Best Local Raffles in Baltimore, MD: 2026 Local Guide
Compare Baltimore's verified 2026 raffle options, entry limits, event dates, local rules, and buyer checks.
The strongest verifiable local raffle option in Baltimore for 2026 is the Orioles 50/50, offered at each regular-season home game. For scheduled charity events, consider House of Ruth Maryland's Crabaret or the Baltimore-region Casey Cares $10,000 raffle. A raffle is a chance drawing in which ticket purchases fund a prize and often support an organization.
"Best" depends on location, timing, ticket cost, and cause; no official Baltimore ranking exists.
The most accessible recurring option
The Orioles 50/50 runs at regular-season home games. Tickets cost $5 for one, $10 for 10, $20 for 83, or $50 for 338, and the winner receives half of the displayed jackpot, according to the Baltimore Orioles' 2026 raffle page. This option suits readers who already plan to attend a game or will be nearby during the entry period.
Online buyers must be inside Camden Yards or within one mile, so this is not a statewide online raffle. Check the winning number promptly. A winning Orioles ticket must be claimed within 14 days, making delayed follow-up an avoidable risk.
Scheduled charity raffles in fall 2026
House of Ruth Maryland's Crabaret takes place October 23, 2026, at Gertrude's at the Baltimore Museum of Art. Its Crab Pull raffle is part of the event, while admission costs $100 before September 10 and $125 afterward, according to the House of Ruth Maryland event listing. This is a better fit for someone seeking a Baltimore social event with a raffle component.
Because admission and raffle participation are separate considerations, review the event page before budgeting for both. Casey Cares lists a $10,000 raffle drawing for October 24, 2026, capped at 500 tickets. Attendance is not required, according to the Casey Cares Foundation raffle page.
The organization is headquartered in Columbia, so treat this as a Baltimore-region option rather than a Baltimore City raffle.
What Baltimore raffle rules mean for buyers
Maryland Lottery and Gaming does not oversee charitable or community raffles. Oversight depends on local jurisdiction requirements and checks involving the Maryland Secretary of State. Baltimore City generally requires a permit before an organizer conducts a personal-property raffle or sells its tickets.
The state directs permit questions to the Baltimore City Police Department Permits office at 410-396-2130. A law effective June 1, 2026, also authorizes qualifying Baltimore City organizations affiliated with the Orioles or Ravens to conduct raffles within statutory limits. That authorization does not make every team-themed or locally advertised drawing valid.
How to evaluate a raffle before paying
Confirm the organizer, drawing terms, prize, location restrictions, and claim deadline before buying. For charity-based drawings, search the Maryland Public Charities Registry, while remembering that registration is not a state endorsement. Use this quick check: Treat raffle tickets as entertainment spending, not a savings strategy or expected return.
Maryland residents concerned about gambling can obtain free help by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.
- Match the organizer's name with its registry or event listing.
- Confirm the drawing date and whether attendance is required.
- Ask how proceeds will be used.
- Save the ticket, receipt, and published rules.
- Set a reminder to check the result and claim deadline.