What is Play Fund Win?

Play Fund Win manages 5 data types including leads. Helps you organize, track, and share your work in 1 place for teams and solo users.

SWEEPSTAKE — GRAND NATIONAL

Grand National sweepstakes — the UK’s biggest spring fundraiser

First Saturday in April. Around 40 runners randomly drawn to entrants. Whoever drew the winning horse takes the pot — minus your share for the cause. The classic UK office and pub fundraiser, now legal-by-default.

PubsWorking men’s clubsSchoolsSports clubsOffices

Chat with Robin See how it works →

15% only when you raise10 minutes setupUK fundraising ready

Robin

Your fundraising co-pilot · 30 seconds to a plan

Hi — I'm Robin. Tell me a bit about your cause and I'll suggest the right draw, ticket price and a realistic raise. Live in about 10 minutes.

Spring fundraiser

April peak — runs 2–4 weeks pre-race.

Office or club format

Workplace fundraising peak moment.

£200–£2,000 / pot

Depends on entrant count.

Free-entry route

Designed to fit UK rules.

How it works

Four steps to live

Open entries the week before

Robin builds your sweepstake page in 10 minutes. Set the entry fee (typically £5–£10), the pot structure, and your cause.

Each entrant gets a random horse

On entry, Robin auto-assigns each entrant a runner from the final declared field. No picking, no spreadsheet, no scribbled names on paper.

Watch the race together

Pubs, clubs, schools, offices — wherever your supporters are. Robin emails everyone their horse the morning of the race.

Pay out automatically

When the result is in, Robin pays the pot split (typical: 70% winner, 15% runner-up, 15% third place). Your cause’s share lands in your bank within days.

Featured host

PFW Sweepstake Hosts

Grand National Sweepstake

Workplace and community sweepstakes built for the spring jump-racing peak. PFW is not affiliated with the Jockey Club or Aintree.

Stylised illustration

More case studies

Real examples

Verified PFW hosts running this format

Verified

Annual / April

Pub Grand National sweepstake

40 entrants, £5 each, drawn before the race

Verified

Annual / April

School staff-room sweepstake

40 staff, £5 each, drawn at morning briefing

Verified

Annual / April

Office Grand National

Friday-afternoon office sweepstake with cause split

Verified

Annual / April

Club spring fundraiser

Sports club bar sweepstake on race day

Typical revenue

Illustrative ranges — not guarantees

Based on verified host data — your numbers will vary.

40 entrants, £5 each (pub / single venue)

£0 total raise

After ~70% prize payout + the 15% platform fee, ~£30 to your cause

200 entrants, £5 each (school / multi-venue)

£0 total raise

After prizes + fees, ~£250 to your cause

1,000 entrants, £10 each (club / charity drive)

£0 total raise

After prizes + fees, ~£2,500 to your cause

Who it's best for

Designed for these communities

Pubs and working men’s clubs

The Grand National sweepstake is a cultural fixture in British pubs. Switching from paper to PFW means no float, no missed entrants, no licensing grey area.

Schools and PTAs

A natural staff-room fundraiser. Teachers, parents and older pupils all join in. Robin’s auto-allocation handles 50–500 entrants without a spreadsheet.

Sports clubs and offices

Pre-season warm-up fundraiser for clubs, easy Friday-afternoon office activity. Repeat the same template every year.

UK fundraising ready

Compliance notes

Specific defensible claims — no fluff.

18+ entry verification built in at checkout
GDPR-compliant supporter data handling
Stripe Connect payments with full audit trail
Trustee-ready reporting on every sweepstake
Sweepstakes can run as free prize draws (entry buys participation + a charitable donation, not the chance of winning) or as Small Society Lotteries where the host holds the relevant council registration — Robin configures the right route
Play Fund Win is not affiliated with The Jockey Club or Aintree Racecourse — provided as a generic UK fundraising mechanism for fans of the race.

PFW is not a Gambling Commission licensed operator — formats are configured to fit either a society lottery (where the host holds a licence or registration) or a free prize draw route. Robin will pick the right one for you.

What you'll need

Five things, ten minutes

An entry fee (typically £2–£10 per entrant)
A pot structure (winner / runner-up / consolation prizes)
A list of supporters to invite (email, WhatsApp, members, regulars)
A bank account — connected via Stripe Connect (10 minutes)
About 10 minutes to chat with Robin and go live

FAQ

Common questions

How is a Grand National sweepstake different from a raffle?

In a raffle, entrants choose a numbered ticket and a number is drawn. In a sweepstake, the entrant pays the entry fee and is auto-assigned a random outcome (a horse). You’re paying to participate, not for a specific runner. This distinction matters legally — sweepstakes structured as free prize draws don’t need a Gambling Commission licence.

Do we need a licence?

Most Grand National sweepstakes run as free prize draws — entry is a charitable donation that buys participation, not the chance of winning. Robin sets the page up so this distinction is clear. Larger sweepstakes can run as Small Society Lotteries under a £40 council registration. PFW is not a Gambling Commission licensed operator.

What if there are more entrants than horses?

Common pattern: when entrants exceed the field, multiple entrants share a runner. If their horse wins, the pot for that position is split between them. Robin handles the maths automatically.

What if there are fewer entrants than horses?

No problem — Robin draws runners up to your entrant count and leaves the remaining horses unallocated. If an unallocated horse wins, the pot rolls to the highest-finishing allocated horse.

How is the prize split set?

The classic split is 70% winner / 15% runner-up / 15% third place. Many groups also include a "fell at the first" booby prize. Robin’s wizard lets you adjust the split before you launch.

How does the random allocation work?

A certified random draw at the cut-off time. Each entrant’s horse is emailed to them automatically before the race starts. No spreadsheets, no manual scribbling, no accusations of fix.

Can we add late entries on race morning?

Yes — Robin’s page can accept entries up to a cut-off you choose (typically 1 hour before the race). Late entrants get their horse instantly.

What does it cost?

Our standard fee is 15% of the total raised. No setup, no subscriptions, no hidden charges.

Couldn't find your answer? Chat with Robin — she'll help in under 2 minutes.

Chat with Robin