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How is a Winner Chosen?

Its so easy to enter an online raffle, but how is a winner chosen? 

All online raffle providers will choose a winner in a very similar way. To prove that every step of choosing a winner is legitimate, the actual ‘draw’ will be shown LIVE on a social media platform of the providers choice.

The most popular social media platform for LIVE draws is Facebook. This is the preferred platform for 95% of online raffle providers.

Facebook Live 

Facebook is hugely popular for hosting a live stream that shows the process of choosing a winner. Its easy to use and can be customised by the raffle host to suit their brand and style.

The process is very similar for most online raffle providers. You will likely find the following:-

Countdown Clock

The Facebook Live stream will usually start by showing a countdown clock. This will show the time at which the host will go LIVE and begin the process of choosing a winner. This also gives everybody who would like to watch the LIVE draw enough time to join the live feed.

Introduction

The LIVE stream host will introduce themselves and remind everyone watching what draws will be taking place and what can be won by the lucky winner.

The host is able to see how many people are watching the LIVE feed and may wait for a certain amount of viewers before they begin the draw. During this time, those who have joined the LIVE feed can interact with the host.

How the Draw will Take Place

Before the draw takes place, it is very common that the host will talk through the process first. They may show the entry list of everybody who has bought a ticket and show how a random ticket number will be chosen.

A Winner is Chosen

When the host is ready, they will begin the process of choosing a winner. The choosing of a number at random must be clearly shown for all to see. When a winning number is chosen they will check the entry list to find the person’s name that matches the ticket number. The winner will be announced and the host will either contact the winner at that precise moment or make contact after the LIVE feed is over.

Instagram and Youtube are another platform that is used to LIVE stream an online raffle draw. Although not as popular, the host will be able to use these social media platforms in a very similar way to Facebook.

Want to know how a random number is chosen? You might like to read ‘Random Number Generators‘.

FAQs: How Online Prize Draw Winners Are Chosen

In most UK online prize draws, the winner is chosen during a live draw streamed on social media.

The host will:

  • Display the full entry list

  • Use a random number selection method

  • Show the winning ticket number clearly on screen

  • Match the number to the entrant’s name

  • Announce the winner live

The entire process is shown publicly to ensure transparency and fairness.

Yes — reputable online prize draw providers show the draw LIVE to prove legitimacy.

Live streaming allows participants to:

  • Watch the winner selection in real time

  • See that the number is chosen at random

  • Confirm the entry list is accurate

  • Interact with the host during the broadcast

Live draws are considered best practice for transparency in the UK online prize draw industry.

The most popular platform is Facebook Live.

Around 95% of online prize draw providers use Facebook because:

  • It is easy to access

  • It supports interactive live streaming

  • Most entrants already have Facebook accounts

  • It allows viewers to comment in real time

Some providers also use Instagram Live or YouTube Live, but Facebook remains the industry standard.

Most live prize draws follow a similar structure:

Countdown Clock
A countdown timer is displayed before the host goes live, giving viewers time to join.

Introduction
The host introduces themselves, confirms which competition is being drawn, and explains the prize.

This structured approach reassures entrants that the process is organised and transparent.

Before selecting a winner, the host will usually:

  • Display the full ticket entry list

  • Explain how the random number will be generated

  • Show the random selection process clearly on screen

When the winning number appears, the host matches it to the corresponding name in real time.

The key requirement is that the random selection process is visible and cannot be manipulated.

The winning number is chosen at random during the live stream.

The method must:

  • Be clearly visible to viewers

  • Show that the number is generated randomly

  • Match exactly to the entry list displayed

Once selected, the host cross-references the number with the ticket holder’s name and announces the winner live.

In many cases, yes.

Some hosts will:

  • Attempt to call the winner live on air

  • Send a message immediately

  • Announce confirmation after the live stream

If contact isn’t made during the stream, the draw provider will follow up shortly afterwards and confirm the winner publicly.