The Raffle, Digitized: Every Digital Tombola Format
Introduction
Raffles are always a great and enjoyable method to build up anticipation and excitement at events. A Digital Tombola is a popular experience that has been updated into a modern gambling game, without the need for paper tickets and player involvement.
What is a digital Tombola?
The traditional way to do a raffle is to register the people, wait for the draw and then announce the winners. A digital Tombola offers the same level of anticipation as the traditional paper tickets, paper stubs and physical draw but with a digital twist.
This format is perfect for events that will not be a continuous draw.
Classic Ticket-Stub Draw
Reinventing the most well-known raffle format in the digital world, the Classic Ticket-Stub Draw is just that.
All participants get a number, and winners are drawn, one by one. The host can read the winning numbers, or the winning numbers can be displayed on the screen of the event.
This is ideal for company events, galas, conferences, fundraisers, and other events where organizers are looking to keep the raffle tradition alive without the hassle.
Digital Ball Draw
The Digital Ball Draw is designed to give the game of raffle a visual component by creating the draw of random balls in the same way as a real raffle or a real Tombola machine.
The animated balls appear to be rolling around, moving, and dropping before the winning number is shown, rather than just displaying a random number.
This is a good format to use when the draw is being displayed on a large screen, and the organiser wishes the raffle to be part of the entertainment and not merely an administrative process.
Multi-Tier Draw
The Multi-Tier Draw is a draw of prizes in levels—bronze, silver, and gold—and winners are drawn at the same time in the same Tombola session.
The entries in each tier are all in the same pool. This is an important difference from a Lucky Draw's Tiered Prize Draw, where the structure is based on a progressive progression towards a grand prize. The Multi-Tier Tombola allows players to win from multiple tier levels, and follows the same batch-raffle format as traditional Tombolas.
The format is very helpful when a lot of categories are being used in an award ceremony, fundraiser, or conference in one draw.
Table/Team-based Draw
In the Table/Team Based Draw, the unit being selected is changed. Entries are no longer gathered by drawing one of the attendees, but rather by using a table, team, or other clearly defined group.
This format is ideal for group-oriented seated events such as conferences or meetings. One draw can decide on a winning table, and not one person from hundreds of individual players.
This can make it more of an 'us' experience as the results are not won by any one person. It also ensures that the draw is organically aligned with the architectural spaces of the event.
Countdown Reveal Draw
As a bonus, the Countdown Reveal Draw introduces a mini-wait for each winning combination, adding some extra suspense.
You can set the system to do a countdown or show some animation before the selected name or number is displayed. The viewers wait for the last second for the winner to make an appearance on the screen.
This is helpful when the organizers desire to keep the draw moving quickly, but also ensure that each winner is announced at their own time.
Tombola vs. Lucky Draw: What's the Difference?
Tombola and Lucky Draw may seem alike as they both select winners at random, but the experiences they are designed to offer are different.
Lucky Draw is more about one time, one event, and the short term. A Countdown Drama Draw can result in one big shared reveal with a high-value prize, and a QR-triggered draw can result in a one-shot private reveal.
Tombola, however, is more akin to a traditional batch raffle. Entries are added to a pool, and winners are drawn at a specific time of the event. Several names or numbers can be called in turn, giving the sense of a traditional raffle.
Conclusion
The digital Tombola retains the good old days of a traditional raffle, but with a bit of extra convenience and fun. If you want to choose one of two or three tiers of prizes, or elaborate on the end result with a ball animation, a simple ticket draw, or a dramatic reveal of the winners, the right format can make for an eventful raffle experience.
Book a demo today to see how digital tombola can ignite your audiences.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Tombola entries come from the same Lead Capture data as other Crowdplay modules?
Yes — entries can pool from any configured source, including badge scans, form submissions, or ticket data already captured at registration.
Does a Multi-Tier Draw remove a winner from the pool after they've won once?
This is adjustable — in some events, winners may be removed from subsequent stages, or may be kept in subsequent stages based on the rules of the event.
How is a Table/Team-Based Draw different from a Team Battle in Crowdplay's Quiz module?
A Table/Team Based Draw is a random draw, and there is no skill or performance involved, just which table or team is drawn. Team Battle is a competition in which teams compete and earn points according to their answers in the quiz.
Can a Tombola draw be scheduled to run automatically?
Yes, it can be triggered by an organiser and/or at a specific time during an event.