Would you play poker in a room, where if you win, you must fight your way out to keep your winnings?

Does that sound far-fetched?

We all remember the Hollywood Park Casino of old before the stadium was built. There were many people down there stalking gamblers and following them out to their cars where the winnings would be jacked. Holding a wad of cash is quite a temptation.

Sometimes the theft is more subtle receiving the legal definition of fraud.

I recently attended a charity event where the main prize was a gamble that was called an “Opportunity Drawing.” For three weeks it was billed as a drawing where someone would receive a wad of Christmas Cash to go on a shopping spree. Tickets were sold at every opportunity and the pot grew. It seemed like a square transaction but as the time of the actual drawing neared something nefarious happened.

A few people with almost no skin in the game began rising to make public pronouncements that they would donate their winnings back to the charity. Then came the going around the room to ask selected “donors” what they would do with the winnings. Consensus of those polled was that they would donate the funds back. The full court press was on. They had no intentions of allowing the lucky winner to walk away with the promised shopping spree.

The tickets were all neatly stowed in the basket and a proper drawing was conducted publicly. The winning ticket was announced. Then the pressure campaign began. “Are you going to donate the winnings back?” For the winner it felt like a stroll to the car after winning at Hollywood Park. It wasn’t outright theft, but all the elements of fraud were present. What was advertised as one thing at the outset, became something entirely different at the time winnings were paid out.

For those of you out there contemplating doing an opportunity drawing as a fundraiser please don’t ever do this. It weakens the credibility of the organization to the point that nobody would ever contribute another dollar to a future event once these tactics come to light. If it begins as an advertised shopping spree, then stick to the plan and give the winnings away without any strings. Don’t plant shills that make pronouncements about giving the winnings back as it cheapens the event and the organization.

Always stick to the original plan! Never allow anyone to change the stated mission midstream.