Raffle: meaning, definitions and examples

A raffle is typically a small-scale event where items or prizes are won by buying tickets. It's often used for charity or fundraising at community functions, schools, or clubs.

• The school organized a raffle to raise money for new playground equipment.
• I won a gift basket in the charity raffle last night.

A lottery usually refers to a large-scale gamble where people purchase tickets and the winners are drawn from those tickets. It's often state-run, and the prizes are monetary.

• He buys a lottery ticket every week hoping to win the jackpot.
• Winning the lottery could change your life forever.

A draw is a broad term and can refer to any event where names or numbers are pulled at random to decide winners. It is commonly used in various forms of contests or competitions.

• The company held a draw to decide the winner of the holiday prize.
• Please enter the draw for a chance to win a weekend getaway.

A raffle draw is a specific event where the winners of a raffle are determined by drawing names or numbers from a pool of ticket holders. It combines elements of both a raffle and a draw.

• The raffle draw will take place at 8 PM, don't miss it!
• Tickets are just $5 each for our annual raffle draw.

A raffle is appropriate when you want to raise funds or distribute prizes randomly to participants who have bought tickets. It's commonly used in charity events, school functions, and community gatherings.

• We organized a raffle to support the local animal shelter.
• She won a new bike in the charity raffle last night.

An auction is suitable for selling items to the highest bidder. It's often used for valuable or unique items like antiques, art, or property. Auctions can be live, online, or silent.

• The painting was sold at an auction for a record price.
• They held an auction to sell off the old office furniture.

A sell-off is used when you intend to sell a large inventory of items, often at reduced prices. This can happen for reasons like closing a business, reducing stock, or liquidating assets.

• They decided to have a sell-off to clear out the remaining stock before closing the store.
• The company announced a massive sell-off of its surplus equipment.

Dispose of is typically used when you need to get rid of something that is no longer wanted or needed. This term implies discarding, throwing away, or dealing with waste, and can sometimes carry a negative connotation.

• Please dispose of the trash properly.
• We need to find a way to dispose of these old computers safely.