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How many raffle tickets should I print? Print enough for your expected entries, not your expected guests: buyers multiplied by the tickets each one buys, plus a 30 to 50 percent buffer, rounded up to whole rolls or books. For take-home sales, print one book per seller plus a few spares.
Quick answer
How many raffle tickets should you print?
Estimate buyers, multiply by the average tickets per buyer (bundles push this to 4 or 5), and add 30 to 50 percent so you never run out mid-event. Remember a "2,000-ticket" double roll gives only 1,000 numbered entries, because each entry is a matching pair.
How many raffle tickets should I print? Count entries
Printers often suggest taking your guest count and adding 30 to 50 percent. That works for single-ticket sales, but most raffles sell strips and bundles, so one buyer can take 5, 10 or an arm's length of tickets. Count entries instead:
Tickets to print = expected buyers x average tickets per buyer x 1.3 to 1.5
- Expected buyers. Use the number who bought anything at your last event, not your total list.
- Tickets per buyer. Look at your price sheet. If most buyers will take the "5 for $20" strip, use 5. Our guide on how to price raffle tickets shows how to set those tiers.
- Buffer. Use 1.3 for a known crowd and 1.5 when walk-ins or a big last-hour push are likely.
- Round up to whole rolls or books. Tickets are cheap; running out at the peak of the evening is not.
| Raffle | Expected entries | With buffer | What to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classroom basket raffle | 80 buyers x 4 = 320 | About 450 | 1 double roll |
| Church or school fair | 250 buyers x 5 = 1,250 | About 1,700 | 2 double rolls |
| Gala with arm's length deals | 150 buyers x 15 = 2,250 | About 3,200 | 4 double rolls |
| Take-home books, 300 students | 300 books | About 330 books | Printed books with stubs |
Why a 2,000-ticket roll is really 1,000 entries
Store listings for double rolls advertise 2,000 tickets per roll. Each entry uses two tickets with the same number: one goes in the drum, the buyer keeps the other. So a 2,000-ticket double roll gives you 1,000 entries, and a 4-roll pack gives 4,000.
Single rolls (one ticket per number) are for admission or drink tickets, not raffles. If a listing says "single," it won't give you a stub to draw from.
Rolls vs books vs print-your-own vs online
The format matters as much as the count, because it decides who can sell, what information you capture and how easy the tickets are to track.
| Format | Best for | Upside | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double roll | Live events, one selling table | Cheap, fast to sell | No space for prize details; buyer writes name on the drum half |
| Printed ticket books | Take-home sales by students or members | Stubs capture name and phone; can show prize, price, draw date | Costs more; needs a lead time to print; books must be signed out |
| Print-your-own | Small raffles, tight budget | Custom wording for almost nothing | Numbering and cutting take volunteer hours |
| Online tickets | Supporters who won't be in the room | Nothing to print; automatic records | Platform fees; online raffle sales are restricted in some states |
Double rolls
For a one-evening raffle at a fair, dinner or game, double roll raffle tickets are the simplest choice. Buy a pack in one color per raffle, so a basket raffle and a 50/50 at the same event never share numbers.
One retailer notes that numbers don't repeat within a roll but can repeat across several rolls of the same color. Before the event, write down the first and last number of every roll you open, and check that they don't overlap.
Printed ticket books
Books suit take-home sales, where each student or member sells to family and neighbors. The stub records the buyer's name and phone, so you can reach a winner who isn't present. Many states also expect certain details on the ticket, such as the price, the drawing date and the organization's name; check our guide on what to put on a raffle ticket before ordering.
Order one book per seller plus about 10 percent spare. Custom printing needs lead time, so place the order before the sale window opens, not the week it starts. If you want a stock option, browse numbered raffle ticket books and check what each one lets you print.
Print-your-own
For under a few hundred entries, printing at home or the school office works. Use a word processor's numbering or mail-merge feature, print the same number on ticket and stub, and use perforated ticket paper to skip the scissors. Print a test sheet first, because a numbering error found after sales start is hard to fix.
Track every ticket you print
Printing extra is fine. Losing track of them is not. The IRS says in Publication 3079, Tax-Exempt Organizations and Gaming (checked November 2026) that organizations running gaming must keep records of gross receipts and prize payouts, and that state and local laws may require more. A ticket log is the simplest way to meet that.
Template: ticket sign-out log
Raffle: [name], drawing [date]
Seller: [name, phone]
Ticket numbers issued: [00101] to [00200] (book [#])
Date out: [date] | Date back: [date]
Tickets sold: [#] | Unsold returned: [#] | Cash and checks returned: [$]
Counted by: [volunteer 1] and [volunteer 2]
- Two people count. One volunteer sells or collects, a second counts and signs. The IRS example in Publication 3079 keeps cash handling and record keeping with different people.
- Unsold tickets come back. Collect every unsold book and stub before the drawing, so no unpaid ticket ends up in the drum.
- Keep the leftovers. Mark unsold tickets void and keep them with the log; never reuse them in a later raffle.
Need the drum and the drawing itself? See how to do a fair raffle drawing. Running a 50/50 with the same rolls? Our guide to running a 50/50 raffle covers the pot announcements.
Next step
Tickets in hand, the job is getting them sold. Our list of ways to sell more raffle tickets covers sellers, timing and what to do when sales stall.
Frequently asked questions
How many raffle tickets are in a roll?
A standard double roll holds 2,000 tickets, which is 1,000 matching pairs. Since each entry needs one ticket for the buyer and one for the drum, plan on 1,000 entries per roll. Single rolls also hold 2,000 tickets, but they have no matching stub, so they don't suit raffles.
What happens if we run out of raffle tickets during the event?
Don't improvise with a second roll that may repeat numbers. Keep a sealed spare roll in a different color, record its number range, and switch to it. If you have no spare, stop selling rather than writing numbers by hand, which makes disputes at the drawing likely.
Can we reuse leftover raffle tickets next year?
Not for a raffle. Unsold tickets from one raffle should be marked void and kept with that raffle's records. Starting a new raffle with a fresh color or new numbers avoids any doubt about which tickets are valid. Leftover rolls can still serve as door or drink tickets.
Do raffle tickets have to be numbered?
For a paper raffle, yes in practice: the matching number on the stub and the buyer's ticket is what proves who won. Many states also have rules on what a ticket must show. Online raffles assign numbers automatically, but you still need a record of every entry sold.
Should we print tickets or sell online?
Print when most sales happen in person on one day, and use books for take-home selling. Online tickets suit supporters who are far away, but they add platform fees, and some states restrict online raffle sales. Many groups use both, keeping one number sequence per channel.