Tips for hosting a poker night to raise money for your club
If you’re looking for fresh ways to raise money for your club, why not host a fundraising poker night? Not only will the night be fun for all involved, but it’s guaranteed to raise some serious cash – especially amongst those who fancy themselves as serious competitors akin to the World Series of Poker (WSOP) professionals. While it may sound like a lot to organise, in actual fact it’s relatively straightforward. Here are a few pointers to help you enjoy a successful (and moneymaking) evening…
Where will you make money?
As raising funds is the name of the game, this should be the first point to take into consideration. First off, don’t be shy – charge for tickets! Having a cover charge on the night means that you’ll start the fundraising well before the doors to your rugby club casino open. Make sure that you offer food and drink – this could be included in the ticket price, in which case adjust the cost accordingly.
You will also need to decide upon the monetary value of the chips and set up a cash desk that allows attendees to continue to buy poker chips throughout the evening.
Motivation to stay in the game
It’s important to motivate people to keep purchasing poker chips, and the best way of doing so is by providing some kind of incentive that keeps them interested – namely, a prize of some sort! Tap up club members to donate prizes – perhaps someone on your team runs a restaurant or works at a health spa? Your guests will want to be in the running, and will therefore continue to play, or will be happy to shell out for the cost of a raffle ticket if that’s the route you decide to take.
Spread the word
The more attendees you can attract, the more cold hard cash you can raise for your club. Advertise locally on shop noticeboards and create posters and fliers and get your hunkiest players to hand them out around town! You can also set up a Facebook group or advertise in local press. Always ask your members to tell family and friends – word of mouth is an incredibly useful promotional tool!
Explain the rules
While many of those who attend will know the rules of poker – make sure that you take the time to cater to those who have never played before. You could send out the rules or instructional videos prior to the event, have special tables for beginners, or make posters of the rules and useful poker terms and pop them up around the room. We recommend keeping it simple and choosing only one discipline of poker for all games. Texas Hold’em is a good one as it’s easy to explain the rules in minutes.
Have fun!
When the good times are a ‘rolling, your guests will be happy to splash the cash on food, drinks and a raffle. Hey, they may even decide to make a donation! It’s important to focus on the fun of the event – make sure there’s ample booze, that there’s some music or entertainment, and if you’re feeling particularly motivated, you could suggest a fancy dress theme – gangsters and molls perhaps?
