Heads and Tails
Heads and Tails is a fun way to engage event guests that are hesitant to bid in a live auction. Basically, it’s a raffle with a twist. Here’s how it works:
1. Select a gender-neutral item for the raffle. Value of the prize item can vary. Just be sure that you can sell enough tickets to cover the cost of the raffle prize. Generally, 25-25% of your guests will bid in the live auction, and 20-25% of the remainder will participate in a raffle. The more guests you have, the more tickets you’ll sell. We suggest selling raffle tickets for $20-$25 each.
2. Promote the raffle prior to the event and at the event. You can start selling raffle tickets prior to the event—just be sure you track the list of buyers.
3. Instead of a ticket stub, guests buying raffle tickets for the Heads and Tails should get some fun, inexpensive favor—like a light stick, beads, etc. If your event is themed, tie the raffle favor to the theme. If you’ve sold raffle tickets prior to the event, include the favor with the guest’s bidder packet that they pick up at check-in.
4. Have your auctioneer announce and run the raffle. Make arrangements with them prior to auction night so they can time it appropriately. If a guest decides at the last minute to participate, have sign-up sheets at each table so you can charge that guest for the raffle ticket. You may want to have a few volunteers walking among the tables with extra raffle favors while the auctioneer is announcing the raffle to encourage last-minute participation and collect the sign-in sheets when the raffle gets started.
5. Your auctioneer will ask all Heads and Tails participants to stand up and select to put their hands on their head…or their tail! The auctioneer will then flip a coin and announce whether the coin came up heads or tails. Those with their hands on the “winning end” stay standing—the others sit down.
6. The auctioneer will continue asking participants to decide what end to select and flip the coin to eliminate players. Once the number of players gets down to a handful, the auctioneer can ask the finalists to come to the stage for the last few coin tosses.
7. The last player standing who’s selected the right “end” for the coin toss wins.