Approved Raffle Providers
How Do Online Prize Draws Work?
Online prize draws are hugely popular, but exactly how do these draws work?
Every online prize draw provider should be following a set of standard rules in order to make the purchasing of tickets a fair, safe, secure and legal process. You will find that every legitimate website selling tickets will consist of a very similar model that consists of the following elements:-
Ticket price
Each prize draw will clearly show a cost per ticket. Many will have a temporarily reduced ticket cost known as ‘early bird’ tickets for those entering the draw during a specific length of time. After this the tickets will rise to the original ticket cost.
Prize Description
What exactly you can win will be clearly stated, usually at the top of the draw entry page. Further information about the prize can usually be found when scrolling further down the page.
Maximum Tickets on Sale
Every prize draw should show the maximum amount of tickets on sale. The majority of websites will show how many tickets have been sold so far and how many are left.
Maximum tickets per person
Each person entering a draw will be limited on how many tickets they can buy. For example, if 2000 tickets are on sale you may be limited to only buying 50 of the tickets available.
Ticket Numbers
When purchasing a ticket you will either be allocated a random number, which you will receive via your given email address, or some websites allow you to choose your lucky numbers.
End Date
Every draw will end on a specific day and time. Most draws will show a countdown timer to notify you of when the raffle will close ready for a winner to be picked.
LIVE Draw Date
A prize draw entry page should show the precise time and date that a winner will be chosen. This process must be shown LIVE on social media. This time and date must never be extended, regardless of how many tickets are sold.
Random Number Generator
Each prize draw provider must use a trusted and well known random number generator to choose a winner. The common method used is Googles Free Number Generator. This is a popular choice due to the reliability of a number being chosen at random. Some providers use a physical approach, such as a lottery ball machine.
Winner is informed
Once a winning ticket has been chosen, a phone call, email or message on social media is used to inform the winner. A popular choice is contacting the winner LIVE on social media immediately after the winning ticket has been chosen. If the winner cannot be contacted then the draw provider must do what they can to inform the winner over the next coming days. Please check the Terms & Conditions of the online prize draw website to see if there is a cut off date for this in the circumstance that the winner cannot be contacted.
Skill Based Question
The Gambling Act 2005 says that to avoid being an illegal lottery, a difficult question or problem puzzle must be set as part of the entry process. Furthermore, the question or puzzle must be difficult enough for a “significant” number of people to get wrong.
Here at Rafflers we have found it impossible to judge what is classed as ‘a question difficult enough that a significant number of people will get it wrong’ as what may be difficult to us may not be difficult to others, and vice versa.
The Gambling Commission has stated that as long as a FREE ENTRY route is available for entrants then an easy or multiple choice question is allowed.
The free entry route must be promoted and displayed at the same level as the paid for routes.
If you would like to learn more about the legal side of online prize draws you may like to read ‘What is the Law for Online rafflers?‘