A few organizations have raffles and 50/50 fundraising draws in the summer. They include the Vancouver Jazz Festival, PNE Fair and a couple of Ribfest Events.
In 2024 the Vancouver International Jazz Festival ended on June 30th. You can still buy tickets for their 50/50 draw, however, up until July 15th. Funds raised through the raffle benefit Coastal Jazz (which is the organization that hosts the festival).
The PNE Fair, meanwhile, has its annual PNE Prize Home Lottery, but also its own 50/50 draw. Port Moody Ribfest happens on July 19th to 21st and Ribfest Langley is on August 16th to 18th. Both of those are fabulous events that raise money for local Rotary Clubs and their charitable work. Both ribfest events also have 50/50 draws where you can win half the pot! Interestingly, Port Moody Ribfest also currently has a competition where you can win the chance to be a rib-tasting judge at the event this year!
50/50 draws are great ways for non-profit organizations to fundraise. They are also fun for people to play (and dream about winning). Note, though, that gambling isn’t a way to earn money. Only play if you can afford to lose a few dollars. Consider the cost of your ticket to be a donation to a worthwhile cause! If you have a gambling problem, or have had one in the past, or can’t afford to lose a few dollars, then don’t buy a ticket!
In this article you’ll learn about the 50/50 draws and other raffles that benefit Coastal Jazz, the PNE Fair, and both Port Moody Ribfest and Ribfest Langley.
How Do 50/50 Draws Work?
50/50 draws are a popular type of fundraising raffle. The proceeds from all the tickets sold go into a single prize pot, and at the end a winner is drawn. The person who wins gets 50% of the pot, and the rest goes to a charitable organization.
Aside from supporting a good cause, 50/50 draws are great because there are no taxes on the winnings as half of the money already goes to a charity or similar organization.
50/50 draws are very common at sporting events. Both the Vancouver Whitecaps and BC Lions do draws at each of their home games. The Whitecaps play at home in July in 2024 on the 17th, 20th and 27th. The Lions are at home on July 13th. Tickets can be bought at the stadium or online and the winner is picked near the end of the game.
Below are details about some other notable 50/50 draws that are selling tickets this month.
Coastal Jazz 50/50 Draw
Coastal Jazz is the organization that runs the Vancouver International Jazz Festival. The 2024 festival ran from June 21st to 30th, but the Coastal Jazz 50/50 draw goes from June 10th to July 15th.
This year is the first that the organization has ever done a 50/50 draw. Half of the proceeds go directly to the organization in order to support local Jazz here in the Lower Mainland.
A single ticket costs $10, five tickets are $25, and 50 tickets go for $50. To enter, visit the Coastal Jazz website.
The PNE Prize Home Lottery & 50/50 Draw
Each summer the Pacific National Exhibition has its PNE Prize Home Lottery where you can win a dream home as well as various other wonderful prizes.
The 2024 main prize draw isn’t a 50/50. The winner instead gets a $2.3 million home in Langley! There is also a separate 50/50 draw, however, and it’s the biggest one in Metro Vancouver. As of mid-July, the jackpot is already worth well over $700,000! That number will continue to go up until September 9th.
There are two choices for tickets this year for the 50/50 draw: $10 for one or $30 for five. For full details about the PNE Lottery and 50/50 draw, see the PNE Prize Home Lottery website.
Port Moody Ribfest 50/50 Draw
Port Moody Ribfest is a weekend-long event from July 19th to 21st in 2024. Along with the delicious BBQ, live music and fun activities, there’s also a 50/50 draw. This year’s draw is held on August 2nd. Ticket sales end on July 31st.
Those who want to purchase tickets can do so either online or at the festival itself. Tickets are $20 for one, $50 for three and $100 for 10. There is also a contest to become a rib-tasting judge in next year’s festival!
To learn more about the raffle, click Port Moody Ribfest.
Ribfest Langley 50/50 Draw
Ribfest Langley is a very similar event to the one in Port Moody. The festival itself isn’t until August 16th to 18th, but 50/50 draw tickets are on sale in July.
The prices for the Langley draw are almost the same as the ones for Port Moody Ribfest. They cost $20 for one ticket, $50 for three and $100 for eight. The jackpot is already over $85,000 in mid-July, with over a month still to go!
For full details check out the Ribfest Langley website.
KNOW YOUR LIMIT!
With respect to lotteries and gambling, as they say, “Know your limit and play within it.” Also, if you or a person you know has a gambling problem, for help you can call 1-888-795-6111 or visit www.bcresponsiblegambling.ca.
Other Information
For other events taking place in the Lower Mainland this month, check out our July calendar.
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