Knights of Columbus football raffle: a council's guide
Updated July 8, 2026
A Knights of Columbus football raffle is a season-long squares raffle a council runs to fund its charitable works. Brother Knights sell numbered ticket books in person; each week the football scores decide the winning tickets; and the proceeds support the council's causes. It works because one ticket plays the whole season, so members stay engaged from kickoff to the Super Bowl.
Why do football raffles work for councils?
Councils already sell in person and gather every week, so a football raffle fits how a council operates. The season-long format keeps parishioners coming back game after game, and the squares format is familiar enough that no one needs it explained. One round of selling funds months of engagement.
How does a council run one?
- Set up the raffle for the season and print numbered ticket books.
- Brother Knights sell the books in person — after Mass, at council events, and around the parish — noting who bought each ticket.
- Once the books are sold, draw the numbers with a method members can verify.
- Each week, the game's score picks the winning tickets and the council pays those prizes.
- The proceeds go to the council's charitable programs; prizes come from donations or the council, not ticket sales.
How do you keep it compliant?
Councils are established nonprofits and commonly run charitable raffles, but the rules still vary by state — some require you to register or get a permit before selling tickets and to report afterward. Selling the books in person keeps the raffle within charitable-gaming law in many states.
Frequently asked questions
Can a Knights of Columbus council run a football raffle?
Yes. Councils are established nonprofits and commonly run charitable raffles. Where your state requires it, register or get a permit before selling tickets and report the results afterward.
How do councils sell the tickets?
Brother Knights sell physical ticket books in person — after Mass, at council events, and around the parish — recording each buyer. Buyers can pay by cash, check, or card at the point of sale.
How long does a season-long football raffle last?
The whole season. One ticket book plays every week, so members stay engaged from kickoff through the playoffs, Thanksgiving, and the Super Bowl.
Keep reading
- How to run a football squares fundraiserA step-by-step guide to running a football squares fundraiser for your nonprofit — picking a game or a full season, pricing and selling tickets in person, drawing the numbers fairly, and paying the winners.
- Are football squares legal?Whether a football squares pool is legal depends on how it's run. Here's how football squares work as a charitable raffle — a nonprofit, in-person sales, and no house cut — and why the rules vary by state.
- Season-long football squares vs one-game poolsThe difference between a one-game football squares pool and a season-long squares raffle — and why one ticket that plays every week raises more for your cause.
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