Running a 50/50 raffle at a basketball game? Here's how to set it up, stay compliant, and stop losing entries to a cash box nobody can reconcile after the final buzzer.
What Is a 50/50 Raffle and Why It Works at Basketball Games
A 50/50 raffle splits the pot: half goes to the winning ticket holder, half goes to your program. It's one of the easiest fundraising moments to run at a basketball game because the crowd is captive, entertained, and already in a giving mood — but it's also one of the easiest to under-capture, because most gyms still run it with a roll of paper tickets and a shoebox.
The event is already drawing the crowd. The reframe is making sure the raffle captures what that crowd is willing to give, instead of relying on whoever happens to walk by the table with cash.
State Rules and Raffle Compliance Basics
Before you sell a single ticket, check your state and local raffle/gaming regulations — many states require a permit for raffles above a certain dollar threshold, and some require the sponsoring organization to be a registered nonprofit or booster association. Keep a simple record of: total entries sold, total pot, winning ticket number, and payout amount. This matters for both compliance and for your own books when it's time to report what the event raised toward season costs.
How to Run a Digital 50/50 Raffle During Tip-Off Night
- Set up the raffle on your event page alongside ticket sales and donations, so it's one link, not a separate system.
- Generate a QR code for the raffle entry and post it at the entrance, at concessions, and on the scoreboard screen if you have one.
- Announce it at quarter breaks — a quick PA mention ("scan to enter, drawing at halftime") outperforms a single pregame announcement.
- Draw digitally and verify the ticket against your entry log before announcing the winner.
- Pay out and close the raffle on the same platform where entries were collected, so there's a clean record for your treasurer.
Cash Box vs. Digital 50/50: What Actually Gets Captured
| Cash Box | Digital (FMS) | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry speed | Slow — manual tear-off tickets | Fast — scan a QR code |
| Record keeping | Handwritten log, easy to lose | Automatic digital log |
| Who can enter | Only people at the table with cash | Anyone in the gym with a phone |
| Reconciliation | Manual count after the game | Instant total on your dashboard |
| Platform fees | None, but cash handling risk | 0% platform fees on FundMySquad |
According to GoFundMe's own fundraising data, the average online giving campaign raises roughly $1,000 — and a huge driver of that is simply making it easier for more people to give in the moment, not asking the same few people for more.
Promoting Your 50/50 Before and During the Game
Don't save the raffle for game night. Share the event page in the team group chat days ahead, post it on the booster club's social accounts, and have players remind their own families. Squad-backed promotion — the whole roster sharing, not just one parent — is what turns a $200 raffle into a $1,000+ one, because you're reaching dozens of networks instead of one.
If your program also runs youth nights or tournaments later in the season, the same raffle setup carries over — see How to Turn Your Fall Sports Tournament Into a Fundraising Event for the full tournament version, and our guide on Midnight Madness fundraiser ideas for more tip-off night strategies.