How to Run an Online Raffle

What makes a good online raffle?

A successful online raffle has three things: a prize worth entering for, rules clear enough that no-one disputes the result, and a draw method that everyone trusts. The first is your job. This guide covers the second and third — setting up a watertight raffle that produces a winner your audience believes in.

Step 1: Define your rules before you launch

Write your rules down and publish them before taking a single entry. Rules should cover:

• Eligibility — who can enter (age, location, whether followers of a certain account qualify)
• Entry method — comment, form submission, ticket purchase, event attendance
• Number of entries per person — one entry only, or multiple for different actions
• Prize description — exact details, including any conditions on collection or delivery
• Draw date and time — and what timezone
• Winner notification — how you'll contact them and how long they have to claim
• What happens if unclaimed — whether you redraw or the prize is forfeited

Publishing rules before launch prevents the most common raffle disputes, which typically arise when the winner is announced and someone feels the goalposts shifted.

Step 2: Collect entries

Different raffle formats suit different contexts:

Step 3: Verify eligibility before the draw

Do this step before the draw, not after the winner is announced. Check that each entry:

• Meets the eligibility criteria (age, location, account requirements)
• Entered via the correct method stated in your rules
• Has not entered more than the allowed number of times (for single-entry raffles)
• Isn't a duplicate submission

Remove ineligible entries now. Document what you removed and why — this protects you if a removed entrant disputes the result later.

Step 4: Run the draw with a spin wheel

Open our online raffle picker and add every eligible entry as a name. For participants who purchased multiple tickets, add their name multiple times — each entry is one line on the wheel, giving them proportional odds.

Then choose how to run the draw:

• Live stream it — go live on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, or Facebook while the wheel is visible on screen. Your audience watches the draw happen in real time. Download the recording afterward as a permanent record.
• Screen record it — record your screen while spinning, save the video, and post it alongside the winner announcement. Less dramatic than live, but still verifiable.
• Screenshot the result — for simple draws, a screenshot of the wheel landing on the winner's name is sufficient evidence for most purposes.

Step 5: Announce the winner

Contact the winner privately first — by DM, email, or phone — before making any public announcement. Give them 24 hours to confirm they want the prize and provide delivery details.

Then announce publicly, including:

• The winner's name (get their permission first if using their full name)
• The draw video or screenshot as evidence
• A thank-you to everyone who entered

If the winner doesn't claim the prize within the timeframe you stated in your rules, spin again for a backup winner — using the same wheel with the original winner's name removed.

Legal considerations

Raffle and lottery laws vary by country and state. In the UK, raffles where tickets are sold to a local audience and the draw is at the same event are typically exempt from licensing requirements, but online paid-entry raffles may require a licence. In the US, rules vary by state. If you're running a paid-entry raffle with significant prize value, check your local regulations before launch — or use a free-to-enter sweepstakes format instead, which is usually less regulated.