Best Local Raffles in Jersey City, NJ: 2026 Local Guide
See ticket prices, ages, dates and limits for licensed charity raffles near Jersey City before you buy.
The verified local options for Jersey City readers in 2026 are licensed charity 50/50 drawings and team-community drawings in North Jersey. A 50/50 raffle is a licensed charity drawing where half the collected pool goes to one winner and half supports the nonprofit. Jersey City handles these drawings as licensed activity, not casual giveaways.
According to the City of Jersey City, bingo and raffle operators apply through its Housing and Development business-licensing office, described in the city business-licensing directory.
Verification note: Program terms and availability can change. This page was checked against linked sources on October 19, 2026.
How licensed raffles work in New Jersey
New Jersey requires a nonprofit to register with the state before seeking local approval. According to the Hamilton Township Clerk, which posts the current state procedure, registration with the Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission costs $100 for two years, followed by municipal approval and a mandatory 15-business-day state review, with no ticket sales until that review ends, detailed in the state bingo and raffle procedure. That sequence matters for buyers.
A flyer alone does not mean sales are open. Readers can look for the municipal license and state identification number on the offer page before paying.
Which licensed drawings are open now
The Phoenix Center 50/50 raffle sells tickets at $50 each or three for $100. The drawing is Nov. 17, 2026 at 10 a.m.
in its Nutley cafeteria. The winner need not be present, and proceeds support its special-education programs, according to the Phoenix Center 2026 raffle flyer. The Vintage Automobile Museum of New Jersey sells $20 tickets through Dec.
5, 2026 at 2 p.m. One winner will be drawn Dec. 5 at 2:30 p.m.
in Point Pleasant. Play is limited to age 18 and older, and the page lists LGCCC ID 107-5-35917. Both drawings are chances to win, not guaranteed benefits.
What about game-day and Jersey City-address options
The Giants Foundation runs 50/50 and merchandise raffles at certain MetLife Stadium home games for fans age 18 and older. Half the jackpot goes to the fourth-quarter winner and the rest supports charity work. According to the New York Giants, the Oct.
18, 2026 drawing paid $34,616.10, with later 2026 home dates listed on the team 50/50 raffle page. Gotham FC also offers a Jersey City mail-entry route for its Queens Classic giveaway. Entry is limited to New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania residents age 18 and older.
Mail entries go to 15 Exchange Place, Suite 1010, Jersey City, NJ 07302. Check the sponsor rules for entry periods, entry limits and whether purchase is required.
What Jersey City event raffles usually look like
Many checkable Jersey City-area drawings are tied to a charity event, such as a golf outing, gala or library mixer. One August 2025 library fundraiser at Healy's Tavern at 374 Newark Ave. sold $10 tickets that each counted as one raffle ticket, with proceeds for library services and prizes from Jersey City businesses including Liberty Science Center tickets.
Hudson County Community College shows the same event-linked pattern. Its 24th annual golf outing on June 22, 2026 raised about $92,000 for student scholarships. Before traveling, confirm the nonprofit's current licensed offering, ticket cutoff, drawing time, age limit and where winners are posted.