Can I take my costs out of the winner's half?

No. Once you advertise a 50/50 the winner's share is the winner's, and deducting printing or fees from it means paying out less than you promised. Costs come out of your half, which is why this calculator subtracts them there and shows the two figures separately.

Does the split have to be 50/50?

Not necessarily, though the name sets an expectation and changing it after tickets are sold is not an option. Some draws run 60/40 in the winner's favour to shift more tickets, and some run it the other way when the cause is the draw. Whatever you choose, put it on the ticket before you sell one.

How many tickets do we need to sell?

That depends on what you are trying to raise rather than on the split, so it is a different sum — the fundraising goal calculator works backwards from a target to a ticket count and a price.

Are 50/50 raffles legal where I am?

It varies, and more than most people expect: some places need a licence or registration before you sell a single ticket, some restrict who may run one, and a few do not permit them at all. Check with your own state or local authority before you start. We deliberately do not give a jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction answer, because a stale one would be worse than none.

Can Rafflebase run the draw itself?

Yes, and free for up to 100 participants. You still collect the ticket money your own way — we do not take payments — but the entrant list, the draw and the public proof all live here, which is the part a 50/50 usually has no record of.

50/50 calculator

What does a 50/50 actually raise?

Half the pot to the winner, half to your cause — but the half you keep is the one your costs come out of. Set your price, your expected sales and your split, and see all three numbers at once.

Your raffle

Ticket price

Tickets sold

Winner's share

Fifty is the classic split. Some draws run 60/40 either way.

Your costs

Printing, licence fees, card charges. These come out of your half, never the winner's.

If you sell more

The same ticket price and split, at other volumes.

Sold	Winner	You keep

Questions

Splitting the pot, specifically

Can I take my costs out of the winner's half?: No. Once you advertise a 50/50 the winner's share is the winner's, and deducting printing or fees from it means paying out less than you promised. Costs come out of your half, which is why this calculator subtracts them there and shows the two figures separately.
Does the split have to be 50/50?: Not necessarily, though the name sets an expectation and changing it after tickets are sold is not an option. Some draws run 60/40 in the winner's favour to shift more tickets, and some run it the other way when the cause is the draw. Whatever you choose, put it on the ticket before you sell one.
How many tickets do we need to sell?: That depends on what you are trying to raise rather than on the split, so it is a different sum — the fundraising goal calculator works backwards from a target to a ticket count and a price.
Are 50/50 raffles legal where I am?: It varies, and more than most people expect: some places need a licence or registration before you sell a single ticket, some restrict who may run one, and a few do not permit them at all. Check with your own state or local authority before you start. We deliberately do not give a jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction answer, because a stale one would be worse than none.
Can Rafflebase run the draw itself?: Yes, and free for up to 100 participants. You still collect the ticket money your own way — we do not take payments — but the entrant list, the draw and the public proof all live here, which is the part a 50/50 usually has no record of.

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