Meat raffle at the pub or club
Weekly raffle of meat trays at a bar or clubrooms, often for a sports club, with tickets sold on the night.
Typically raises
$150
$50–400 per eventest.
About $50 per organiser hour
Based on one club night with about 10 trays
Is it right for us?
- Money
- Under $500
- Work
- A few evenings
- Helpers
- 3–6 people
- Lead time
- 2–3 weeks
- Red tape
- Some
Common: a Friday-night fixture in clubs and pubs nationwide
- People
- 2-3 volunteers on the night
- Organiser time
- 2-4 per week [Estimate]
- Lead time
- 1-2 weeks to set up; then ongoing
- Up-front cost
- Meat bought at butcher or wholesale cost each week; low risk because sales happen the same night and the prizes are small.
- Risk
- Low: the meat is bought each week, but sales happen the same night and the prizes are small.
How it works
The money, as an example sum
Sell at $2 a ticket, keep $2, so 125 tickets = $250, or about $150 after about $100 of costs. That’s about the typical result.
Using the figures on this page. Your prices and costs will differ.
Where the money figure comes from
[Estimate] per night. Club examples: Hornby Club $2 tickets with 10 trays; Cableways Dunedin runs two raffles each with a $50 voucher and two meat packs. No published net figures found.
Last checked October 2026. Ran this? Tell us what you raised and we’ll use real results to improve the figures.
Step by step
- Agree with the venue and choose the beneficiary club.
- Set the trays (number and retail value) and ticket price and quantity per round.
- Display the society name, purpose and rules at the point of sale.
- Sell in person at the bar before the draw.
- Draw publicly in the room; record winners and takings.
- Bank the proceeds to the club account; keep weekly records.
Getting the word out
Even a well-run plan fails if nobody hears about it. There are two asks, and the first one goes out first.
- Ask for help
- Sellers to take a book of tickets, and businesses to give prizes.
- Ask people to buy
- People to buy tickets.
- When to start
- Ask for helpers first, as soon as the date is set. Start the public ask about 1–2 weeks out, and book newsletter and paper notices before that: small newsletters close early.
Where to put it
- Asking people yourselfMost yeses come from someone asking directly. Give every member a short message they can send to family and workmates.
- PostersPosters at the school gate, the clubrooms and shop windows, with the date, place, price and how to pay.
- School, club and church newslettersYour own newsletter is free and read by the families most likely to say yes. Check when it closes.
- Email lists and group chatsYour members’ email list and the class, team or church group chats. Short, with one date or one link.
The full guide to getting the word out: every channel from flyers to the evening news, with lead times and costs.
What you’ll need
- Place
- NeededA business’s site (shop front, store BBQ)
- Landowner’s permission
- NeededYes, in writing
- Council permit
- Not needed
- Food rules
- Not neededNo food sold
- Alcohol
- CheckUse a licensed venue and confirm its licence covers your event. A club licence usually covers members and guests only
- Gambling rules
- NeededClass 2: prizes up to $5,000 and all tickets printed worth up to $25,000. Run by a club or society, with the money going to community or charitable purposes. Prizes at least 20% of ticket value; sold in person only, every ticket numbered (our rule: on paper). Prizes over $5,000 need a Class 3 licence
The club, not the pub, runs it: Class 1 if prizes and turnover are each $500 or less per session, otherwise Class 2. The venue keeps no cut, and sales are in person in the room.
Make more from it
lifts ticket sales with the crowd already there (estimate)
players and supporters stay on at the clubrooms
A bigger hamper or meat-pack prize once a month
$100-300 extra on that night (estimate)
a headline prize draws a crowd
Stack it: on its own, about $150. With the add-on above, roughly
$400est.
What you can get donated
Butcher discount or sponsorship; the venue lets the club sell.
Tips
- Tray photos on the club Facebook page before each night bring people in (advertising only).
- Consistent night and time builds a habit.
Watch out for
- The pub keeping a cut (commission is banned).
- Cash handled without weekly records.
Meat raffle at the pub or club: checklist
0 of 14 done
Before
On the day
After
The club, not the pub, runs it: Class 1 if prizes and turnover are each $500 or less per session, otherwise Class 2. The venue keeps no cut, and sales are in person in the room.
Also pairs with: club member draw, For Goods Sake meat boxes as prizes (but don't bundle tickets with pack sales)
* General fundraising information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Money figures are examples and estimates, not promises. Check current official requirements before you commit. About this guide