Discussion
Apologies if this has been covered before, but have come across a guy/company who sells raffle tickets for cars. Prices vary from £45 for a Tuscan ticket, to £80 for a 360 F1. Tickets are limited to 2100-2600 for each prize, so the odds are pretty good.
He has physical sites at Heathrow and Gatwick, but also has a website where you can purchase. www.best-ofthe-best.com. I am tempted, but has anybody tried this?
He has physical sites at Heathrow and Gatwick, but also has a website where you can purchase. www.best-ofthe-best.com. I am tempted, but has anybody tried this?
Almost tempted until I discovered that it is NOT a raffle. It is a 'Spot-The-Ball' competition that is based on an 'expert' view of where a ball would be in the photograph they use. It's not even based on the ACTUAL position from the original photo!
£80 for a fair raffle ticket is one thing, £80 for guessing where a ball is in a sport I don't enjoy is quite another
£80 for a fair raffle ticket is one thing, £80 for guessing where a ball is in a sport I don't enjoy is quite another
I would imagine that running stands, large enough to put cars on, in Londons premier airports, wouldn't exactly be cheap.
You've also got the cost of running a sales team, procuring the cars (how long is the normal waiting time for a 360 Modena?), etc. etc...
If he was making ((2600 * £80) - £100k) on the deal I'd be very surprised.
Having said that, I think I'd have preferred a simple raffle, although there has to be some reason for him picking the 'spot-the-ball' approach.
You've also got the cost of running a sales team, procuring the cars (how long is the normal waiting time for a 360 Modena?), etc. etc...
If he was making ((2600 * £80) - £100k) on the deal I'd be very surprised.
Having said that, I think I'd have preferred a simple raffle, although there has to be some reason for him picking the 'spot-the-ball' approach.
squirrelz said: I would imagine that running stands, large enough to put cars on, in Londons premier airports, wouldn't exactly be cheap.
You've also got the cost of running a sales team, procuring the cars (how long is the normal waiting time for a 360 Modena?), etc. etc...
If he was making ((2600 * £80) - £100k) on the deal I'd be very surprised.
Having said that, I think I'd have preferred a simple raffle, although there has to be some reason for him picking the 'spot-the-ball' approach.
I don't suppose he is doing it out of the good of his heart it must be worthwhile to him!
There is a similar thing at Dubai Airport which has been going for years.I don't think it would be allowed as a raffle in the UK as I think it would have to be a charity or a fundraising organisation doing it.
This was mentioned in the most recent edition of Car or TopGear or Evo, can't remember which, but they reviewed this guy's competition and spoke to some people who had actually won very expensive cars.
The person closest to the ball wins, so someone will always win.
It has to have an element of skill to it otherwise you need a licence under the gaming acts, even if that element of skill is minimal. See for instance all these TV phone in quizzes, Who played Dirty Harry? Was it a) Clint Eastwood b) Mickey Mouse d) My mum?? No skill at all but it gets them within the exemption.
If you are having a competition where you do not require skill to win a prize, then you can't charge for it, hence the "No purchase necessry" wording you see on crisp packets etc.
The person closest to the ball wins, so someone will always win.
It has to have an element of skill to it otherwise you need a licence under the gaming acts, even if that element of skill is minimal. See for instance all these TV phone in quizzes, Who played Dirty Harry? Was it a) Clint Eastwood b) Mickey Mouse d) My mum?? No skill at all but it gets them within the exemption.
If you are having a competition where you do not require skill to win a prize, then you can't charge for it, hence the "No purchase necessry" wording you see on crisp packets etc.
The trouble with it being "spot the ball" is that it really messes with the probabilities. If it were a straight lottery / raffle then you would have a genuine 1-in-2100ish chance of winning. With it being spot the ball, you no longer have a simple probability. Who knows what the real odds are?
simpo one said: I think the Lotteries and Gaming Act comes into it. There was a case where someone tried to raffle his house by selling x tickets at £1,000 each, but it was illegal.
I believe it was Barney Curley, the racehorse trainer. I think he was succesful with the raffle. Some of his winning bets are legendary.
>> Edited by SwanJack on Tuesday 15th October 14:00
>> Edited by SwanJack on Tuesday 15th October 14:01
JonRB said: The trouble with it being "spot the ball" is that it really messes with the probabilities. If it were a straight lottery / raffle then you would have a genuine 1-in-2100ish chance of winning. With it being spot the ball, you no longer have a simple probability. Who knows what the real odds are?
But SOMEONE wins, so you still have a chance of being closest, you dont need to get it exactly right - so does it make any difference to the odds? Not really, they sell the same number of tickets, only one person wins so still a 1 in xxx chance of winning - guessing the ball position is like being able to pick your ticket number I guess....
Surely the 'Spot-the-ball' element only acts to improve your chances of winning, given that one or more entrants might pick the same position of the ball.
MB. said:
JonRB said: The trouble with it being "spot the ball" is that it really messes with the probabilities. If it were a straight lottery / raffle then you would have a genuine 1-in-2100ish chance of winning. With it being spot the ball, you no longer have a simple probability. Who knows what the real odds are?
But SOMEONE wins, so you still have a chance of being closest, you dont need to get it exactly right - so does it make any difference to the odds? Not really, they sell the same number of tickets, only one person wins so still a 1 in xxx chance of winning - guessing the ball position is like being able to pick your ticket number I guess....
To continue the 'choosing the number' analogy, it is like several people sharing the same number (but only one number wins).
>> Edited by jeremyc on Tuesday 15th October 14:36
'If it were a straight lottery / raffle then you would have a genuine 1-in-2100ish chance of winning. With it being spot the ball, you no longer have a simple probability. Who knows what the real odds are?'
If the closest guess wins, then the fewer entrants, the better your odds. The problem begins if the holder only sells one ticket - the scheme would have to be subject to a minimum number of ticket sales to proceed.
If the closest guess wins, then the fewer entrants, the better your odds. The problem begins if the holder only sells one ticket - the scheme would have to be subject to a minimum number of ticket sales to proceed.
Seems like the same kind of thing as www.sharknose.co.uk
But on here it's not Spot-The-Ball but more of a first out of the hat wins (I think?).
They say you need to answer an easy question to validate your entry which I suppose gets around the gambling laws mentioned earlier.
Cheers.... Andrew
But on here it's not Spot-The-Ball but more of a first out of the hat wins (I think?).
They say you need to answer an easy question to validate your entry which I suppose gets around the gambling laws mentioned earlier.
Cheers.... Andrew
As per Dubai Airport, there's one at Bahrain Airport. Usually a Porsche or an SLK or similar parked on a stand.
The guys working in Saudi club together to buy a ticket, which the next person flying out through Bahrain buys. Should they win, they specify a RH drive car shipped to the UK, and promptly flog it; this is rip-off Britain after all so they make more money than they would selling it elsewhere.
Bear in mind a typical ex-tax salary in Saudi is 3 grand a month (plus expenses etc) so a fiver a fortnight or whatever is not a big risk.
Ian
The guys working in Saudi club together to buy a ticket, which the next person flying out through Bahrain buys. Should they win, they specify a RH drive car shipped to the UK, and promptly flog it; this is rip-off Britain after all so they make more money than they would selling it elsewhere.
Bear in mind a typical ex-tax salary in Saudi is 3 grand a month (plus expenses etc) so a fiver a fortnight or whatever is not a big risk.
Ian
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