13 online raffle ideas to drive donations

Looking for online raffle ideas that will drive donations and dazzle supporters?

We’ve got you covered with thirteen creative raffle formats that work seamlessly in a virtual setting.

Whether you’re hosting your first digital raffle or looking to level up your next one, these fun and effective raffle event ideas will help you boost participation, raise funds, and have a whole lot of fun doing it.

1. Social media raffle 🤳

Turn your followers into fundraisers!

Social media is a natural place to build buzz for your raffle. Ask followers to enter by tagging friends, sharing your post, or using a custom campaign hashtag. This expands your reach beyond your current audience and encourages viral engagement. 

You can also create shareable graphics or pre-written captions to make participation even easier.

💰 Cost: $

🔨 Tools needed: Social media management tools, fundraising page, social media accounts

💪 Pro tip: Be sure to interact with supporters’ posts! As Social Media Specialist Diane Marie Pisera says,

Engaging your audience online helps them feel valued and boosts your content in the algorithm.

2. “Unlocked” prize raffle 🔐

Set up a raffle where the grand prize is unlocked only once a certain fundraising goal is reached or after a specific number of raffle ticket sales. For example, the raffle for a luxury item could start after your nonprofit sells $5K worth of tickets. 

This idea is perfect for a digital raffle, as supporters can watch the fundraising thermometer rise over the course of the event—whether it’s a week or a month!

💰 Cost: $$$

🔨 Tools needed: Fundraising thermometer, fundraising page

💪 Pro tip: Make sure your "unlock" prize resonates with your audience’s interests and is a memorable, one-of-a-kind experience or gift!

3. Live-streamed raffle 📹

Host a live stream for your raffle drawing to make the event interactive. Promote it across all channels and offer exclusive access to certain donors. 

During the livestream, engage event attendees with behind-the-scenes content, donor shout-outs, and mini raffles for smaller prizes like video games, gift cards, branded t-shirts, board games, or mugs. 

💰 Cost: $$

🔨 Tools needed: Livestreaming platform, fundraising page

💪 Pro tip: Include interactive features like a supporter feed or polls to keep viewers engaged throughout the event.

More to explore

The ultimate list of companies that donate raffle prizes →

4. Influencer-hosted raffle 📣

Partner with a local influencer, artist, or business to host and promote your raffle. A recognizable figure can help increase visibility and credibility for your cause.

 Ask your influencer to host the drawing live or promote the raffle through their social media accounts to encourage people to buy tickets.

💰 Cost: $$$ (if paid partnership)

🔨 Tools needed: Social media platforms, fundraising page

💪 Pro tip: Ask your influencer to do a live drawing and announce the raffle winners on their page to generate more excitement and engagement.

5. Text-to-enter raffle 📲

Make entering the donation raffle as easy as sending a text!

Supporters can text a specific keyword (e.g., “WIN”) to a dedicated number to purchase raffle tickets. This makes participation incredibly convenient and increases conversions, especially among mobile users. 

💰 Cost: $

🔨 Tools needed: Text-to-donate tools, fundraising page

💪 Pro tip: Send automated thank you messages and follow-up texts with updates on the raffle’s progress.

We really loved being able to utilize the text-to-give functionality—so many people don't carry cash on them anymore, so this was incredibly helpful at our event. We sold way more raffle tickets and, in turn, raised a lot more money! It was super easy to set up and customize exactly to our needs. — Jessie G., Givebutter user

6. Subscription-based raffle 🔄

Instead of a one-time raffle, set up a subscription-based raffle where supporters are entered automatically each month when they donate a set amount (e.g., $10/month). This model provides consistent funding while keeping participants engaged long-term. 

💰 Cost: $$

🔨 Tools needed: Recurring donation platform, automated email reminders

💪 Pro tip: Offer different prize tiers based on donation levels to encourage higher contributions.

7. Venmo clear out 💸

Want a simple and effective online raffle idea? Ask people to donate their Venmo balances! 

Many supporters have small amounts of money sitting in their Venmo accounts, and encouraging them to “clear out” those balances for raffle ticket entries can be a quick way to raise money for your cause.

💰 Cost: $

🔨 Tools needed: Venmo integration, fundraising page

 💪 Pro tip: Use a hashtag like #clearoutyourvenmo to boost engagement! 

The young people at our [raffle] event loved being able to use Venmo to make their donations. We encouraged them to clear out their Venmo balances at the end of the night to donate all the money that usually just sits in the app, resulting in a major surge of donations! —  Jessie G., Givebutter user

8. Mystery box raffle 🎁

Everyone loves a good surprise—and your supporters can unwrap theirs digitally. 

In a mystery box raffle, supporters purchase tickets for the chance to win a surprise prize. After the drawing, you can reveal the contents of the mystery boxes either via a livestream or a fun unboxing video on social media. 

Build anticipation by teasing what’s inside the box, especially if it’s a raffle donation idea like a prize donated by local businesses or a local restaurant.‍

💰 Cost: $$‍

🔨 Tools needed: Event ticketing software, email marketing tools, shipping supplies

💪 Pro tip: Build anticipation with teaser graphics and use your email list or Instagram Stories to drop hints about what’s inside each mystery box.

More to explore

Discover 9 fun raffle games to boost your fundraiser →

9. Countdown raffle ⏳

Create urgency and drive repeat visits with timed prize drops!

Set up a series of short, time-based mini-raffles—like one every day or even every few hours—using a visible countdown timer on your fundraising page. Each time the clock hits zero, a new prize becomes available, and entries reset. This keeps supporters checking back in, engaging with your page, and entering multiple rounds for more chances to win.

You can promote each new raffle round through automated email and SMS blasts, plus teaser posts on social media, to build anticipation and keep traffic flowing to your site.

💰 Cost: $

‍🔨 Tools needed: Countdown timer widget, fundraising platform, SMS and email marketing software‍

💪 Pro tip: Set up automated email and text alerts to remind supporters when time is almost up.

10. Choose-your-own-prize raffle 🧠

Give your online raffle a personalized twist—let supporters vote on the prize!

Instead of offering just one predetermined reward, present multiple exciting prize options and let participants choose their favorite when they enter online. Use a form or embedded poll on your fundraising page so each supporter can cast a vote along with their raffle entry.

At the end of the event, draw a winner—and award them the prize they picked! This interactive format boosts engagement by giving supporters more control and adds a fun, gamified layer to your fundraiser.

💰 Cost: $$

🔨 Tools needed: Online voting form, fundraising page, livestreaming platform

💪 Pro tip: Reveal the winning prize and the raffle winner live on stream to maximize excitement and encourage social sharing for your next event.

Dive deeper

27 raffle prize ideas for big and small budgets →

11. Buy-One-Give-One raffle 🎟️

Encourage supporters to spread the word about your donation raffle by offering a Buy-One-Give-One raffle ticket. 

For every ticket someone purchases, they receive a second ticket to give to a friend. This encourages participants to invite others, increasing overall raffle ticket sales and boosting donations.

 It’s a great way to increase engagement and ensure your raffle reaches more people, which means more funds raised for your cause.

💰 Cost: $$

🔨 Tools Needed: Peer-to-peer fundraising platform‍

💪 Pro Tip: Create a sense of urgency by offering bonus tickets for limited time, or run a “refer-a-friend” campaign to increase ticket sales.

12. Flash raffle 💥

Add excitement to your online event with flash raffles that pop up throughout your event!

These are surprise raffles that last for a limited time, offering fast-paced opportunities for your event attendees to enter and win raffle items. This creates a sense of urgency and keeps people engaged during your event. 

💰 Cost: $

🔨 Tools Needed: Fundraising event platform, email/SMS alerts

💪 Pro Tip: Promote flash raffles via social media and SMS alerts to catch people’s attention and encourage quick entries.

13. Gamified raffle 🏆

Make your online raffle even more engaging by incorporating interactive games! 

Host trivia questions or spin-the-wheel challenges where every participant earns an entry into the raffle. The added element of fun keeps your event attendees engaged and excited, while the chance to win raffle items or exclusive prizes adds an extra layer of excitement.

💰 Cost: $$

🔨 Tools Needed: Gamification tools, livestreaming platform, fundraising page

💪 Pro Tip: Use livestreaming or social media to announce game winners and drive real-time participation in the raffle.

Learn more

How to write a raffle prize donation request (free template!) →

Launch your best online raffle yet with Givebutter

Creative raffle ideas online are essential for boosting engagement and fundraising success. By offering exciting and unique experiences, you can drive greater participation and support for your cause.

With Givebutter’s free event management software, turning these ideas into action is simple. Create a raffle page, sell tickets, track donations, and host live drawings—all in one platform. 

Plus, Givebutter's built-in marketing tools help you promote your event like a pro.

Get started with Givebutter today and make your next online raffle a success!