In short
The best prizes are the ones your supporters want — one headline prize that makes people buy, then a varied list, often local or an experience. Most can be donated by local businesses and sponsors in exchange for simple visibility and a real thank-you.
A Garda lottery permit covers prizes up to €5,000 in total; larger prize funds need a District Court licence. Check what your permit or licence allows.
The golden rule: one big prize, then variety
People buy a prize they want. A visible first prize (a weekend away, a bike, a tablet, a luxury hamper) gives them the reason to buy; a list of smaller prizes gives them the feeling of a real chance. Show the full list, with a photo per prize if you can.
Ideas by type of raffle
| Raffle | Prize ideas |
|---|---|
| School, parents' association | Books and board games, cinema or leisure-centre passes, a family day out, a food hamper, something the classes made, a class or workshop given by a parent |
| Sports club (GAA, rugby, soccer) | A signed jersey, club gear, match tickets, a session with the coach, a summer camp place, a meal in the clubhouse |
| Charity, cause | A weekend in a cottage, a local artist's work, dinner in a restaurant, a producers' hamper, an experience (a lesson, a tour, a workshop) |
| Gala, ball | A trip, a fine wine, jewellery from a local maker, a rare experience (behind the scenes, a meet-and-greet), a collector's item |
| Business (a draw for its customers) | Its own products or services, gift boxes, subscriptions, branded items |
| Christmas | Hampers, toys, decorations, pamper boxes, a delivered Christmas tree |
Getting prizes donated
- List the shops, tradespeople, restaurants, businesses and producers close to your supporters — the places they already use.
- Write a short message: who you are, what the raffle funds, the draw date, how many people it reaches, what the sponsor gets in visibility.
- Ask in person when you can, leaving a letter or poster. A volunteer who is a customer gets further than a letter.
- Offer something clear in return: name and logo on the poster and the raffle page, a mention at the draw, the prize shown as "donated by".
- Confirm in writing (a message will do) what the prize is, its estimated value and when it will be handed over.
Thanking sponsors
- Before: "donated by" on each prize, logos on the poster and the raffle page.
- During: name them at the draw, prize by prize.
- After: a thank-you message with the amount raised and a photo of the winner if they agree. That message is what brings the sponsor back next year.
Mistakes to avoid
- Buying too early prizes a sponsor would have given: ask first, buy what is missing later.
- Prizes that miss your audience: a prize nobody wants sells no tickets.
- Forgetting the hand-over: say where and until when prizes can be collected, and how winners will be told.
Frequently asked questions
Approach the businesses your supporters already use with a short message that states the cause, the draw date and the visibility on offer (name on the poster and page, a mention at the draw). Ask in person when you can and confirm each prize in writing.
Prizes families enjoy: books, board games, days out, leisure passes, food hampers, things made by the classes, workshops given by parents. A bigger first prize gives people a reason to buy.
Under the 2019 rules summarised by Ogier, a Garda lottery permit covers prizes up to €5,000; a District Court licence covers up to €30,000 a week or €360,000 for a once-a-year lottery.
There is no ideal number: enough for buyers to feel they have a chance, not so many that the headline prize gets lost. What matters is that the list makes your supporters want to buy.
In short
- One prize that makes people buy, then variety suited to your supporters.
- Most prizes come from local businesses and sponsors, in exchange for visibility.
- "Donated by", a mention at the draw and a thank-you after: the sponsor comes back next year.
- Keep within the prize limits of your permit or licence.
How GoTombola helps
In GoTombola each prize has its photos and its "donated by" sponsor, shown on the raffle page; you follow tickets entered prize by prize, then the draw awards each prize and tells winners how to collect it.