A great way to raise funds and awareness for your cause is by hosting a raffle fundraiser. Raffles are a fun and exciting experience for supporters. They have the thrill of entering for a prize, and they also feel good about donating to one of their favorite charities, a true win-win! While these events usually take place in person, more and more organizations are switching to hybrid (in-person and online) or online fundraisers. Online raffles are quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to fundraise.
Read on to learn more about how an online fundraiser works and what types of raffles can be held online.
What is a raffle and how does it work?
Raffles are games of chance in which your supporters purchase tickets in hopes of winning the prize or prizes being offered. After the event ends, a drawing is held during which tickets are randomly selected. If you happen to have the lucky ticket, then you win the prize! A virtual raffle modernizes the process by eliminating the need for paper tickets, cash handling, and securing a venue. With a Chance2Win raffle fundraiser, everything happens online.
What are the benefits of raffles?
Charities and nonprofits have had great success hosting raffle fundraisers for the following reasons:
- Everyone loves to participate in games of chance, especially when the prize is a big one. Because of this, raffles generate a lot of buzz and excitement, and in turn, a lot of support.
- When engagement in your fundraiser is high, your organization stands a great chance of raising a significant amount of funds from your ticket sales.
- An online virtual raffle has very low costs. Because you won’t have to print tickets, book a venue, or pay for food or beverages at the event, a virtual raffle is the optimum option for a low-cost fundraiser.
- Raffles are also successful because they are unique: nothing gets a supporter’s heart beating like some friendly competition for a chance at a great prize.
What kinds of raffles are there?
There are all kinds of raffle fundraisers. Here are just a few:
- Single Prize Raffle. This is exactly how it sounds: a single prize is offered and supporters buy tickets to enter to win it. Single prize raffles often feature large-scale prizes like a boat, car, jewelry, vacation, or even a college scholarship.
- 50/50 Raffle. This type of event needs no prize, as the prize is half of what is raised in ticket sales. Because the prize can change based on the amount of participation, 50/50 raffles can have a large payout, not only for the lucky winner but also for the charity.
- Basket Raffles. This is a popular event for schools and churches. This event offers many prize options, but the twist is that your supporters can choose which prize they want to buy tickets for. Giving them this freedom to choose makes the event even more fun and engaging.
- Virtual Raffle. Surprise! All of these raffles can be hosted online with Chance2Win. All the excitement of competing for prizes and selecting winners can happen online, from anywhere you have internet access. The best part: you don’t need a venue or paper tickets, and you don’t even have to handle cash from sales. Everything is done online.
How can you run your own virtual fundraiser?
When you’re ready to create your online raffle fundraiser for your nonprofit, remember that success depends on how well you plan and advertise your event. If you want to hit your funding goal, it’s important to have enticing prizes, and even more important to promote your raffle.

