Reverse draw

Reverse draw

Raffles

Reverse Draw

A really popular raffle with sports clubs is a reverse raffle. This is where all the tickets go into a barrel or something similar and the last ticket drawn out is the winner.

Usually there are a designated number of tickets which are usually of higher value than most raffles. Often the drawing of the tickets becomes an event in its own right as the tickets are drawn, the suspense builds.

One thing to be careful when conducting a reverse draw is that in most states and territories you have to draw the winner out first not last as is the way in a reverse draw, because philosophically every ticket must have the opportunity to win the major prize while in a reverse draw it is only the last two tickets who actually have the opportunity to win.

To get around this if you have 5 prizes for the last 5 tickets in the draw then you actually draw these out first. That is you draw the winner out first (but don’t announce it, put it in an envelope and display it for everybody to see) then do this for each of the other prize winners.

Once you have drawn and enveloped all the winners you can commence the reverse draw, eliminating each unsuccessful ticket at a time. When you get to the last 5 tickets simply open each envelope and announce the winner. You will still have the excitement leading up to the opening and announcement of the last ticket only it was drawn first but announced last.

Why a Reverse Draw?
A Reverse Draw is a club favourite as it also creates an awesome social event which can sometimes make its way onto the annual calendar. The suspense that builds as the number of participants still in the draw decreases is also always a lot of fun.
This fundraiser can work for all sports clubs and depending on the type of social event you are going to run, can be great for clubs with large senior groups. It will also work in both city and country clubs.

When should I hold this fundraiser?
The Reverse Draw can create such a great social buzz that this should be considered in the calendar. When does your team want to run a social event? For example at the start of the season for members to meet or at the end of the season for members to celebrate?
It can be held indoors or out and at anytime or the year.

Key Activities
These are the tasks you will need to consider assign to volunteers at our club:

Before the day

• Decide the date of the Reverse Draw and whether it will be in conjunction with a social or another fundraising event.
• Source prizes.
• Advertise the raffle and make sure it is on all advertising for the day if it is in conjunction with another event.
• Sell raffle tickets.
• Organise your venue and any other activities, food or drink you will be having on the day.
• Communicate the well with participants.
• Draw the winners and place them in envelopes.

On The Day

• Set up the venue and raffle.
• Draw the tickets and announce one by one across the event.
• Run event.
• Present the winners with their prizes.

After the day

• Publicly thank everyone involved
• Announce the amount of money raised and the winner

Who can help?
It is important to engage your members to help in the running of your fundraiser.
For a Reverse Draw you could approach them to help:

• Promote and sell the tickets
• Secure prizes
• Help logistically on the day

You could also approach current club Sponsors for prizes.

Recruiting your people
It is important to create a culture of volunteering at your club to help not only with fundraising but also across the day to day running of your club. For more on how to create this at your club, click here.

Using technology to making it easier
You may like to consider using technology to reduce the workload on your volunteers and increase your fundraising dollars. For an event like Reverse Draw, you may like to sell tickets using a platform like TryBooking.

TryBooking lets you sell tickets, take payments and donations for events online.

This takes care of a great deal of the work that is usually left to volunteers and automates the ticket selling process.

You can set up and customise your own event page and a unique URL in minutes. This lets you easily share the event online and engage members and supporters. Your club may also like to use social media, email newsletters and your club website to promote the event.

Financial Considerations
Expenses and upfront investment for this event are minimal if the club is able to source prizes from sponsors rather than pay for them. Otherwise clubs need to think about prize costs as the major expense.
Other costs include promotion, ticketing, licensing, and insurance.
Ensure you create a budget for the event and identify how much cash you will need before the day. For a Reverse Raffle there will generally only be minor purchases before ticket sales begin, including prizes (if not already donated).

Promotion
Clubs often make the mistake of settling for a slab or a bottle of booze for the raffle prize because it is easy, low cost and guaranteed to sell some tickets. However, with a bit of planning, clubs can secure a better category of prize and attract a much wider audience to their raffle.

Clubs should consider approaching local businesses like car dealers, restaurants, fitness centres and so on for a prize donation. Offer the business free signage at the club in return for a prize donation.

Most businesses are happy to contribute to their local club as long as they receive something in return.

Bottom line: The better the prize, the easier to promote your raffle and the better the chance of ticket sales.

Promote your Reverse Draw using traditional club resources such as the club website, newsletter and social media pages. Also don’t forget to call on your members to spread the word!

Communication considerations
The winner of a Reverse Raffle doesn’t necessarily have to be there on the day. This opens up options for selling tickets via social media and to a wider audience than just your members and supporters.

This way people anywhere in the world can buy a raffle ticket which allows for funds to be raised from sources external to the club.
Use social media to sell tickets and live stream the event on the day!

Social, Moral and Ethical Considerations
Supply of Alcohol
It is important to consider whether your club will allow the sale of alcohol at club events. Events can be alcohol free or limits or restrictions set in advance. Clubs need to consider how they will manage the risks of binge drinking as well as the Responsible Service of Alcohol.

What can go wrong? (Risk Management)
Financial Risks
There are obvious financial risks if enough tickets aren’t sold and the prizes and setup costs more than is made.
Participant Safety
The health and wellbeing of those who attend your event should be a focus at all times. It is important that your club takes time to consider all possible risks and how to minimise these.

Licenses and Permits
Gambling licences will be required depending on your state and also the value of your raffle’s prizes. Check with the Gambling authority in your state.

In most Australian states and territories it goes against the law of holding raffles to hold a reverse draw with the last ticket drawn being the winner.
Under the legislation governing raffles every ticket must have a chance to win, where as in a reverse raffle effectively only the last two tickets left in the draw have the chance to win.

An easy way to comply with the law and not take away from the excitement of the draw, is drawing the winning ticket first but put it in an envelope marked 1st prize, then doing this for all of the remaining prizes. Now you can commence drawing and announcing the unsuccessful tickets.

When you get to the last ten tickets open envelopes one at a time, until you get to the last envelope. (Which was the first ticket drawn).

Additional Revenue Opportunities
Revenue from reverse raffles is mainly from ticket sales but if the club holds the raffle in the clubrooms as an event rather than just having an individual walking around the boundary and announcing the winner, then bar sales, merchandise sales and canteen sales come into the equation.

Reverse draw raffles can also take a lot of time to get to a winner so clubs may choose to maximise revenue raising during the process. The trick is to maintain a captive audience.

Clubs can choose to hold the reverse draw raffle in conjunction with another fundraiser like a sausage sizzle, allowing two opportunities for raising money while attracting and keeping punters with the smell of delicious sizzling sausages.

Or, clubs could choose to make a night out of the reverse draw fundraiser and mix it with other attractions like trivia, music and dancing to keep patrons entertained and contributing revenue to the club through food and drink purchases.

Disclaimer
This procedure should be treated as a guide only. Your club should seek advice specific to the needs of your club and event. Seek further details from authorities and service providers; especially in regards to insurance, licences, permits, spectator and participant safety.