Is this raffle site legit? Run the 60-second check
Most UK raffle sites are legitimate registered businesses — but legitimate and good-value aren't the same thing, and the difference is checkable in about a minute.
Tick each thing you can actually verify on the site you're looking at. Every check is a fact you can confirm yourself — no opinions, no gut feel. If it's an operator we've reviewed, our 95+ independent operator reviews will give you a far fuller answer.
How to run the checks
Companies House is free and takes seconds. Search the company name or number at find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk and confirm the company is active, has filed accounts, and lists real directors. A trading name with no registered company behind it is the single biggest red flag on this page.
Read the terms for the unsold-tickets clause. Search the terms page for words like "sold", "extend" or "refund". You're looking for a plain statement of what happens when a draw doesn't sell out — a guaranteed draw, a re-roll to a smaller prize, or a refund. An operator that can quietly extend the closing date until it has sold enough tickets is moving its business risk onto you.
Find the free entry route before you pay. UK law requires paid prize competitions to offer either a genuine free route (usually free postal entry) or a skill-based question — with the same odds as a paid ticket. Legitimate operators publish it plainly; sites that bury it are telling you something.
Then read the one-star reviews. The headline Trustpilot score is the least useful part of the page. Volume, age and what the unhappy reviewers actually say — unpaid prizes, unreachable support, draws that quietly moved — are where the signal lives.
Red flags that override everything
Some things end the conversation regardless of how many boxes tick: an unprompted message saying you've won a competition you never entered (see our fake "you've won" scams guide), a request for a fee or bank details to "release" a prize, pressure to decide in minutes, or payment only by bank transfer. Real operators never do any of these.
If you're 18 or over and choose to enter any paid draw, set a budget first and stick to it — free support is available at BeGambleAware.
Checking a raffle site — FAQs
How can I tell if a competition site is legit?+
Check for a registered UK company you can verify at Companies House, published draw terms that cover unsold tickets, a clearly signposted free entry route with the same odds as paid tickets, visible maximum ticket numbers, named winners you can check, and a review history that survives reading the one-star reviews. The checklist above walks through each one.
Are most UK raffle sites scams?+
No. Most established UK prize-draw operators are legitimate registered businesses — the sector's real problems are more often poor value, long odds and buried terms than outright fraud. Outright scams do exist, which is why the verifiable checks above matter more than how professional a site looks.
Is a raffle site with a low Trustpilot score always a scam?+
Not necessarily — and a high score isn't proof of safety either. Review scores measure how happy past entrants were, not the structural risk to you. A site can have thousands of five-star reviews and still carry hard-to-cancel subscriptions or unverifiable draws. Read the negative reviews for patterns rather than trusting the headline number.
What should I do if a site fails these checks?+
Don't enter, and don't hand over card details. If you think a site is actually fraudulent, report it to Action Fraud; if it's running a prize competition without a lawful free entry route, the Gambling Commission is the regulator to tell. If you've already paid, contact your bank about a chargeback promptly.
Does PrizeDrawsDaily review these sites individually?+
Yes — we've independently reviewed and rated 95+ UK operators against a published methodology, with a written verdict for each. If the site you're checking is one of them, its review will give you a much fuller answer than any checklist.
Prefer the long version? Read how to spot a legit UK raffle site — the editorial guide behind this checklist.