Sweepstake (Melbourne Cup, Rugby World Cup, etc.)
Entrants are drawn a horse or team; the winner's ticket takes the prize.
Typically raises
$100
$0–400 per eventest.
About $50 per organiser hour
Based on one society sweepstake on $500 turnover
Is it right for us?
- Money
- Under $500
- Work
- An afternoon
- Helpers
- 1–2 people
- Lead time
- A week or less
- Red tape
- Light
Common: every workplace runs one for the Melbourne Cup
- People
- 1
- Organiser time
- 1-3
- Lead time
- days
- Up-front cost
- None.
- Risk
- None: nothing is bought up front.
How it works
The money, as an example sum
Nothing to pay up front, and the typical result for one society sweepstake on $500 turnover is about $100 per event.
From the typical figure on this page. Your result will differ.
Where the money figure comes from
Individual or office: $0 by law (all money to prizes). Society-run as a Class 1 lottery: [Estimate] up to $400 net on $500 turnover with a $100 prize.
Last checked October 2026. Ran this? Tell us what you raised and we’ll use real results to improve the figures.
Step by step
- Decide: social (all money to prizes) or society fundraiser (fixed prize, proceeds to the cause).
- Sell entries in person; record names.
- Set the entry price and, for a society, the fixed prize (>= 20% of entries on offer).
- Draw runners publicly.
- Pay prizes on the official result.
- Society: bank the proceeds and record entries and prizes.
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
- Not neededNone needed
- Landowner’s permission
- Not needed
- Council permit
- Not needed
- Food rules
- Not neededNo food sold
- Alcohol
- Not neededNo alcohol sold
- Gambling rules
- NeededClass 1: prizes and the value of all tickets printed both $500 or less. If an individual runs it, all the money goes back as prizes. Sold in person only. Our rule: a numbered paper ticket for every entry
To fundraise it must be society-run with a fixed prize of at least 20% of entries; a private office sweep must pay all money out as prizes. Sell in person only.
Make more from it
Run it as a calcutta on the night
often several hundred dollars more (estimate)
the auction adds money a plain sweep cannot
What you can get donated
Prize, if society-run with a fixed prize.
Tips
- For a club, a fixed-prize sweep is simply a raffle with a sports theme.
Watch out for
- Taking 'a cut for the club' in a sweep run by an individual.
- Advertising a private sweep publicly.
Sweepstake (Melbourne Cup, Rugby World Cup, etc.): checklist
0 of 10 done
Before
On the day
After
To fundraise it must be society-run with a fixed prize of at least 20% of entries; a private office sweep must pay all money out as prizes. Sell in person only.
Also pairs with: race-day function
* 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