Online raffle: the complete guide to create, promote and draw in 2026

Raffles are no longer about paper, pens and that crumpled sheet in your pocket. Today you can set everything up on your phone, sell by link, get paid instantly and draw the winner in front of everyone with nobody doubting the result. This guide brings together the full path, from zero to the draw, and points you to the detailed material for each step.

If you just want to get going, jump to the quick guide on how to run an online raffle for free in 5 minutes. If you want to understand the whole process first, follow along here.

1. Plan the raffle before creating it

Every raffle that sells well starts with three decisions: what the prize is, how many numbers, and the price of each one. Getting this wrong is the number one reason a raffle stalls halfway.

• Prize: it has to be desirable for your audience and proportional to the amount you want to raise.
• Price per number: too expensive and it does not sell, too cheap and the profit is smaller than the effort. There is a table by prize range in how much to charge per raffle number.
• Number count: it pairs with the price and the prize. The same pricing page helps you calculate it.

2. Create the raffle in the app

With the three decisions in hand, creating the raffle takes a few minutes. In My Raffle you sign in with Google or Apple, set the prize, number count and price, and the raffle is ready to sell. No card and no subscription to start.

The full step by step is in how to run an online raffle for free in 5 minutes.

3. Design art that grabs attention

A raffle with professional art sells more than a plain text. A good prize photo, organized numbers and a clean look build trust. The app generates the art automatically and even marks sold numbers so you can post the update in the group.

See how in design your raffle art and mark sold numbers.

4. Promote and sell

A pretty raffle sitting still sells nothing. Sales happen in the promotion: the family group, the WhatsApp status, Instagram, broadcast lists. The trick is to make payment easy (instant, right there) and show social proof ("40 of 100 already gone").

• Practical tactics to speed up sales: how to promote and sell your raffle fast.
• Ready to copy messages: WhatsApp raffle message templates.

5. Draw fairly

The draw is where trust is won or lost. A draw done in secret breeds complaints. The ideal is a method everyone can verify, ideally streamed live.

The step by step of a fair and verifiable draw is in how to draw a raffle fairly.

6. Stay within the rules

A small raffle among friends is one thing, a large public raffle is another. Rules vary by country and region, so check what applies where you live before organizing something bigger. When money or a valuable prize is involved, keeping clear records and a public draw protects you.

7. Choosing the right tool

Not every raffle app handles the basics well. Number control, instant payment, automatic art and a fair draw are what separate a smooth raffle from a headache. See what to look for in the best raffle app.

Wrapping up

The full path of an online raffle is: plan (prize, price, count), create it in the app, design the art, promote with easy payment, draw in front of everyone and respect local rules. Each step has its detailed guide linked above.

Ready to start? Create your raffle now at myraffle.app, free and with no card.