Poker Fundraising Event
So, you’ve decided to run a charity poker event. Congratulations! We here at Cardplayer Lifestyle hope your event is successful and that it raises lots of money for your chosen charitable cause!
Poker Fundraising Event Ideas
There are two types of charity poker events you can run: a tournament or a cash game session. You can either make it an invitation-only event or open it up to the public (to maximize attendance and donations); depending on how many poker tables your venue has room for.
Charity Poker Tournaments
There’s a good amount of logistics that goes into proper planning and running of a charity poker tournament. Generally speaking, the more effort you put into the event beforehand, the smoother it will run and the better the experience for all involved. From this poker blogger’s experience, it pays to make event pre-registration a must.
After all players are seated, but before tournament play begins, it’s an optimal time for you (or a representative of the non-profit organization) to speak briefly about the night’s charity beneficiary and the work they do.
Poker Fundraising Event Template
One of the best ways to promote a charitable cause is with a fundraiser and poker tournaments are one of the most proven, effective fundraising activities. With over 30 years of expertise, Vegas Concepts is the leader in charity fundraising events. Follow this guide to ensure success with your charity fundraising event! There are two types of charity poker events you can run: a tournament or a cash game session. You can either make it an invitation-only event or open it up to the public (to maximize attendance and donations); depending on how many poker tables your venue has room for. FREE Poker Fundraiser We strive to make your fundraising event successful and conducted within the limits of the laws in Missouri. We have researched Missouri Gaming laws and have developed guidelines to prevent potential liability from playing Poker within a business setting. This helps protect both you and the Brass Rail Billiard Hall. Ben Affleck and a handful of his famous friends are teaming up to play a virtual game of poker Saturday to raise money for one of the biggest domestic hunger-relief organizations. Ferro Foundation Poker Fundraiser. Public Hosted by Ferro Foundation Inc. Thursday, November 12, 2020 at 7:30 PM – 11:30 PM EST.
Useful Tips
- Designate a registration area to collect player entry fees and distribute table seating assignments.
- Enlist the help of 1 volunteer per poker table to assist with setup, cleanup, and general event management.
- Set up and double-check chip stacks before players are seated.
- Prepare a blind structure and prize structure in advance and use a projector to display all relevant poker tournament information.
- Have 2 decks of cards at each table. Assign a dealer and have the other players at the table shuffle the other deck. You get more hands played per blind level this way.
Charity Poker Cash Games
The mechanism behind charity poker cash games is rather simple. Each hand is raked at a pre-defined percentage of the pot (usually 5–10% with a hard cap). These monies then get pooled at the end of the event and donated to charity. Each table you set up can operate independently, choosing the stakes and games being spread.
The main advantage of a charity poker cash game session is that there’s far less micromanagement necessary over the course of the evening. There’s no need to break up and combine tables or assign seats, and players won’t get locked out of the event in case they don’t show up on time.
Useful Tips
- Have 2 decks of cards at each table. Get a volunteer to deal and the other players at the table to shuffle. This helps increase the number of hands played (and the charity rake!) over the course of the night.
- Assign someone trustworthy to handle all the money at each table.
- Set rules for minimum and maximum buy-ins, as well as moving from table to table.
- Optional: Have all players contribute a small sum towards a jackpot, given to the first player who hits a designated hand (e.g., 4 Jacks). If nobody hits the jackpot by the end of the night, the jackpot money is also donated to the charity.
Charity Poker Event Checklist
No charity poker event is complete without the right equipment and refreshments. Here’s a basic list of the things you should have prepared in advance:
Poker Tournament For Charity
- Hall/venue with enough tables, chairs, and tablecloths
- Per table: 300 poker chips, 2 decks of cards, 1 cash box
- Refreshments station with hot and cold drinks, snacks, plastic cutlery
- For tournaments: laminated seating cards, list of players, laptop, projector screen, envelopes for cash prizes
- Optional: cut cards, chip racks, camera, opening remarks
If you’d like to donate the proceeds of your event to a Cardplayer Lifestyle charity poker partner, check out ourCharity Poker Donationspage.
Disclaimer
Running a charity poker event may or may not be legal in your jurisdiction. If you intend to hold your event in a public venue, you are strongly encouraged and advised to check with the appropriate local authorities that doing so is legal before proceeding with your plans. If you hold a charity poker event in a private residence, inviting only people you know personally, you will usually not run afoul of any local laws, but it never hurts to check twice, just to be sure.