> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.rafflex.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.rafflex.io/create-your-first-raffle/create-a-competition.md). # Create a Competition Setting up your first competition is simple. Follow these steps to get it live in minutes. {% embed url="" %} *** ### 1. Start a New Competition * In the **admin panel**, click **Competitions** on the left-hand side. * Click **New Competition** to begin.
*** ### 2. Enter the Essential Details Fill in these key fields: * **Title** – Name of your competition. * **Subtitle** – Optional short line shown under the title (up to 120 characters). * **Description** – Details about the prize and competition. * **Price** – Cost per ticket. * **Sale Price** – Optional discounted ticket price. It must be the same as or lower than the normal price. * **Cash Alternative** – Optional cash amount you will offer instead of the physical prize. * **Max Tickets** – Total tickets available in this competition. * **Max per user** – The most tickets one customer can buy in this competition in total, across all their orders. * **Max per order** – The most tickets one customer can buy in a single order. This cannot be higher than Max per user. * **Draw Winner Quantity** – Number of winners drawn (instant win winners are separate). * [**Game Type**](#id-4.-choose-a-game-type) – Choose how tickets are assigned ([see below](#id-4.-choose-a-game-type)). * **Featured Image** – Upload the main image (1080x1080). {% hint style="info" %} **Limiting tickets, explained simply** * **Max Tickets** is the total pool for the competition. * **Max per user** caps how many one customer can ever buy in it. * **Max per order** caps how many fit in a single basket for it. There is also a site-wide basket limit that applies across every competition. See [Order & Cart Settings](/additional-settings/order-and-cart-settings.md). {% endhint %} {% hint style="warning" %} **Competition Dates** You can change these if needed. * **Start Date (Scheduler)** – defaults to the current time, so the competition opens as soon as it is Active. Set a future date and time to schedule it to open later. * **End date** – automatically sets to 8 PM, two weeks from now. It must be after the start date. * **Draw date** – set to 9 PM on the closing day. It must be the same as or after the end date. {% endhint %} {% hint style="info" %} **Want to launch a competition at a set time?** Give it a future **Start Date (Scheduler)**. It stays hidden, shows a Coming Soon countdown to anyone with the link, and opens for entries automatically at that time. See [Schedule a Competition](/create-your-first-raffle/create-a-competition/schedule-a-competition.md) for everything that happens before it opens. {% endhint %} *** ### 3. Upload Competition Images Good images make a big difference. Here’s what you need: * **Featured Image (1080x1080)** – The main image for your competition. * **Gallery Images (1080x1080)** – Additional images to showcase the prize. * **Slider Image (1920x1080)** – Optional, but recommended for important competitions. Features competition on homepage hero section. * **Portrait Image (600x800)** – Used to feature popular games in the [homepage](/customise-your-site/set-up-your-homepage.md) scroller (Netflix-style). * **Featured Video** – Optional short looping video (MP4 or WebM) that plays on your competition cards in place of the featured image. Keep it short and small for fast loading. {% hint style="info" %} Want a full video (with sound and player controls) on the competition page itself, such as a prize walkaround? Use the **Video URL** setting in [Optional Extras](#optional-extras) instead. {% endhint %} *** ### 4. Choose a Game Type The Game Type decides how tickets are assigned and how customers see their result. * **Standard** – Ticket numbers are randomly assigned. * **Sequential** – Tickets are assigned in order (1, 2, 3, 4…). You can also choose one of our interactive **game modes**, where customers reveal their result by spinning a wheel, scratching a card, opening a loot box, and more. Each one has its own page with its customisation options: {% content-ref url="/pages/QEGunBNNSt90mshVeDCr" %} [Overview](/instant-win-games/instant-win-games.md) {% endcontent-ref %} {% hint style="info" %} Game modes are revealed alongside [Instant Wins](/create-your-first-raffle/add-instant-wins.md). They do not work with Sequential tickets, so choose Standard or a game mode if you are running Instant Wins. {% endhint %} *** ### 5. Set Up Promotions * [**Buy One, Get One Free**](/marketing/website-tools/promos-and-discounts.md) – Customers get extra tickets automatically. * [**Bundles**](/marketing/website-tools/promos-and-discounts.md) – Offer ticket packages for bulk purchases. *** ### 6. Customise Your Competition These settings can help boost sales and visibility: * **Add to Slider** – Display in the [homepage hero section](/customise-your-site/set-up-your-homepage/how-the-slider-chooses-competitions.md) (requires a slider image). * [**Entry List**](/additional-settings/entry-list-display.md) – Show users who has entered. * [**Upsell**](/marketing/website-tools/upsell.md) – Display in checkout to encourage additional purchases. * [**Auto Draw**](/drawing-winners/truenorth-autodraws.md) – Let the system pick a winner for you. * [**Draw on Sold Out**](/drawing-winners/truenorth-autodraws/draw-on-sold-out.md) – Appears directly under Auto Draw once Auto Draw is switched on. When enabled, the winner is drawn as soon as the competition sells out instead of waiting for the draw date. #### Optional Extras Further down the form is the **Optional Extras** section ("Entry questions, ticket quantities, video and visibility rules"). Turn it on with the switch on the right of its heading bar, and its settings open up in four labelled panels. **Entry Question** * **Entry Question** – Ask entrants a skill question before they can check out. **Ticket Quantities** * **Custom Ticket Range Options** – Replace the default ticket quantity buttons (1, 3, 4, 8, 10, 20, 40, 80, 120, 180) with your own set. * **Default Selected Quantity** – Choose which of your quantities is selected when the page loads. This appears once you have set a custom range. **Product Page Display** * **Odds Calculator** – Show an estimated chance of winning on the competition page. * **Percentage Only** – Show the percentage of tickets sold instead of numbers. * **Video URL** – Add a video above the competition description. Paste a YouTube link, a Vimeo link, or a direct `https` link to a video file you host yourself (.mp4, .m4v, .webm, .ogg, .ogv or .mov). **Visibility & Eligibility** * [**Hidden / VIP Competition**](/create-your-first-raffle/hidden-vip-competitions.md) – Hide this competition from your public site and run it as an exclusive VIP or secret draw. * **Active Players Only** – Restrict entry to customers who have spent with you recently. You set how far back to look (in days) and a minimum spend they must have reached in that time. This applies to free competitions and is a good way to reward genuine, active customers. See [Free Entry](/additional-settings/free-entry.md). {% hint style="info" %} **Spot what is already set at a glance.** When any extras are in use, a badge such as **2 configured** appears next to the Optional Extras heading. When you edit a competition that already has extras set, the section opens automatically, so nothing stays tucked away out of sight. {% endhint %} *** ### 7. Publish Your Competition {% hint style="danger" %} **Mark as Active** Toggle the Active button on in the competition settings. Your competition won’t go live until this is selected. {% endhint %} * **Click Create** – and your competition is live! If you gave it a future **Start Date (Scheduler)**, clicking **Create** schedules it instead. It stays hidden until that time and then opens by itself, as long as **Active** is on. See [Schedule a Competition](/create-your-first-raffle/create-a-competition/schedule-a-competition.md). *** ### Duplicate a Competition {% embed url="" %} 1. **Find and open the competition** to copy in the admin panel 2. **Click "Actions" button** in the top right, then select "Duplicate" 3. **Choose duplication options** (check "Include Instant Wins" if needed) 4. **Update essential details:** * Title * Slug (make sure this is not the same as the comp you just duplicated) * Dates (start, end, draw) * Pricing * Ticket quantities * Description and images 5. **Update any Instant Wins** 6. **Activate and publish** by ensuring the "Active" toggle is on and clicking "Save changes"