How to run an office sweepstake (that everyone will love)
With the Women’s Euros around the corner, there’s no better time to bring the office together for a bit of fun and friendly competition. A sweepstake is a brilliant, low-effort way to get everyone involved – whether they’re football fanatics or just in it for the prize and banter. Here’s how to organise one effortlessly, plus some handy tips and free tools to help you do it right.
What’s a sweepstake & why run one?
A sweepstake is a simple game where each participant draws a team at random, and as the tournament progresses, they cheer them on – win or lose! More importantly, it’s perfect for boosting morale, creating talking points in the kitchen, and injecting some excitement into the office. And best of all, who doesn’t love winning a prize?
Step by step guide to setting up your sweepstake
Pick your prize:
- A bottle of fizz? A team lunch? A cheeky half-day off? A voucher or monetary? Make it something worth shouting about.
- Set the entry fee: £1 or £2 per entry is typical. Keeps it fun and low-stakes.
Bear in mind that not everyone carries cash these days. Either create a PayPal payment link where everyone pays into a joint pot, or the event organiser can provide their bank details for people to make payment to.
Decide on format:
- Are you drawing teams randomly or letting people pick? (Random = fairer and more fun!)
- 16 or 24 teams? (depending on the final tournament line-up)
- Will you allow people to buy multiple entries?
Download a template:
Use a pre-made sweepstake kit. We’ve even included a free printable below!
Communicate to the team:
Let everyone know about the event, when it starts, and when it ends. Also, let everyone know how much it costs to enter, and what the prize will be.
Free tools & templates
- Score trackers: Use Google Sheets or Office Excel to keep track of who’s winning. Or go old school with a flipchart pad and some sticky notes.
- Decorate: use Canva to create some posters to decorate the office and keep the energy high.
Keep it inclusive & fun
- Quick team bios: Provide a fun one-liner for each country so even non-football fans can feel involved.
- Themed dress days: Encourage people to dress in their team colours during key matches.
- Live match watch parties: Host a group lunch or screen a match in the break room (with management approval, of course).
A note on legal stuff
In the UK, sweepstakes in the workplace are legal as long as:
- It’s run on the premises or within a closed work group (like Teams or email).
- It’s only open to employees.
- You don’t make a profit (all money goes back into prizes).
For more information on this, visit the Gambling Commission website.
Remember…
A sweepstake is more than just a game – it’s a great excuse to have fun, build camaraderie, and celebrate women’s sport. Whether your office is filled with Lionesses fans or total football newbies, it’s a simple and brilliant way to bring people together.
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