PrizeSelect Raffle Program - downloadable

Download: Free raffle ticket, prize drawing program with no registration or trials; a simple .exe. NewVersion 1.07, updated 2015.12.20 with user-changeable wallpaper and a variety of other options.  This replaces and dramatically improves on an earlier program written in Excel (PrizeOrama).


 
PrizeSelect is a Windows raffle program that randomly selects winners from a pool of contestants and displays the results in real-time on the screen.  Fully configurable, with graphics, wallpapers, prize-lists and numerous options.

Free to download.

No registration, no nagware, no advertisements, no installation.
Simple EXE copy for installation.

Running Prize Select, about to give away a car.  Click for larger image.

PrizeSelect understands how a raffle operates

- especially in front of a live audience

It is designed to be used in front of a live audience and can handle either raffle-tickets (numbers) or people names.  The presenter has great flexibility in changing which prizes are awarded, in what order, and you can control repeat-winners and other aspects of a raffle.  This program knows how raffles should be run.


Small Program, Many Features:

• Free for all personal and commercial use.
  No registration or licensing. 
  No Adware
  No bull
   
• No hassle installation:
  Download/Copy the EXE along with a couple of graphics for the wallpaper.
  Run the exe.  An ad-hoc raffle is ready to begin.
   
• Supports instant ad-hoc (on-the-fly) raffles in either a numbered-ticket or "named" mode.  Or, with a little setup, the raffle can be configured, with all contestants and prizes pre-loaded via a simple ascii-text configuration file.  
  
  Multiple configuration files can be used, each with separate prize-lists and other criteria.
  Once the raffle starts, contestants can be added on-the-fly

• Winners can optionally be restricted to one (1) win per contest. 
  Changeable on a prize-by-prize basis or at the whim of the Prize Master.
  
  For example, when giving away minor prizes, only allow one win per person, but for the Grand Prize, let all contestants be eligible. One mouse-click changes this mode.
   
• As names/tickets are drawn, you choose whether to "accept" them as a winner (for a 'Must be present to win' raffle) or if the winner declines the prize, simply draw a new name. Declined names are eligible to win the next prize.
  
  
• Contestants can be unobtrusively removed during an in-progress raffle.
   
• Jazz-up the program with user-defined wallpapers.  In addition to the default blue wallpaper, illustrated above, you can make your own, company-branded wallpapers.  Several are illustrated in this article. 
   
• Fully documented with a 50-page PDF   

Ticket Sale Features:

• Contestants can be entered into the raffle either by selling "raffle-tickets," typically from a roll of numbered tickets, or more commonly by "Name," as in "John Smith."
  
  
• Numbered Raffle tickets can be entered en-mass, as one transaction, moments before the raffle starts. For example, you could enter tickets "1000-1546" and the raffle would choose between these numbers.
  
  Tickets can be entered from multiple, non-intersecting dis-contiguous rolls. Additional tickets can be added after the raffle begins.

• Of particular interest, numbered tickets can (and should be) sold by "Name."  (using the "Names" method).  For example, John Smith may have purchased 15 numbered tickets. When entering his purchase, you could type "John Smith x15" -- giving Mr. Smith 15 chances (15 copies of his name in the contestant list).  Or, if multiple John Smiths, "John Smith of Accounting"
  
  Use this method even if you are using numbered tickets.  With this, there is no need to track the ticket numbers. This is a popular way to use the program with medium to small groups.

• If Mr. Smith later returns to buy 5 more tickets, enter the second transaction ("John Smith x5").  No need to look up the previous purchase. Mr. Smith would now have 20 chances to win.
  
  
• Contestants can also be entered via a previously built configuration file.
  
  For example, for a company party, you could import all employee names and the prizes before the gathering.  Then, after the party starts, other names can be added ad-hoc during the raffle. The program automatically warns if duplicate names are found.
  
  All contestants (or tickets) can be edited and viewed from within the raffle program.
  
  
• As names are drawn, the chosen name rolls like a slot machine.  The actual effect looks neat.  Here is a GIF animation that lamely tries to simulate the event (the GIF is too slow and does not progress the way the real effect does.... )
  
  
  
  
  
• A winning numbered and name-draw looks like this:
  
  
  

Prize-List Features:

• Optional Prize lists can be built ahead of time with pictures acting as advertisements, independently of the contestant lists.  Here is a different wallpaper, along with a Playstation prize:
  
  

  

  Different Wallpaper, drawing for a Game Console.  Winner not yet awarded.

  
  
• Prizes without illustrations are displayed as text in the center of the screen.
   
• Prizes can be awarded in a preset order or prizes can be selected at-will from a list.
   
• Unannounced, unplanned, ad-hoc prizes can be awarded via an "unspecified prize." The Prize-master can switch between the original prize-list and ad-hoc prizes with a mouse-click.
  
  
• Prizes can optionally and automatically move to the next "available prize" as winners are chosen -- or the next prize can remain hidden until the Prize-master chooses to expose it.
  
  
• Awarded prizes are automatically removed from the Prize List so there is no risk of accidentally awarding twice.
  
  
• Accepted winners are recorded to an external transaction file for later reporting. In the event of a power failure, results are safely recorded. The original and modified contestant list is backed up with each new ticket transaction and can be recovered up to the point of failure within moments.
  
  
• If a predetermined prize-list is not available, or if all "known" prizes are exhausted, the program switches to an "unspecified prize mode" without interruption. This allows the Prize Master to give away ad-hoc prizes, as Prize-masters and MC's often like to do.

Downloading:

Download PrizeSelect.exe from Keyliner's Public GDrive link for free.
No registration required.

Link: Download PrizeSelect

G-drive download instructions.  Double click a file, then click the Download button, top-center:

Click for larger view

              Note:  prizeselect.exe MD5 check:
                         1f-81-f1-ac-a0-f4-3c-c8-b8-3f-e0-cd-e6-cd-8d-bd

I recommend downloading the Installation/User-guide (PDF) and wallpaper files -- especially the default wallpaper.  The All-in-one zip file contains the executable, several wallpapers and complete documentation and sample files.  Even at that, it is still a small download. 

Most of the features in this program are somewhat hidden
 in order to give the program good "curb-appeal"

The PDF demonstrates various scenarios on how to best use the program,

along with a list of helpful tips and tricks

You can literally download the EXE; double-click it and start using it now, for a quick test.


Because it is being downloaded from the web, Windows will report the program comes from an untrusted source (e.g. 'The mark of the web').  If you trust my program, let the program run.  I have considered purchasing a Digisign certificate, but the cost cannot be justified at $400 per year. 

The remainder of this post highlights some of the most commonly-used features.  The installation PDF has full details, including great examples and best practices. 


More on the Features:

Contestant names can be copied and pasted into configuration files, typically from Excel. Names can also be imported from one or more external ASCII files, allowing automated population. Typically, links are made to external lists, such as club-memberships, school rosters, etc.

Individual names can also be added on-the-fly, as in this screen shot (note the holiday themed wallpaper):

Click image for larger view, "Back" to return

Once names / raffle-numbers are added, the contestant list can be modified with rename, delete and find-duplicates. This is a screen shot showing a contestant list:

Standard Raffle Ticket Drawings:

PrizeSelections can be started in an ad-hoc mode (on the fly, without pre-configuration). This is particularly useful for traditional raffle-ticket drawings where you are using rolled-tickets. Data-entry for the tickets is easy, where you enter all the tickets in one transaction.

Illustrated, tickets #13456 through 13521 are being added in one step:

Multiple ticket ranges are supported, as are multiple rolls and dis-contiguous numbers. Sold tickets can be managed from this inventory screen, in this case, showing numbered tickets instead of names:

Version History:
Full details in the Installation PDF guide.
Program written by Traywolf @ Keyliner.



1.02 Initial Release

1.03 Added support for "Discard All". Added support for non-ranged, single-raffle-ticket data entry. Fixed bug when loading backup.ini files which contained non-ranged numbers.

1.04 Added support for copying Winner list to clipboard. Modified "Autoadvance to next Prize" to behave more smoothly when on an "unspecified prize"; it automatically advances to a new Unspecified prize even if auto-advance is disabled. In practice, this feels more natural during an impromptu prize-give-away.

1.05 Added Slot-machine effect while names are being drawn. Changed the "List All" page, adding more options. Improvements in documentation.

2015.12.20 ---

1.07 Recompiled with Visual Studio 2015.  Added a self-signed certificate, but it will still show as an unknown author.   Everyone clamored for user-defined wallpaper, which was finally added.  Added cool support for changing "One win per contestant" switch, on the fly, controlled by inventory -- this means no more screw-ups by your Prize Master/Master of Ceremonies.  Fixed bug by adding "x5" support in both INI files and in Files=import.text.  Improved font sizes in several areas.  Expanded and enhanced documentation; included new screenshot illustrations.   


If this program has helped you, toss in a buck or two using Paypal.  You do not need a paypal account to do this. 

I have had fun writing this program.  

If you use it, drop me a note and tell me how it went.  

Happy to hear from you whether you donated or not.

Related articles and links:
PrizeOrama - Raffle-ticket selection in Excel