name and address of the organiser

• The date of the draw

Gift Aid and raffle tickets

Gift Aid does not apply to raffle ticket purchases. Because the buyer receives a chance to win in return, HMRC treats the transaction as payment for goods or services rather than a charitable donation. Do not suggest to supporters that their ticket purchase qualifies for Gift Aid. (HMRC: donating to charity)

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Online fundraising platforms

If you run your raffle on an online platform, note that Section 9 of the Fundraising Regulator's Code of Fundraising Practice (effective 1 November 2025) now covers online fundraising platforms. Your raffle should comply with the Code's principles: legal, open, honest, and respectful. (Fundraising Regulator Code of Fundraising Practice)

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Northern Ireland

The Gambling Act 2005 covers Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales). Northern Ireland operates under separate legislation: the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (Northern Ireland) Order 1985. If you are based in or selling tickets to people in Northern Ireland, contact the Northern Ireland Department for Communities for current guidance.

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Other alternatives to 50/50 raffles

Are you looking for a different format? Other raffle types may suit your charity better.

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60/40 raffle

If you want to raise more money for your organisation, you can change the split from 50/50 to 60/40. If your event is primarily for committed supporters, this change may be well received. Explain the difference clearly by detailing the specific programme or project you are funding.

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Raffle prizes

Do you have an event sponsor, company, or donor who is willing to donate a prize? Depending on the quality of the item, you may be able to raise more with a traditional prize raffle. For example, a weekend stay or a pair of flights can entice supporters to pay £50 or more for a single ticket. Find inspiration in our raffle prize ideas guide.

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Reverse raffle

Reverse raffles are a fun variation. Instead of the first number drawn being the winner, the last number remaining wins. This format builds suspense as each ticket is eliminated. You can add further excitement at the end by giving the last two or four ticket holders the choice to keep drawing until one remains, or to split the pot between them. Reverse raffle tickets can be sold for up to £100, making the pot genuinely impressive.

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Ready to host your 50/50 raffle?

Now that you know how to run and promote a 50/50 raffle at your next fundraising event, you are ready to get started. Remember to confirm which legal route applies before selling a single ticket, and register with your local licensing authority if you plan any online or advance sales. For current requirements, refer directly to Gambling Commission guidance on small society lotteries. Take time to understand your attendees' interests and ability to pay before settling on your ticket price. When you are ready, find out more about how to run an online raffle for your charity.

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Frequently asked questions

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