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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To buy tickets for my own raffle?

29 replies

KeithLeMonde · 14/11/2019 10:09

Interested to know the consensus on this one!

I've been working hard to organise a raffle to benefit a charity. I've organised some great prizes which have been generously donated

WIBU to buy tickets and put my own name in the draw? I would get someone else to pull out the winners.

OP posts:
Whydoyouevencare · 14/11/2019 10:12

Yup virtually every competition has a clause that people organising and/or working for the company holding it are not allowed to enter.
You would be very unreasonable to enter. Imagine you won? There would be accusations of cheating all round.

Kko1986 · 14/11/2019 10:13

Why not your money is as good as everyone elses I see no problem and if you win something brilliant

ReturnofSaturn · 14/11/2019 10:17

I wouldn't personally.

MereDintofPandiculation · 14/11/2019 10:18

If you won, there would be suspicions of dishonesty - even if a complete stranger did the draw. In your position, you have to be not just honest, but above all suspicion of dishonesty.

WaterSheep · 14/11/2019 10:21

Unfortunately, even you win fairly there will be accusations of cheating.

It could taint the whole event. Instead of thinking wow KeithLeMonde raised so much money for the charity, people will focus on the fixed raffle.

finn1020 · 14/11/2019 10:34

It doesn’t matter how honest you are, if you won it wouldn’t look good. there would always be suspicions from some that it was rigged in some way, not worth the hassle.

leghairdontcare · 14/11/2019 10:36

If you're doing this on a volunteer basis j think it's fine. If you're employed by the charity, then it's not appropriate.

AloeVeraLynn · 14/11/2019 10:40

I wouldn't. We ran a school raffle a few years ago and two pta members won two big prizes. It was embarrassing.

Cohle · 14/11/2019 10:43

If you win it will look like you cheated. It will be embarrassing for you and will make people less likely to donate generously in the future. I think it would be really inappropriate of you.

Raphael34 · 14/11/2019 10:44

What if you won your own raffle? People are going to think you fixed it. You can’t buy tickets for your own raffle

BeanBag7 · 14/11/2019 10:47

Can you ask a friend or family member to buy some extras for you, if they win they give you the prize but officially you haven't bought them

plantainchips · 14/11/2019 10:47

I deleted YABU but if you did I don’t think it’s terrible.

Original poster
KeithLeMonde · 14/11/2019 10:58

Just to clarify, I'm doing it as a member of the public, not an employee of or volunteer for the charity.

OP posts:
BrieAndChilli · 14/11/2019 11:00

this is why on competitions in the T&Cs is says you cant take point if you are an employee or family member of an employee

for example

  1. In any event, our employees, agencies, licensees (which include Communicorp UK Limited and Adventure Radio Limited), freelancers, contractors (and those of any of our promotion partners, associated companies or prize providers) and their immediate family members or households (whether related or not), and anyone else professionally involved with the relevant Promotion, are excluded from entering and from winning (‘Excluded Individual(s)’).
Wolfiefan · 14/11/2019 11:17

If you’re doing something for the charity then you are a volunteer. Don’t.

WestSideSnorey · 14/11/2019 11:50

I think this is totally reasonable but I would NEVER do it.

If you win a single prize your name will be dragged through the mud because people are idiots and people are untrusting. Honestly, it isn't worth the hassle or the risk.

If you really want to contribute I'd advise doing so through a family member or close friend.

OMGshefoundmeout · 14/11/2019 12:02

I agree that if you won it would look dodgy and would reflect badly on you, the raffle and the organisation as a whole. It’s unfair but true.

I am involved with a large charitable organisation. Whenever there is a raffle most staff and volunteers buy tickets as a gesture of support. However if a staff member wins a prize it is accepted that they will refuse to accept it and ask that another number be drawn instead.

On a smaller level I am very involved with organising fundraising events at our church and that again involves buying raffle tickets. If more than one person on the social committee won a prize I am sure there would be semi-humorous mutterings of ‘fix’. For this reason I buy my tickets and then share them amongst the various youngsters who have volunteered to help with waitressing/cleaning etc at the event. It’s no great hardship - I have more than enough stuff and the young ones are thrilled if they win something. I might feel differently if we ever had good prizes!

RavenLG · 14/11/2019 12:03

I think if you have to ask you probably know it's not an above board thing to do.

user1483387154 · 14/11/2019 12:06

it will cause a lot of resentment if you win because people will wonder if you fixed it to win. It really isn't worth the aggravation

dontgobaconmyheart · 14/11/2019 12:11

I wouldn't, surely the only point of entering is in the hope of winning- and if you win it looks awful and will be awkward and deflating for others that entered. They may not bother buying a ticket next time in case 'you just win it again'.

Obviously logically it makes no difference if you won fair and square but it is what it is and that will be most peoples take home.

MereDintofPandiculation · 14/11/2019 12:11

Just to clarify, I'm doing it as a member of the public, not an employee of or volunteer for the charity. That makes no difference. You cannot win a prize in a raffle you are organising and remain above suspicion.

The only way you could buy a ticket is if you were to re-draw if your ticket came up - which rather defeats the objective you made clear in your OP, to win one of the rather good prizes.

AryaStarkWolf · 14/11/2019 12:12

I don't think it's a good idea really. If you won anything, everyone would assume you cheated :p

Cohle · 14/11/2019 15:11

Just to clarify, I'm doing it as a member of the public, not an employee of or volunteer for the charity.

You can't wear separate hats like that. What matters is how it will be perceived to other raffle participants.

The only acceptable way for you to participate is to re-draw the prize if you win.

ISmellBabies · 14/11/2019 15:13

Is that you, Fr Ted?

campion · 14/11/2019 15:31

I wouldn't unless you are happy to chuck any winning ticket straight back. As an aside,I get rather uppity about people who manage to win several times and keep taking the prizes instead of passing it over.

Anyway... DH was the conductor of a choir and they had a grand raffle. I sold several tickets at work and bought one myself to support the cause.
Came the draw and later DH arrives home carrying large hamper. "Did someone at work win it?" says I. " No,you did!" " Why didn't you put it back?!" "Because it was your ticket, not mine,and I didn't know what to do!" (pre mobile phones)

So we had the hamper and felt guilty. He hadn't actually organised the raffle but did draw my ticketBlush

He's older and wiser now and the choir members did see the funny side. EventuallyGrin