The two common methods
- A random draw every month. Each cycle, one winner is picked from the members who have not received the pot yet. Traditionally this is done with folded slips of paper.
- A fixed order. The order is agreed, or drawn once, at the start. Every member knows their month from day one.
| Monthly draw | Fixed order | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan ahead | No, you learn your month when you win | Yes, from the start |
| Excitement | High, every month | Low |
| Trust needed | In each month’s draw | In the initial order |
| Best for | Groups saving without a fixed goal | Members with a known expense date |
Who should be in the draw
A fair draw only includes members who are eligible that month:
- Members who have not yet received the pot.
- Members who have paid for the current month.
- Members who are not behind on earlier payments.
Leaving out members who are behind gives everyone a reason to pay on time. Put this rule in your committee rules.
Why paper slips and WhatsApp draws cause disputes
- Members who are not in the room cannot see the slips being made or picked.
- A video or photo shows the result, but not that every name was in the bowl.
- Random picker apps and websites can simply be run again until the result someone wants comes up.
A draw any member can check
A seeded draw fixes this. The draw is calculated from a number called a seed and the list of eligible members. The same seed and list always produce the same winner. The seed is saved with the result, so any member can run the draw again and confirm the winner.
Draws in Committee Book
Committee Book supports both a random seeded draw and a fixed (sequential) order. Members who have already won, are marked as defaulters or have unpaid cycles are left out automatically. When the draw runs, every member is notified, and the seed and result are saved to the committee’s audit trail.