50/50 raffle calculator

How to work out a 50/50 raffle payout

This calculator multiplies the ticket price by the number of tickets sold to get the total pot. It then splits the pot using the winner's percentage. Results update as you type. Nothing is saved or printed, so write the figures down before you announce them.

Using the calculator

1. Enter the Ticket price ($). The default is $2.
2. Enter Tickets sold. The default is 200. Use whole tickets.
3. Set Winner's share (%). It starts at 50 and is kept between 0 and 100.
4. Read Total pot, Winner gets and Your org keeps. Your org's share is whatever is left after the winner's share.

Worked examples

The math is the same every time: pot = price × tickets sold, winner = pot × share ÷ 100, and org = pot − winner. In the third row, 600 × 60 ÷ 100 = 360, and 600 − 360 = 240.

Bundle prices and mixed sales

If you sell bundles, such as 1 ticket for $1 and 6 for $5, not every ticket costs the same. The calculator takes one price, so work from the cash instead. Count the money, then enter the total collected as the Ticket price and 1 as Tickets sold. For example, $432.50 collected gives a pot of $432.50, with $216.25 to the winner and $216.25 to your group at a 50% split. The pot is the money you collected, not the number of tickets handed out.

Running the draw

1. Use two-part tickets with matching numbers. The buyer keeps one half and the other half goes in the draw. The raffle ticket generator prints numbered tickets with matching stubs.
2. Announce the winner's share and the time sales close before you start selling.
3. When sales close, have two people count the money together and write down the total.
4. Enter the figures here and announce the pot and the winner's amount.
5. Mix the stubs. Have someone who did not sell tickets draw one without looking.
6. Check the drawn number against the winner's half of the ticket before paying out.
7. Keep a record of the pot, the winning number and the amount paid.

Raffle and gaming rules vary by state and country, so check your local rules before the event; they commonly cover who may run a raffle and how.

Common mistakes

• Announcing the pot before counting. Tickets handed out can differ from money collected, for example if some were given away. Count the cash first and use that figure.
• Expecting costs to be taken out. The calculator does not subtract any expenses. If you have costs, work them out separately.
• Changing the split mid-event. Buyers decide based on the share you announced. Keep it fixed once sales begin.
• Odd cents. Each share is rounded to the cent on its own. With a pot of $5.25 at 50%, both shares show $2.63, which adds up to one cent more than the pot. Pay one side $2.62 so the two amounts match the pot.
• Typing the percentage as a decimal. Enter 50 for half, not 0.5. A value of 0.5 means half of one percent.