Create a raffle website and start raising funds by selling online raffle tickets!

A raffle is a means of raising money by selling numbered tickets, one or some of which are subsequently drawn at random. The holder or holders of such tickets win(s) a prize. Traditional raffles issue paper tickets, online raffles use software to process all elements of the raffle - including ticket issue and the draw! Online raffles are a faster and more efficient way of running a raffle fundraiser. Read about some great raffle ideas for fundraisers here.

Here is a video explaining how the raffle feature works - GalaBid Raffle
Note that notifications via text message are available for campaigns on GalaBid’s paid pricing plans.

To get started and create your online raffle, click on any of the "Start Your Free Fundraiser" buttons on this website, sign up to create your organization, then you'll be ready to create your first campaign where you'll be able to add the Raffle items to it. There is no lock in contract. If you'd like some general advice on building your raffle website, head here.

To run a raffle you will must check the raffle laws applicable in your local area. In the United States, raffles and lotteries are controlled by a combination of state and federal law. Legal requirements vary depending on where you are located. Raffles are prohibited in Utah, Alabama, and Hawaii. Raffle laws in Canada are handled by three different groups: the Criminal Code of Canada, the Competition Bureau Canada, and local municipalities. If you are in the UK please refer to the Gambling Commission here. If your country is not listed above please contact your local governing authority to find out if you can proceed and if you are required to obtain a licence.

GalaBid uses a PRNG (Pseudo Random Number Generator) with suitable entropy and ensures that ticket selection is uniformly distributed, which means when we use a random number to select a ticket, no tickets are more likely to be picked than others. To follow the legal guidelines of your state or province please search online and contact the governing parties accordingly.

Stripe is the payment processor integrated with GalaBid. GalaBid can be used in any country where Stripe is available and online raffles are permitted in line with local laws. See the list of countries where Stripe is available here: https://stripe.com/global

An online raffle is a very effective way to significantly increase raffle proceeds.  It allows you to extend the reach of your raffle as you can leverage the power of social media and email to sell raffle tickets to a much wider and dispersed audience. With an online raffle, ticket sales can take place online in addition to in person.  Running a raffle online is easier to administer than distributing and selling tickets and collecting funds manually. Online Raffle ticket purchasers can self-serve, pay with credit and debit cards or Apple and Google Pay. Tickets are automatically distributed and winners are automatically notified. A certified random number generator ensures a fair and transparent raffle draw. Read more about finding your ideal raffle generator here.

By collecting raffle prizes and adding details and images to your raffle item(s), you then sell tickets to the raffle at a price you determine. You can also set prices for raffle ticket packages. Set a date that the raffle will be drawn and on that day close the online raffle and draw your winners. All funds paid through the platform will be deposited in the bank account linked to your Stripe account. GalaBid is integrated with Stripe for payment processing and setting up a Stripe account from within GalaBid is a quick and straightforward process. 

Yes, the summary page and reporting will show you clearly how much has been raised. All of the raffle proceeds will be deposited in the bank account linked to your Stripe account, allowing you to distribute 50% of the proceeds to the winner.  Before running a 50/50 raffle check your planned raffle complies with the law in your area.

A Charity Sweepstake can be run on GalaBid in place of a raffle. To qualify as a sweepstake a free entry option is required.

Once payment is complete GalaBid will automatically send an email with a link to the raffle item which will show the participant their raffle ticket numbers. Raffle ticket numbers are also visible to the participant in their GalaBid account. A Raffle Tickets report can be downloaded from the campaign’s dashboard to view participants’ ticket numbers and a breakdown of ticket sales.

Once the online raffle is drawn the winner will be notified instantly via email (or SMS if they have opted into SMS communication - on Fixed Fee Pricing campaigns). The message will state with item code (number) they have won and the winning ticket number. A link is included which directs the winner to the raffle item description.

There is no limit to the number of prizes you can make available to your participants. Make sure to set the number of prizes you have within the one raffle item when editing and creating the raffle item. For example, set Prizes Available to 3 and then in the same item description list Prize 1 xxx, Prize 2 xxx, Prize 3 xxx

No, raffle ticket purchases are not tax-deductible, only charitable donations are.

Yes, once payment is made for their raffle ticket the purchaser will be emailed a payment receipt from Stripe. They also receive an invoice from the raffle campaign. Include details of the raffle organizer on the GalaBid Invoice template within the campaign dashboard. 

Yes, add a Donation item type to your campaign in Items. Participants can then make a tax-deductible donation of their choice directly into your Stripe account. You can add the donation item in Items > Add Item and select the Donation Item Type. You have the ability to set a minimum donation in the same section.

Information is stored in order to facilitate the campaign on GalaBid only. Please see our privacy policy via this link.

How you promote your raffle is key to its success. We suggest sending an EDM to all of your followers and posting on social media. You create your unique URL when you create your campaign, sharing this URL to your supporters is an easy way to invite them to partake. We also provide a QR code for you to download and share.

You can include anything as long as it is legal and follows our terms and conditions - including, but not limited to, firearms, illegal drugs and paraphernalia, adult content and sexual services; view the full T+C's here.

To purchase tickets the participant must register and verify their email address. They are prompted to register to the campaign as part of the ticket purchase process.  We recommend keeping the number of registration fields to a minimum however custom fields can be added as required by the campaign.

You can create a raffle within a couple of minutes, if you have an existing to connect to the raffle campaign. Setting up a Stripe account takes on average 10 additional minutes, and can be done from within the GalaBid dashboard if you have all required information on hand or if you are setting up a Stripe account as an individual. Large charities may need to supply additional information to Stripe as part of the set up process so we recommend that setting up a Stripe account takes place as soon as possible. This guide discusses common raffle challenges and how to fix them.

Yes, you can create as many packages as you wish for discounted or non-discounted amounts, this can be done when creating/editing the Raffle item in Advanced Options. Check the local law to ensure you comply with relevant rules about raffle ticket pricing.

You can load unlimited number of images for your item, the platform accepts PNG and JPEG files

There are various pricing options available. View the details and inclusions on the pricing page.

No, PayPal does not allow raffles. Also, GalaBid is exclusively integrated with Stripe. 

No, the minimum amount per raffle ticket is $1.