From install to a live raffle in six steps
WPRaffle is a WooCommerce add-on, so setup follows tools you already know. Make a few choices, add your ticket packages, and you’re selling — with every payment landing in your own account. If you can run a WooCommerce store, you can run WPRaffle.
Built the WooCommerce way
There’s no separate system to learn. A raffle is a WooCommerce category, your ticket packages are products inside it, and tickets are generated and emailed the moment an order is paid.
1 · A raffle = a category
Each raffle is a WooCommerce product category that holds all its settings.
2 · Packages = products
Add a simple product for each ticket package — a 1, 5 and 10-pack.
3 · Paid = tickets sent
On a paid order, unique numbers are generated and emailed automatically.
Setting up your raffle
The basic setup takes minutes. Here’s the whole path from a fresh install to drawing a winner.
Install & activate the plugin
Upload WPRaffle under Plugins, activate it, and enter your license key to turn on updates. If you’re moving up from the Free edition, deactivate it first — only one version should be active at a time.
Create a raffle category
In WooCommerce, add a product category for your raffle and tick the Raffle checkbox. That’s what turns an ordinary category into a raffle and reveals its settings.
Choose your raffle settings
On that category, pick your ticket-number format, how tickets display, and your drawing options. This is also where specialty formats like 50/50, duck races and ball drops live on Gold, and the competition tools on Platinum.
Add your ticket packages
Create a simple WooCommerce product for each package and assign it to the raffle category. Want 1, 5 and 10-ticket options? That’s three products. Tiered packages are the single biggest lever on how much you raise.
Sell tickets
Buyers check out through your normal WooCommerce gateway. The moment an order is marked paid, WPRaffle generates their unique numbers and emails them — no manual step, no per-ticket fee, money straight to your account.
Draw your winner
When sales close, pick the winner with the built-in random selector, or export every ticket to CSV and run a live, on-stage drawing. Either way the full record is already in your site.
What you need
WPRaffle runs on your own site, so a few pieces need to be in place first.
A WordPress.org site
Self-hosted WordPress. WordPress.com isn’t supported — its hosting blocks the email tickets rely on.
WooCommerce
WPRaffle is a WooCommerce add-on, so the free WooCommerce plugin needs to be installed.
A payment gateway
Any standards-compliant WooCommerce gateway — Stripe, Square, Authorize.net and more.
Working email
Reliable outbound email so tickets arrive. We recommend an SMTP plugin for deliverability.
Draw online, or on stage
Every entry is recorded against its order, so choosing a winner is straightforward however you like to do it.
- Draw a random winner inside the plugin in one click
- Export all tickets to CSV for a live drum draw
- Print tickets for an in-person event
- Notify the winner automatically (Platinum)
The record’s already there
Because tickets live in your WooCommerce orders, you always know exactly which number belongs to which buyer — no spreadsheet wrangling on draw night.
Setup questions
How do I set up an online raffle with WPRaffle?
Install and activate the plugin, create a WooCommerce product category and tick the “Raffle” box, choose your ticket-number and drawing settings on that category, then add a simple product for each ticket package. Once it’s live, buyers check out through your payment gateway and receive their numbers by email automatically.
How are tickets delivered to buyers?
Tickets are generated and emailed automatically the moment an order is marked paid (“processing”). Each buyer receives their own unique ticket numbers, and the same numbers are recorded against their WooCommerce order.
Can I run more than one raffle at a time?
Yes. On Silver and above you can run unlimited raffles simultaneously, each as its own category with its own ticket numbers and settings.
How do I pick the winner?
Use the built-in random selection tool to draw a winner inside the plugin, or export every ticket to CSV to run a live, on-stage drawing. Both are available from Silver up.
Do I need coding skills?
No coding is required, but WPRaffle is built for someone comfortable with WordPress and WooCommerce. If you’d rather not manage the technical side, we offer a paid install-and-configure service, or a fully hosted option at Chance2Win.
How long does setup take?
The basic setup — category, settings and a few ticket packages — takes just a few minutes. Specialty formats and competition options add a little configuration but are still point-and-click.
Start your first raffle
Try it free to learn the flow, or pick the edition with the formats you need.
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