raffle

Everyday

1. A way of raising money where people buy numbered tickets and winning tickets are drawn to get prizes. tree →
2. (verb) To offer something as a raffle prize. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life schools, clubs and churches hold raffles at fairs and fêtes to raise money for charity. In maths it is a classic probability problem: if 100 tickets are sold and you buy 5, your chance of winning the one prize is 5 in 100. Phrases: raffle ticket, win a raffle, hold a raffle, raffle prize.

Examples

• I bought three raffle tickets at the school fair. tree →
• Gran won a hamper in the raffle. tree →
• The club raffled a bike to raise money. tree →
• The raffle will be drawn at four o'clock. tree →
• Tickets cost £1 each, or five for £4. tree →
• If 200 tickets are sold and I have 4, my chance is 4 out of 200. tree →

Note

Countable. A raffle is a kind of lottery, but small and local. In probability problems, the chance of winning = your tickets ÷ all tickets sold (for one prize).