To be pissed off at my wasted fiver?

[StuffezLaBouche]

Yesterday was the deadline for my work's raffle so I bought a fiver's worth before I left work, knowing it was to be drawn today.
Raffle was drawn and I didn't win anything (wasn't expecting to as I have notoriously crap luck!)

Later, I went to the office to do a quick job and noticed a pile of six, maybe seven envelopes with "£2 raffle money" and the people's names, including mine! They hadn't been opened which meant the tickets hadn't been included in the raffle.

Now I can live with not winning an Xmas hamper, and actually the kids who did win looked so pleased, but AIBU to be a bit grumpy about all the people who paid for tickets but weren't entered?

I'm tres confused.

You buy tickets. And then they hand you a strip with your tickets on.

They then add the duplicate tickets into the raffle.

Why would the duplicate tickets be in the envelopes?

charl, we get sent both parts home. You keep one set and send the other in, named and with the money, to go in the actual draw

Oh I think I get it now. charlma they're not the raffle tickets that come in books like cloakroom tickets (like this, they're books of tickets that get sent home with the children like these - you return the stubs of the ones you're paying for with the money and those (or rather the numbers on them) go into the draw.

As long as the money gets returned to everyone it's not such an issue (as long as they're not too upset about missing the chance to win a box of bath soaps).

Here is an example of a council's rules

www.manchester.gov.uk/directory_record/16489/small_society_lotteries

On our tickets we have the name and address of the "promotor" eg. Treasurer of PTA and the name and address of printer. Schools can't just go round randomly having raffles unless the tickets are sold and drawn on the day. It's gambling and it's to ensure the buyer is protected and its not a scam otherwise anybody can just hold a raffle.

www.manchester.gov.uk/directory_record/16489/small_society_lotteries

Was it for charity?

A similar thing happened with our school's raffle a few years ago, but they returned the money to us, so no fraud was committed.

I can't help but think that you took part in goodwill, knowing/thinking you wouldn't win and was for a good cause so it really was a donation??! I don't suppose there was any mal intent so think YABU

But it ISN'T a donation, it's been marketed as a raffle abd by not being entered, a fraud has been committed.

Best practice means the monies must be returned with an explanation

*But it ISN'T a donation, it's been marketed as a raffle abd by not being entered, a fraud has been committed.

Best practice means the monies must be returned with an explanation*

^^

Quite right horsemad

Can 'kids' win the prizes then? Is there not a legal age they can enter and win prizes?

The tickets have to be sent home to an adult, usually in the children's bags. Children can't officially buy or sell the tickets, but in practice a number of parents put their DC names on the stubs so that any prizes can get to them via the class teacher if they can't hang around for the draw.
School PTA usually applies for a licence for this type of draw.

In our school raffle only over 16s can purchase tickets, so no, not 'kids'.

Ours only accept an over 16's name with c/o childs name and form number so prizes ( NOT alcohol!!) can be sent home.