Sneaker Raffles: Everything You Need To Know

Whether you’re a newbie or veteran sneakerhead, sneaker raffles are something that gets your blood pumping. Besides giving you a chance to get your hands on a hyped release, they are also a low-effort way to increase resale profits.

But before you can benefit, you need to know how to win sneaker raffles, where to find them, how to enter, and which apps can maximize your chances of winning. We discuss all these things in this article, but you can use the table of contents to jump to whichever section catches your eye.

What Are Sneaker Raffles?

Sneaker raffles are a new way for sneakerheads to get highly sought-after sneakers without paying high prices.

When a sneaker manufacturer or retailer releases a new collection of sneakers, they want to make sure everyone has a chance to buy these shoes. Since hyped shoes tend to sell out fast, many people cannot get their favorite pairs. That’s why retailers hold raffles or “draws” to allow everyone to buy the sneakers.

Raffles are usually hosted by well-known retailers on their websites, apps, or stores. You win a chance to buy the sneaker when you win a raffle. You don’t win a free pair of sneakers. You’re getting an opportunity to purchase the pair before other buyers.

How Do Sneaker Raffles Work?

A sneaker raffle is similar to a draw where you purchase a ticket and wait for the retailer to pick a winner. The main difference is that you’re not buying a pair of shoes but entering the raffle instead.

If you win the raffle, your name will be announced, and you’ll usually have to confirm your email address to go through with the purchase. It’s recommended to only enter raffles for shoes that you’d actually buy. Sneakers are expensive, so if you win the raffle, don’t mess up and miss out on your pair.

There are two main types of raffles:

• Online: These sneaker raffles are held on the retailer’s websites. You can send in an entry with your email address.
• In-store: These raffles are conducted at the retailer’s store. You enter the raffle and wait for them to announce the results. If you win the raffle, you get to purchase the sneaker.

The retailers can offer different sneaker raffles based on their policies. For instance, in Early Day Raffles, the retailers distribute the raffle tickets before the release date. The raffle is also drawn on the same date.

Meanwhile, in Day-Of raffles, the retailers instruct interested buyers to come to the store before noon and fill their entries. They’ll draw the raffle on the sneaker release day at noon.

Some retailers also offer reservation raffles. In this type, you can go to the retailer’s store ahead and reserve your entry. If you win the raffle, you get an early notification from the retailer to buy the sneakers from their store, website, or mobile app.

Why Do Retailers Hold Raffles?

In recent years, the sneaker craze has increased exponentially, which means there’s a greater demand for these shoes. On the other hand, there’s a relatively limited supply of sneakers due to manufacturing and distribution limitations.

Because manufacturers cannot produce enough pairs to distribute to everyone who wants them, retailers hold raffles as another way to give everyone an equal opportunity to buy sneakers.

Raffles are also less dangerous than letting a hoard of sneakerheads line up outside the retailer’s store on release date. Previously, most retailers released their sneakers in stores, and online purchases were not available. People used to stand outside the stores for hours or even days back then. Some would even camp outside the stores, and violence was common.

Another reason retailers hold sneaker raffles is to maintain customer loyalty. Suppose Nike releases a new pair of sneakers. The style is hyped and sold out in the first few hours of release from the store and online.

Customers living in cities that don’t have Nike stores or those who couldn’t access the website may feel disadvantaged. But with a raffle, they have a higher chance of buying the sneakers since they can send in an entry a day in advance. By holding raffles, brands send a message to their customers that they give everyone a fair chance to get their hands on the pair of their choice.

Although raffles are ideal for regular buyers, they’re more profitable for sneaker resellers. Resellers can enter sneaker raffles to increase their chances of winning an opportunity to buy hyped sneakers. You’re competing with thousands of buyers during a drop. If you’re just a few minutes late, it could mean losing out on the pair you could sell for a high profit. A raffle secures your entry and gives you a fair chance even without using bots.

How To Enter Sneaker Raffles

Depending on the shoes you want to buy, there are different ways to enter sneaker raffles. Your best bet is a sneaker raffle on the retailer’s official website or app. Here are some options:

Adidas CONFIRMED

Adidas CONFIRMED is the official Adidas app for raffles. The app gives you access to sneaker releases from Adidas Originals brands and partners, including Craig Green, YEEZY, Pharell, Prada, and Human Made. You can find important information about upcoming drops on the website. When you get the notification about a new release, you can check through the app if there will be a raffle and how to enter.

You have more time to enter a raffle on this app than others since Adidas tends to hold raffles a few days before launch. However, it’s best to sign up with your payment details and email address beforehand so you can enter the raffle without delay.

Nike SNKRS

Nike SNKRS is the official Nike shoe app. You can find raffles for almost any shoe here, and you will also find the best selection of raffle times and information on other sneaker releases (i.e., first to know, first to buy).

Typically, the raffle is held at 8 a.m. on the sneaker release date. You must sign up with Nike SNKRS beforehand using your email address, and the app will also require your payment details.

Once you become a loyal user, you may get access to the “Exclusive Access” feature and get a chance to purchase your favorite pair earlier than everyone else.

Online raffles

Online raffles are held online on various websites, sneaker forums, or Reddit groups dedicated to sneakers. Again, you should sign up before the raffle with your payment details and email address.

There are many options for online raffles, but depending on the store you want to buy from, it can be difficult to find listings. For example, Nike doesn’t hold raffles on any online store, but Adidas and Supreme do.

Online raffles are much simpler than other types of raffles. You just need to enter your address, contact details, name, and email address online. The retailer will hold the raffle. If you win, they will contact you to arrange payment for the sneaker you want to buy.

In-store raffles

To enter in-store raffles, you need to be physically present at the retailer’s store on the release day. Depending on the retailer, you will be asked for some basic information, such as your name, address, payment details, and email address. Once you put in your entry, you just have to wait.

If you win the raffle, the retailer might allow you to purchase from the store at that very moment. Since most raffles are online now, in-store raffles tend to be less competitive.

How To Find Sneaker Raffles

Even with the best bots and proxies, there’s no point in knowing the above information if you don’t know which raffles are coming up. In most cases, raffles last a few hours or a day, so there’s a very short window for entering.

If you already have a network of sneakerheads, it won’t be difficult for you to learn about upcoming raffles. But if you’re just entering the resale market, you need to build connections with fellow resellers through online channels, such as social media, Discord channels, and subreddits.

Here are some places to find sneaker raffles:

• Sneaker Cook Groups: A sneaker cook group is a community of sneakerheads where members share raffle links for specific sneakers. Sometimes the raffles are announced ahead of time, but most of the time, you’ll only have a few minutes to enter. The members of a sneaker cook group also guide members on how to increase their chances of winning sneaker raffles. They’ll help you find a sneaker raffle list online or hook you up with apps and websites where you can learn more about entering and winning raffles.
• Social Media: Look for sneakerheads on Twitter who post pictures of their raffle entries or perhaps use hashtags like #raffle or #raffles. Like sneaker cook groups, social media sneakerhead groups are a great place to network with fellow enthusiasts. Rayobyte’s Discord Channel is a remarkable place to learn about using proxies for sneaker copping and winning raffles. You can also follow us on Twitter for updates about sneaker proxies and other topics related to winning sneaker raffles, sneaker copping, and sneaker reselling.
• News Sites: Sometimes, sneaker raffles tend to be available for a few days or a week, which means you’ll have some time to enter without rushing. Read the rules carefully, so you don’t miss the cutoff date.
• Retailer Websites: Often, retailers update news about upcoming raffles on their websites or apps. You should also follow the retailers’ social media accounts to keep up with the news about future releases and drops.

How To Sign Up for Sneaker Raffles

It’s important to know how to sign up for sneaker raffles. You don’t want to miss a chance of getting a new pair of kicks simply because you weren’t familiar with the procedure.

Typically, you’ll need the following things to sign up for sneaker raffles:

• Name: This is your identification when you sign up with a retailer. You need to use your real name so there won’t be any problems tracking you down later.
• Address: Sneaker raffles will require an address so they can ship the shoes straight to your residence or office. If possible, provide a residential address instead of a P.O. Box or office address to ensure fewer shipping challenges.
• Email: You’ll need an email address for raffles that provide daily updates via email. This way, you’ll know exactly when the next release date is and how much time you have before it’s too late.
• Telephone Number: A few sneaker raffles will request a phone number just in case they need to confirm your identity.
• Payment Method: Most raffles will require your payment information. This way, they’ll be able to charge the shoes when it’s time for them to ship out. You can also check if there are other options like PayPal or Apple Pay that can help you pay for your purchases without providing bank account details.

Once you provide all these details, your entry for the raffle will be counted. Based on the retailer, you can enter the raffle on the day of the release date or before.

How Do You Know if You Won a Sneaker Raffle?

That depends on the retailer or the kind of raffle you’ve entered. If you enter an in-store raffle, you might be notified on the spot if you were lucky enough to win a pair. If the raffle took place online, you’d likely receive an email about winning. Sometimes retailers might contact you on social media or through their customer support team.

How you buy the sneakers will also differ across retailers. Most retailers will allow you to buy the sneakers online, but some might require physically entering their stores or will send you vouchers you can redeem in-store.

The retailer will typically send you an early access link that you can use to purchase the sneakers that are not yet available to other buyers for purchase. In some cases, the retailer may “hold” the money in your bank, which means the purchase will go through only if you win the raffle. Otherwise, you won’t be charged.

When you enter a raffle, make sure you read all rules beforehand, especially what happens after you win a raffle. How can you purchase the sneakers now? Will the purchase be automatic, or do you get a link to the website for early purchase?

What Are Your Chances of Winning Sneaker Raffles?

Your likelihood of winning sneaker raffles depends on a few factors:

• Availability: How many pairs of sneakers are available? If there are only a few pairs, your chances of winning are slim to none as you’ll be competing against the masses. If the retailer has huge stock, there’s a higher chance you’ll win since the retailer will draw more raffles. The more raffles drawn, the higher your chances of winning.
• Demand: How high is the demand for said sneakers? If you are entering a raffle for an in-demand pair, you should be prepared to face fierce competition from other sneakerheads and resellers. But if the sneaker isn’t as hyped, fewer people will enter the raffle.
• Number of people: How many people joined the raffle? The more entries, the slimmer your chances of winning.

How To Win Sneaker Raffles

When you really want to buy a particular pair, you want to know how to increase your chances of winning sneaker raffles.

Winning raffles is extremely important for resellers since they can make money by selling what they won. During drops, retailers don’t let you buy multiple pairs. But if you’ve won a raffle, you get early access to hyped sneakers.

For the most part, sneaker raffles are based on luck, which means the draw decides who gets to buy the pair. But there are certain ways to increase your chances.

Send multiple entries

If you send an entry through only one account, you’ll have a very slim chance of winning a raffle since you’ll be up against thousands of other people. If you want to increase your chances of winning sneaker raffles, make sure to create multiple accounts and send more entries. Your odds of winning will increase.

If the sneaker website requires an email address for entering the raffle, you won’t be able to enter with the same email address twice. You can ask your friends and family for their email addresses to send extra entries. If you plan to cop sneakers frequently, it’s best to create a few email accounts just for entering raffles.

In some cases, the websites won’t let you enter a raffle from the same IP address. You can work around this by using different computers or devices. Again, ask your friends and family if you can use their computers to send entries. Alternatively, use proxies to send multiple entries from the same computer. You’ll find more information about using proxies in the section below.

Use sneaker bots and proxies

Sneaker bots let you add quick entries into a raffle at a speed not otherwise humanly possible. It helps to have a high-speed bot that sends entries on your behalf. But bots alone don’t suffice when it comes to winning sneaker raffles.

You need to combine them with proxies. A proxy hides your IP address and makes it seem like a computer from a different location sends in the entries. With a combination of sneaker bots and proxies, your chances of winning increase further.

Residential proxies are quite useful in this regard since they have the lowest chance of being blocked by the retailer’s website. These proxies come from residential users that the retailer’s website sees as actual customers.

The website will be reluctant to ban these users. Rayobyte residential proxies are ideal for entering raffles, especially when you don’t want to worry about the risk of getting banned.

Meanwhile, Rayobyte data center proxies are suitable when you’re running low on time. Data center proxies are faster than residential proxies, allowing you to send multiple entries for the raffle before it closes.

If you want the best of both worlds, ISP proxies are the way to go. Rayobyte ISP proxies boast 1gbps speed, letting you enter raffles without falling behind other buyers.

Find the right sneaker raffles list

A ton of sneakers drop every month, but not all of them are worth copping. The most sought-after pairs will obviously have the highest demand. Make sure you know about these raffles well ahead so you can be substantially prepared when the raffle begins.

If you’re wondering which apps do sneaker raffles, here are some you can download to keep up with upcoming raffle alerts and notifications. Plus, you can enter raffles on these apps too.

Repeat users also get access to some premium features.

• Sole Retriever Mobile
• SNS
• END
• SVD
• Adidas Confirmed
• Nike SNKRS
• Footpatrol
• Kith
• Finish Line
• Footlocker
• Footaction
• Champs Sports

Final Words

Sneaker raffles are a fair way to give everyone an opportunity to buy upcoming sneakers without standing in lines outside a retailer’s store. To increase your chances of winning sneaker raffles, you should use bots and proxies, get updates from sneaker cook groups, join Discord and other social media groups to network with other sneakerheads, and send multiple entries for the raffle.

You can use proxies to boost your raffle entries without anyone being the wiser. It’s always better to use paid proxies since they offer higher reliability, speed, and customer support. You can use them for in-app raffles, online raffles, and more. Check out Rayobyte for quality proxies.

The information contained within this article, including information posted by official staff, guest-submitted material, message board postings, or other third-party material is presented solely for the purposes of education and furtherance of the knowledge of the reader. All trademarks used in this publication are hereby acknowledged as the property of their respective owners.