Jerk Move? I Won 50/50 Raffle and Didn’t Donate Winnings Back

If you ever bought any 50/50 raffle tickets I need your help!

As the world reopens and events start to take place on weekends many of us have found ourselves at public events for the first time in a while. Last weekend I was at an event for one of my kid's soccer programs. The event was a fundraiser/information type of event. It had a few food trucks, and some vendors, plus they had some parents walking around selling 50/50 raffle tickets.

I'm a sucker every time for a 50/50 raffle and when the lady came over to me she asked if I wanted to buy any? It was $2 each or an arm's length for $10 or something like that. Anyway, I bought two arms lengths for $20. She gave me the tickets and continued walking around selling them to everyone else.

I Won the Raffle

Fast forward to the end of the event and as organizers started their goodbyes, they thanked everyone for coming and told everyone that before they leave they are going to do the 50/50 drawing. Remembering I had tickets we stopped and waited for the winning numbers. The lady doing the drawing said the 50/50 raffle total was $462 and that means if you win you'll walk away with $231 she said.

She reaches into the bucket of tickets and picks out one and starts to read the numbers....wouldn't you know it I had the winning ticket!!! BOOM!! Excited I walked up, she asked my name, checked my tickets and announced that I was the big winner. SWEET!!! Another lady handed me the cash and as I started to walk away I looked back and one of the ladies gave me a weird look like I did something wrong. I just kept walking away and left for the day.

They Think I'm a Jerk

Honestly, I forgot about the win until yesterday when I got an email from the lady who put the event together. The email said congratulations on winning the big raffle and asked if I was interested in making another donation to the club with my winnings. Make a donation? I already did! After thinking about it...did they think that I was going to donate the winnings back?

Now I've been a part of raffles before where the winner automatically gives the winnings back to the event but honestly, I didn't even think of doing it. I think I was shocked that I won, but now I feel like I might be a jerk if I don't donate it back.

Am I a jerk if I don't donate the cash back to them? What would you do? You're at a charity event and they have a 50/50 raffle and you win, do you keep the money, or donate it back?