What are 50/50 Raffles? Your Guide to Fundraising Success!

5/24/2025

Looking for a simple, high-energy way to raise money for your cause? A 50/50 raffle is an easy-to-run fundraiser that creates instant excitement—and with the right prize ideas, it can draw even more support. 

In this guide, we’ll break down how a 50/50 raffle works, share creative 50/50 raffle prize ideas to help you stand out, and give you practical tips on how to price raffle tickets, build buzz, and host a successful event from start to finish.

Key Takeaways

• A 50/50 raffle is a simple and cost-effective fundraiser where half of the proceeds go to the winner and the other half supports your cause.
• Offering creative prizes and bundling tickets can significantly boost engagement and increase ticket sales.
• Promotion, clear rules, and an exciting draw are essential to maximizing participation and making your raffle a success.

What is a 50/50 Raffle?

A 50/50 raffle is a fundraising event where ticket sales contribute to a cash prize. Participants purchase tickets, and the winner walks away with half the total money raised while the rest goes straight to your charity.

The cool thing about a 50/50 raffle is that the more entries you get, the more the pot grows. That ever-growing cash prize winds up motivating yet more people to buy tickets. After all, who doesn’t want to win a bunch of money?

Since the money raised is split between the winner and your cause, a 50/50 raffle might not raise as much as a traditional raffle. But the ROI (return on investment) is off the charts. Printed raffle tickets are your only cost, but you can even offset that by lining up a sponsor to advertise on the back. Plus, putting together a 50/50 raffle is a breeze compared to other fundraisers. The cherry on top? Your lucky winner commonly donates part or all of their prize money back to the cause.

Pro tip: Make the dream of winning feel more like a real possibility. Sweeten the deal by offering more chances to win. Inspire supporters to purchase multiple tickets with bundling.

How Does a 50/50 Raffle Work?

Running a 50/50 raffle is simple, making it a great option for organizations looking to quickly raise funds with minimal effort. Here’s how it works:

1. Participants Purchase Tickets: Each raffle ticket sale contributes to the prize pool. For instance, if a ticket costs $5, that amount is split in half—50% goes to the winner, and 50% goes to the organization.
2. Collect and Track Sales: If you’re running an in-person raffle, use printed raffle tickets with numbered stubs to keep track of entries. For online raffles, consider using a fundraising platform that manages ticket sales and ensures every entry is recorded.
3. Build Excitement: As tickets sell, the prize pool increases. Regularly update participants about the current prize amount to generate excitement and encourage additional sales.
4. Draw a Winner: At the end of the raffle, a winning ticket is drawn at random. The lucky ticket holder receives 50% of the total funds collected, while the other 50% goes to your organization.
5. Celebrate the Winner: Make the drawing an exciting event! Whether it’s at an in-person gathering or via a live stream, create anticipation and celebrate when the winner is announced.
6. Distribute Funds: The prize amount is awarded to the winner, and your organization retains the other half to support its mission.

Popular 50/50 Raffle Prize Ideas

The main reason people join a 50/50 raffle is the chance to win money, but you can make it more fun and get more people involved by adding extra prizes or small bonuses. 

Whether you’re working with a large budget or keeping things low-cost, these ideas can help elevate your raffle experience.

Tangible Prize Add-Ons

Make your raffle more exciting by adding physical prizes along with the cash prize. These extras can make the raffle feel more valuable and give people more reasons to buy tickets.

Here are a few ideas:

• Gift baskets: Put together themed baskets with local products, wine, snacks, or self-care items. They feel personal and are great for all kinds of winners.
• Tech gadgets: Items like wireless headphones, smart speakers, or phone accessories are popular and feel like a big win.
• Event tickets: Offer tickets to concerts, sports games, or theater shows. This gives winners something fun to look forward to.
• Branded merchandise: If you’re with a school, nonprofit, or community group, add in branded shirts, mugs, or hats. It builds team spirit and promotes your cause.

Experience-Based Prizes

Sometimes the best prizes aren’t things—they’re experiences. Offering experience-based prizes can make your 50/50 raffle feel more special and give participants something fun to look forward to. 

Here are some great experience-based 50/50 raffle prize ideas:

• Spa or massage vouchers: A relaxing day at the spa or a massage session is a great treat that appeals to many people and feels like a luxury.
• Dining experiences or restaurant gift cards: Whether it’s a fancy dinner, a local food tour, or a gift card to a favorite spot, food-based experiences are always popular.
• Travel or weekend getaway packages: A short trip, a stay at a cozy bed and breakfast, or a weekend hotel stay adds major appeal and makes your raffle feel high-value.

Community or Local-Focused Prizes

Prizes that highlight local businesses and services not only boost participation but also build a stronger connection between your event and the community. These prizes often feel more personal and meaningful.

Here are some prize ideas to consider:

• Local business gift cards: Gift cards to favorite shops, cafes, or restaurants help promote local businesses and give winners something they’ll actually use.
• Free services: Offer useful prizes like a free haircut, car wash, lawn care, or pet grooming. These everyday services are practical and appreciated.
• Exclusive access: Give winners a unique experience, like a behind-the-scenes tour of a local business, museum, or sports venue. These are memorable and not something people can normally buy.

Low-Cost or No-Cost Prize Ideas

You don’t need a big budget to make your raffle fun and rewarding. With a little creativity, you can offer meaningful prizes that cost little to nothing but still make participants feel special and appreciated.

Here are a few budget-friendly prize ideas:

• Recognition shout-outs: Give winners a special mention on your social media pages or during your event. A public thank-you can go a long way in making someone feel valued.
• Reserved parking or seating: Offer VIP treatment like a front-row seat at a performance or a prime parking spot at your next event. It’s free to offer but feels like a big perk.
• “Raffle royalty” badge or crown: Have fun with it! Give winners a playful title like “Raffle King/Queen” and let them wear a crown, sash, or badge during the event.

How to Sell 50/50 Raffle Tickets

1. Raffle tickets: Order printed raffle tickets detailing your draw’s details. They’ll provide a professional impression, helping you to sell more tickets and reach fundraising goals. 
2. Online Ticket Sales: Use a fundraising platform to create a raffle page where supporters can purchase tickets anytime. Share the page throughout your social media channels. 
3. Bundle Deals: Inspire supporters to buy more tickets through bulk purchase discounts. An example of this would be to sell five tickets for $25 versus $8 for a single ticket.
4. Promote on Social Media: Blast your fundraising page across your social media networks to pump up those ticket sales. Just make sure online raffles are legal in your state. If you can’t run an online raffle, use social media to spread the word anyway. Just be extra clear with how and when people can buy tickets. 
5. Emphasize Your Cause: On your tickets, raffle page, event marketing materials, and within your social media posts, remind participants that every ticket sold supports your organization’s mission.
6. Clear rules: Make sure the rules for your 50/50 raffle draw are unambiguous and easy to find. A terrific place to stash them is on your nonprofit organization’s fundraising page. It’s also a good idea to share them on social media. 
7. Set a Deadline: Create urgency by having a set deadline, and develop a sense of FOMO by sharing regular countdowns to spur last-minute purchases.
8. Make the draw a spectacle: When it’s time to pick the winning raffle ticket, make it an event. If your 50/50 raffle is part of a larger event, get the crowd excited! Periodically remind the crowd how much they’ll win and when you’ll conduct the draw. Be sure to livestream the draw or use Facebook/Instagram Live—it’ll make followers who didn’t buy tickets promise themselves they will next time. Plus, it’s great content, and every charitable organization could use some of that.

With these tactics, you’ll boost ticket sales and ensure your 50/50 raffle reaches its full fundraising potential.

Tips for a Successful 50/50 Raffle Fundraiser

1. Legal Check: Make sure you’re playing by the rules. Review your state’s raffle laws and rules for promoting your raffle on social media sites and selling raffle tickets online. 
2. 50/50 Raffle Tickets: You know what they say, the ticket makes the raffle! Great-looking, custom-printed raffle tickets can give your fundraising efforts a boost by imparting a professional feeling to your fundraiser.
3. Ticket Type: If you’re running a 50/50 raffle fundraiser within a bigger event, consider raffle roll tickets. But keep in mind that these tickets don’t have space for participants to fill out their contact information. As a result, finding the winner if they aren’t there at the draw can be tricky. When you use roll tickets, consider making it a rule that all who enter have to be present at the drawing. 

A 50/50 raffle is a really effective, efficient, low-resource way to reach your fundraising goal and stir up excitement and awareness for your cause. Just remember to review your local raffle laws and prepare well, and you’ll be on your way to a successful fundraiser.

Conclusion

A 50/50 raffle is a fun, flexible, and cost-effective way to raise money for your cause. By combining smart promotion strategies with creative 50/50 raffle prize ideas, you can boost ticket sales, engage your community, and create an exciting event that delivers results.

If you’re gearing up to host a 50/50 raffle that captivates your audience and maximizes your fundraising potential, the first step is securing the right tickets. Our high-quality, customizable 50/50 raffle tickets are designed to give your fundraiser the professional edge it deserves.

Order 50/50 raffle tickets and take the first step towards a successful fundraiser. Your cause is worth it, and we’re here to support you every step of the way!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do you promote a 50/50 raffle effectively?

Use social media, email, and community networks to build excitement. Share updates on the growing prize pool, set a clear deadline, and emphasize how proceeds support your cause.

What’s the best way to collect payments for a raffle online?

Use a secure fundraising platform like Eventgroove with built-in payment processing to manage ticket sales and track entries.