50/50 Raffle Calculator
Work out a 50/50 raffle to the cent: the total pot, the winner's prize and what your organisation keeps, from your ticket prices and sales.
Ticket sales
Prize
50% for a classic 50/50.
The difference goes to the organisation.
Whole percentages that add up to 100, for example 60, 30, 10.
Results
Tickets sold
0
Pot
$0.00
Winner gets
$0.00
50% of the pot
Organisation keeps
$0.00
Pot $0.00. Winner gets $0.00. Organisation keeps $0.00.
How 50/50 raffles work
A 50/50 raffle splits the money from ticket sales between one winner and the organisation running the raffle.
People buy tickets, often with deals such as 3 for $10. All sales go into one pot. At the draw, one ticket is picked and its holder wins a share of the pot, usually half. The organisation keeps the rest.
This calculator works in whole cents. The winner’s prize is rounded down to the cent, so the prize and the organisation’s share always add up to the pot.
How it works
- Enter each ticket price, such as 1 for $5 or 3 for $10, and how many of each you sold.
- Set the winner's share. It starts at 50%.
- If you like, round the prize down to a whole $1, $5 or $10.
- To pay more than one winner, enter how to split the prize, such as 60, 30, 10.
Questions and answers
How does a 50/50 raffle work?
People buy tickets, and all the money goes into one pot. At the draw, one ticket wins a share of the pot, usually half. The organisation running the raffle keeps the rest.
How do I work out the 50/50 payout?
Add up all ticket sales to get the pot. The winner gets the pot times the winner's share, so 50% of a $600 pot is $300. The organisation keeps the pot minus the prize.
What happens to an odd cent?
The winner's prize is rounded down to the cent, and the spare cent goes to the organisation. A $10,000.05 pot pays $5,000.02 to the winner and leaves $5,000.03. The calculator works in whole cents, so the two amounts always add up to the pot.
Can I round the prize to whole dollars?
Yes. Choose $1, $5 or $10 and the prize is rounded down to a multiple of that amount. The difference goes to the organisation. If rounding down would make the prize $0, the calculator leaves it as it is and tells you.
How do I split the prize between several winners?
Enter a whole percentage for each place, such as 60, 30, 10. They must add up to 100. Each amount is rounded down to the cent, and any cents left over go to first place.
Is a 50/50 raffle legal?
Paid raffles are regulated. In many places only charities and nonprofits can run them, and rules vary by state/country.