Stag and Doe Raffles

Running raffles is a fun activity for your Stag and Doe, and a great way to raise some money. Depending on your location, you may or may not be able to obtain a raffle license for your event. Check out your local alcohol and gaming commission (for example, the AGCO in Ontario, or the LCGA in Manitoba) for more information.

Setup

Typically, you'll see raffle tickets sold at a table near the door, and a display of prizes at the rear of the hall. Each prize package has a bag or basket for raffle tickets. Guests purchase tickets and distribute them in the bags or baskets for the prize packages that they hope to win. Prize draws are usually held around midnight, and the prizes are distributed immediately after. Winning ticket numbers are called over the sound system, or are posted on large poster boards where people can check them at leisure.

Silent Auctions

Stag and Doe raffles are sometimes referred to as "Silent Auctions," however this is inaccurate. A true silent auction has a bid sheet alongsize the prize, and guests will write down their bids throughout the evening, with the highest bidder winning. Most Stag and Doe "silent auctions" are simple raffles, where guests buy tickets and winners are drawn at random.

Raffles are considered a game of chance, and you would need an appropriate gaming license to legally run one.

Regular prize / Grand prizes raffles / Penny raffle

Most of the prizes available to be won at a Stag and Doe will be regular prizes. There are typically around a dozen regular prizes. Regular prize tickets are often sold as sheets of 25 penny-sale tickets.

Grand prizes are larger and more expensive then regular prizes, and an event will typically have only a few. Common grand prizes are beer fridges, patio sets, TVs, or sports tickets or jerseys.

50/50 Draw

Many Stag and Doe parties have a 50/50 draw. Usually these tickets are sold by helpers that walk through the party once it gets lively. These tickets are sold either individually, or by the "wingspan" (arms length). In 50-50 draws, half of the ticket money collected is up to be won.

Door Prize

It's common to have a door prize to draw people into your event. Make sure you advertise your door prize when you are selling tickets, and include a time that guests have to arrive by (say, 8pm) to get entered for the draw.

If you number your entrance tickets on both corners, you can use the ticket for the door prize. On entry, the ticket is torn. One half is kept by the guest, and the other is kept for draw at the end of the night. Other door draws are done with playing cards torn in half (using multiple decks with distinct backs). Some door prizes are done with regular raffle style tickets.

Door prize draws occur with the rest of the prize draws at the end of the night.

Packaging and signage

Make sure that raffle prizes are clearly visible by putting them in baskets and using clear plastic to wrap them up. Boxes make your prizes into too much mystery, while leaving prizes loose leaves them easily stolen, as well as difficult for the winner to transport home.

Each prize package has a sign indicating what is included. Signs should be clearly visible, especially if the package includes small or hard-to-identify items.

When you design the prize signs, make sure to include the names of people and companies who have donated to the package.

Draws

The raffle, 50/50 and door prize draws are held around midnight. Winning numbers for regular prizes can be called out, but it's becoming more common to post the regular prizes on a poster board on the wall, and only call out the winning numbers for the grand prizes. For your winning ticket poster board, write out the prize names and winning numbers largely and clearly so people don't need to crowd to see.

Turn down the music, turn up the lights, head to the microphone and pull winning grand prize tickets from a hat (or basket). It's a good idea to have the winner of each prize to pull the winning number for the next prize.

Prizes can either be handed out during the draw by helpers, or can be picked up shortly after all numbers are called.