How to run a holiday party raffle (at work, school or a club)
By Arhum Waheed · Published · Updated
Someone always gets handed the raffle. Usually it's a week before the party, with a budget, a list of names and no instructions. This guide is for that person. It covers how to pick prizes people actually want, how to decide who gets how many tickets, how to include remote staff, and how to run a draw that is quick, visible and impossible to argue with.
It's written with free raffles in mind: the company or club buys the prizes, and everyone gets entered. If you plan to sell tickets, read the section on paid raffles first, because the rules change.
Step 1: Set the budget and work backwards
Decide the total budget before you shop, then split it. A shape that works for most office parties:
- One headline prize, about 30–40% of the budget. This is what people talk about in the run-up.
- Three to five mid-level prizes, about 40% together.
- A batch of small prizes with the rest, enough that roughly one person in five or six wins something.
With $1,000 and 60 staff, that might be one $350 prize, four at $100 and ten at $25. Fifteen winners out of 60 feels generous. One big prize for 60 people mostly creates 59 people who didn't win.
Prizes people actually want
When office raffle organizers ask on Reddit what worked, the same answers keep coming up: gift cards to places people already go (local restaurants, groceries, gas, delivery apps), a paid day off if management agrees, a good cooler or blanket, a cordless vacuum, a nice speaker, and themed baskets (movie night, spa, game night). Gag prizes and branded company merch are almost always the least wanted.
Two tips:
- A paid day off costs the budget nothing and often beats the headline prize. Ask early, because someone has to approve it.
- Gift cards are boring, but nobody is disappointed by one. Use them as the small prizes, and spend the imagination on the mid-level ones.
Step 2: Decide the ticket rules
This is the part people argue about later, so write it down and send it with the invite.
One ticket each (simplest)
Everyone on the list gets one entry. Easy to explain, and nobody feels the game was tilted.
Extra tickets for something
Some offices give extra tickets for wearing a holiday sweater, turning up on time, or completing a survey. That's fine, but keep it light and say how bonus tickets work in the rules. If you sold or printed numbered tickets, use the raffle generator with Number range and leave out unsold numbers.
Can one person win twice?
Decide now. Most office raffles say one prize per person, so prizes spread around. If you draw names with the winner removed after each pick, nobody can win twice. If tickets are bought or earned and someone has ten of them, some groups let them win more than once. Either works if you announce it before the draw.
Who's eligible?
Spell out whether contractors, interns, part-timers, plus-ones and the organizers themselves are in. "Organizers can't win the headline prize" is a common rule that avoids awkward looks.
Step 3: Include people who aren't in the room
If anyone is remote, on shift or off sick:
- Enter them automatically from the staff list rather than making them opt in.
- Run the draw on a screen-share as well as on the projector, so remote staff watch it live.
- Agree on how prizes reach them, whether that's shipping, a digital gift card, or held at the desk until they're back.
On "must be present to win": it adds tension in a room, but it shuts out the people on shift. A fairer compromise is "present or on the call."
Step 4: Draw winners in front of everyone
The draw is the part of the raffle people remember. It should take 10 to 15 minutes, not 45.
Order the prizes small to large
Draw the small prizes first and the headline prize last. People stay till the end, and the energy builds instead of draining away. Some hosts spread the draws out, a few between speeches or courses, which keeps the room coming back.
Use a draw everyone can see
Paper tickets in a box work, but the box gets shaken badly, tickets stick together, and people can't see anything from the back. A screen draw is quicker and easier to trust:
- Paste your staff list into the raffle generator, or use a ticket range if you handed out numbered tickets.
- Set any extra tickets.
- Draw the number of winners you need, plus a couple of alternates for prizes that go unclaimed.
- Save the draw record so you can show who won what if someone asks next week.
If you'd rather have the spinning-wheel moment for the headline prize, put the remaining names on the prize wheel and spin it on the projector. With smaller groups, the random name picker with remove-winner on does the same job one prize at a time.
Have alternates ready
Someone always isn't there, already left, or doesn't want the prize. Draw two or three alternates at the same time as the winners, in order, and announce the rule: "If a winner hasn't claimed by Friday, the prize goes to the first alternate." It saves you a second, awkward draw.
Announce clearly
Read the name, say the prize, and wait for the person to wave before you move on. If someone isn't there, say "we'll come back to this one" and move on. Don't redraw on the spot unless your rules say "present to win."
Paid raffles and fundraisers: check first
Once people pay for a ticket and there's a prize, many US states treat it as gambling. Raffles are usually only allowed for qualifying nonprofits, often with a permit, and rules differ a lot from state to state. Before selling tickets for a school, PTA or charity raffle, check your state's charitable gaming rules or ask your organization's finance or legal contact.
A free company raffle, where everyone is entered and nobody pays, is generally treated differently. But if your company has an HR policy on prizes or gift values (some count prizes as taxable income above a certain amount), follow it. This guide isn't legal advice.
A simple timeline
| When | Task |
|---|---|
| 3 weeks before | Agree the budget, ask about a paid day off |
| 2 weeks before | Buy prizes, write ticket and eligibility rules |
| 1 week before | Send the rules with the invite, confirm the staff list |
| Day before | Load names into the draw tool, test it on the projector |
| On the day | Draw small to large, with alternates, and save the record |
| Week after | Hand out unclaimed prizes to alternates, and send a thank-you |
Other games for the same party
A raffle takes 15 minutes. If you want something to fill the time before it, holiday bingo works for groups of any size: print cards from the bingo card generator with its Christmas list, or make office bingo squares ("someone says 'circle back'," "the projector fails"). If you're also running a gift exchange, draw names on the Secret Santa generator; our White Elephant rules and Secret Santa guide cover both formats. For more on running a draw people trust, see how to run a fair online giveaway.
Frequently asked questions
How many raffle prizes should a work party have?
Aim for roughly one winner for every five or six attendees. With 60 people, 10 to 15 prizes, with one headline prize and the rest smaller, feels generous without stretching the budget.
What are good holiday party raffle prizes?
Gift cards for local restaurants, groceries or gas, a paid day off, themed baskets, a good cooler or blanket, a speaker, or a cordless vacuum. Branded merch and gag gifts are usually the least popular.
Should winners have to be present?
It raises tension in the room but shuts out remote and on-shift staff. "Present or on the call" is a fair middle ground. Whatever you choose, announce it before the draw.
How do I stop the same person winning twice?
Remove each winner from the draw once they've been picked. With a name list and remove-winner on, nobody can be drawn twice.
Is it legal to sell raffle tickets at work?
It depends on your state. Paid raffles are often limited to qualifying nonprofits and may need a permit. A free raffle where everyone is entered is usually treated differently. Check your state's rules and company policy first.