Hybrid Raffle Platforms 2026: One Drawing Pool for Every Buyer
Most raffle fundraising events have cash buyers. The supporter at the gala who wants to pay with a check. The VFW member who prefers cash. The walk-in at the school carnival without a credit card. A hybrid raffle includes those buyers in the same drawing pool as online buyers — one unified pool, one drawing, one winner from all entries. Every major platform except one is structurally incapable of this.
A true hybrid raffle — where cash, check, and online buyers are included in one unified drawing pool — is supported only by Chance2Win as of April 2026. All other major platforms (Zeffy, RallyUp, BetterWorld, GalaBid, Givebutter) are Stripe-locked: their drawing pools are controlled by the payment processor, and cash entries cannot be added.
Why Other Platforms Can't Do This
Every platform that processes exclusively through Stripe has the same structural limitation: the drawing pool is Stripe's transaction database. A ticket exists in the pool because a Stripe transaction was processed for it. Cash doesn't generate a Stripe transaction. Therefore cash buyers cannot enter the pool.
This is not a missing feature. It is an architectural constraint. You cannot add cash entries to a Stripe-based drawing pool by building a new feature on top of the existing architecture. The pool is defined by the payment processor.
Option 2: Manually track cash buyers in a spreadsheet and combine outside the platform. This introduces error, reduces auditability, and may not satisfy compliance requirements in licensed raffle states.
| Platform | True hybrid pool? | What they actually offer |
|---|---|---|
| Chance2Win | ✓ Yes | Unified pool: online purchases + manual entry + spreadsheet import — one pool, one drawing |
| Zeffy / RallyUp / BetterWorld / GalaBid / Givebutter | ✗ No | Online-only. Cash buyers structurally excluded from the drawing pool. |
The Events Where Cash Buyers Are 20–50% of Ticket Volume
| Event type | Cash buyer % | Impact if excluded |
|---|---|---|
| VFW post / American Legion | 30–50% | Significant portion of your community cannot participate |
| Church / parish events | 20–40% | Older donors particularly likely to pay cash |
| School carnivals / events | 20–35% | Cash-paying families cannot enter |
| Gala events | 15–30% | Table guests buying tickets at the event |
| Fire department fundraisers | 25–45% | Volunteer fire departments typically have cash-preferring member bases |
An organization that excludes cash buyers either refuses cash sales (lost revenue), takes cash but excludes them from the drawing (unfair and potentially non-compliant), or runs two separate drawings (operationally chaotic and legally complicated).
One Pool. Every Buyer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Their drawing pools are inside Stripe's payment database. A ticket exists in the pool because a Stripe transaction created it. Cash doesn't create a Stripe transaction. It cannot enter the pool. This is a structural constraint, not a missing feature.
You can, but it creates audit problems and potential compliance issues. In licensed raffle states, the drawing must be conducted from a verifiable pool of eligible tickets. A manually combined list of Stripe transactions and handwritten names is difficult to audit.
No. The hybrid drawing pool is a standard feature of both Chance2Win plans — Zero Fee and Premium. Manual entry and spreadsheet import are included at no additional charge.
Running a live event raffle with cash buyers?
Chance2Win is the only platform with a drawing pool independent of the payment processor. Online purchases, manual entry, and imported spreadsheets all in one pool, one drawing.
Call (813) 699-9325 — real people, real raffle expertise.