Club Statement - Major Raffle 2022

Concerns

Some ticket purchasers have expressed a concern that many thousands of tickets were sold in this raffle. That is not the case. Although 3000 were available only 1571 were sold either as paper tickets, or online.

Ticket Numbering

Tickets numbered 0001-0500 were in paper books and distributed to club members, players, and friends to sell.

Tickets numbered 0501 – 3000 were available for sale online through the MFNC Facebook page and directly from the club website macedoncats.com.au

After online ticket sales began, the MFNC noted that the prefix 22 was ahead of the number of the ticket as follows: Ticket 501 (the first online ticket) appeared as ticket number 22501. An enquiry to the website manager made the presumption that the “22” represented the year, as we had also run a raffle in 2021. This explanation was presumed correct until the prefix 23 appeared. When ticket sales clicked over from 22999 to 23000 and thenceforward ticket numbers had a 23 prefix, MFNC sought clarification of this matter and was given a valid explanation.

Ticket Management and Processing

The management of the paper ticket butts was simple, as they were pre-printed with the ticket number, and filled in with the purchaser’s name, email address, and telephone number.

The management of the online ticket sales was as follows. MFNC was given electronic spreadsheets of all the online sales. These contained the buyers ticket number, name, address, email address, and telephone number. This information was processed, merged electronically and printed on ticket butts identical to the butts in size, colour of paper, and GSM, of the paper tickets. This was done by an independent print organisation. After completion of this process, each ticket butt, and the information thereon, was cross checked and validated against the data base and the payment accounting system, before being individually counted and placed, along with the paper ticket butts, in the barrel.

The barrel was then locked and rotated a minimum of 50 times in the horizontal plane, then placed on its side and rotated while in the vertical plane, then rotated in the horizontal plane again, forwards and backwards. This occurred prior to the Facebook live video.

The “Live” Draw

The reason for this was to enable anyone who had an interest to be virtually present for the occasion. To video the draw is not a requirement.

A statement was made prior to the draw regarding number of ticket butts in the barrel, and a general thank you to all the volunteers who made the raffle possible, to the buyers, and finally the right of winners to remain anonymous. The CPA who volunteered to draw the tickets then made the draw and announced the winning numbers.

The video remained on line until the winning ticket numbers had been published on the club website and was then taken down as it had served its purpose.

Postamble

The MFNC conducted a successful raffle in 2021 without the prefix to ticket numbering that has caused some confusion. Again, this year, all care was taken to ensure transparency across the whole process; however, it is important to note that MFNC acknowledges the concerns of a minority of participants on social media and the confusion of some around the ticket numbering. Any delay in this explanation becoming available is because we are all community volunteers and have families and work to take care of, in addition to running this raffle.

Audit

The issuer of raffle permit number 10599/21 under which this raffle was conducted has stringent rules around the process. The MFNC has followed the rules. The whole process is audited independently on completion and the report is submitted to the Victoria Commission for Gaming and Liquor Regulation, (now known as the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission).

Should you require any further information please contact:

Andrew Dick

President Macedon Football Netball Club

Email: [email protected]