What a great cause!
Enter SWEEPSTAKES Here: http://www.projectpinball.org/sweepstakes
What a great cause!
Enter SWEEPSTAKES Here: http://www.projectpinball.org/sweepstakes
Quoted from Noahs_Arcade:So what's the magic number of entries if $50 buys you 0.5% chance of winning $4500?
200. Unless I'm misunderstanding 'magic number'
Quoted from Blackjacker:200. Unless I'm misunderstanding 'magic number'
Yes and they will have several sweepstakes.. 200 per drawing
No, because then you're paying double for a pro. Maybe 75, or so. I'm not sure how to calculate it.
When I said magic number, I meant for one person to have the greatest chance of winning using as few entries as possible
Quoted from Noahs_Arcade:No, because then you're paying double for a pro. Maybe 75, or so. I'm not sure how to calculate it
The article said only 200 entries per drawing - unless I do not understand what you are asking
One person - multiple entries.
At what point is the decrease in risk negated by the decrease in reward? This is all hypothetical, of course, because it's likely multiple entries would span two drawings
He's asking for Nate Silver to come and crunch the numbers for us. How many entries do I need to buy to give myself the best chance at winning, while still not paying retail.
I'd be curious to even know the equation.
It appears to be a long summation of what you win vs what you lose
Quoted from Noahs_Arcade:So what's the magic number of entries if $50 buys you 0.5% chance of winning $4500?
There isn't one... The expected value is always going to be less than the cost of entry of any raffle. The only "magic number" is buying one ticket, which maximises the difference in potential winnings and cost.
Edit: okay I misread that as 200 entries per machine, not 200 entries per person. Disregard
Edit 2: Still think my reasoning can extend to the actual sweepstakes.
It does. So I guess the true magic number is 0. You don't win, you don't lose.
But with every entry, the government loses $50 and the charity gains $50... so maybe 200 is the magic number
It was worth the $50 to me for the chance and to support a good cause. If you have never been to a Children's Hospital, they are the saddest and most hopeful, amazing places all at the same time.
I had never thought about it but my next restoration project might end up a donation to the hospital here in Seattle.
So 50x200 = $10,000.00 for a Pro? I know it's for charity,and it's for a great cause,
but couldn't they throw in an LE or premium here and still make money? Plus, I think the entries would fill up alot faster..
They are raising $10k per raffle. $30k total to BUY machines to put in children's hospitals for the sick kids to play. The more that they spend on the ones they give as prizes, the less they have for the ones for the kids.
I would guess that Stern is donating the prizes but still, it is a $50 chance that puts pins in the hands of sick kids.
There is no "magic number". This is basically a 50/50 raffle where the "value" of your chance of winning is only worth 50% the cost to play. The key here is your making a donation to help put pinball machines in children's hospitals.
The real question is...what machine are you going to choose.
Awesome, I'm in, please keep this updated to let us know when the new entries for the next raffles open up.
I think you guys are looking for "expected value". 1/200 * value of machine = expected value.
Sounds good, I'll be buying a few spots.
Just got my ticket too. What a great idea
I just read this article about Project Pinball:
http://www.news-press.com/story/life/volunteers/2014/07/13/project-pinball-scores-big-childrens-hospitals/12598705/
Very cool story!
I think it's a great idea, a great cause, and a good way to do it (i.e. having a Pro as the prize).
I guarantee Stern isn't providing the pins, so the $10k they take in per raffle allows them to spend half on the winner's prize and the other half on the pin they donate to a hospital.
As someone with a son who spent a lot of time in a children's hospital, I can say things like this are good for the kids...and good for the parents.
Just bought two entries...and may buy more.
Quoted from kid_ego:I think it's a great idea, a great cause, and a good way to do it (i.e. having a Pro as the prize).
I guarantee Stern isn't providing the pins, so the $10k they take in per raffle allows them to spend half on the winner's prize and the other half on the pin they donate to a hospital.
As someone with a son who spent a lot of time in a children's hospital, I can say things like this are good for the kids...and good for the parents.
Just bought two entries...and may buy more.
Agree wholeheartedly.. That's why brought this here.. Win, win
Wow! Thank you very much for your kind words and wonderful support.
This is a grassroots charity, we are all volunteers, that is trying to help as many people as we can that spend a great deal of time in and out of the hospital.
By donating pinball machines to the children, families, physicians and nurses in pediatric care facilities, we hope to provide a unique recreational relief to help keep them active and mobile during their recovery. The Project Pinball Charity provides all the equipment, parts, supplies and all the monthly maintenance for the pinball machines at no cost to the hospital or patients- ever! (no quarters are required to play)
I had three children that had their share of scrapes, bruises, broken bones some really serious illnesses. They have grown up and are forming families of their own. I have two grandchildren now and I am sure there will be more in the future. This charity is based on the love I have for pinball and my children. These two go hand in hand.
We have an Sweepstakes Tracker posted on the ProjectPinball.org site. This will be update as regularly as possible. We over 65% at this time. Not too shabby!
Thank you to MN-Flipper for his wonderful support and for sharing this post with you all here today.
WonkoTSane Please email me at [email protected]
Best wishes and good luck to you all.
Daniel
Donated....what a great cause. We donate ALL our donations to St. Jude, can't beat helping kids out. Especially when one is as lucky as I am with 2 healthy kids......can't even begin to try and understand what the families go through. If I win this, I swear right here on Pinside that I will find a local childrens hospital to replicate what you guys are doing. There's enough pinheads in Erie to get this done !!!!!
Worthy cause, raffles are always fun (especially when the prizes are this good), I'm in (Iron Man VE)! Thanks OP for posting.
I have a prize-related question: I understand that the winner will be entitled to a Stern Pro machine. Will the winner be able to "upgrade" to a different version of their choice of pin for an upcharge?
Just wondering.
Childrens' hospitals can be harrowing places for the families and the kids, so I'm sure a pin would be a great incentive to get the kids up and moving around. Donated, and looking forward to seeing some pictures when it happens.
If I win -after I get about 500 plays on it I'll be donating to a local hospital if I can find one that is interested. I've also been intending on letting the project folks know that I'd be happy to be the tech for a local one if one of ours was ever chosen....
We had some family at Ronald McDonald House recently. Children's Hospitals are such hard places to be around. Definitely going to support this. $50 is a drop in the bucket.
What a great thing ! Just entered as well going to a wonderful cause ,plus tax deductible it's a no brainer. Let get these tickets bought guys/girls!
Entered! I spend enough money on stupid things so no excuse to not put a little change towards a great cause like this.
4 of us here bought tickets the day this was announced. We know the Project Pinball people first hand and they are a great group doing awesome things.
Buy tickets with confidence that you are really helping kids.
unfortunately folks - check with your tax pro, but I'm under the belief that raffle tickets are specifically non-deductible. Please don't let that stop you!
Quoted from btw75:unfortunately folks - check with your tax pro, but I'm under the belief that raffle tickets are specifically non-deductible. Please don't let that stop you!
I was under that same impression. If you receive something of value in return, then its not deductible. Unless you're certain of it I would just leave it off, to me the miniscule amount your going to get back on a $50 write off is not worth the potential audit hassle.
Either way, great cause to support here and the raffle just makes giving that much more fun. Carry on.
Quoted from btw75:unfortunately folks - check with your tax pro, but I'm under the belief that raffle tickets are specifically non-deductible. Please don't let that stop you!
I'd say you're fine as long as you're not trying to write off 20+ tickets. When our accountant asks for our charitable donations, we give him an itemized list, receipts, etc.
Don't take my word for it, but I'd say you'd have to try pretty hard or attempt to write off quite a bit before you tripped something that got your return flagged for audit.
But as others have said, either way, not a huge tax break anyway even if you try to deduct the $50, $100, etc. of a few tickets.
Curious to see if a fellow pinsider wins.
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