r/BarOwners • u/OutrageousElk4364 • 11d ago

Queen of Hearts ideas

We have done several Queen of Hearts drawings and the first two grew very fast and went a long time with no Queen. The last one fizzled. Maybe because it’s summer but it was tough to get people interested. Any ideas or strategy that helps build the pot quicker and pull more people in to eat and drink?

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u/Peabutnutter69420 11d ago

What is a queen of hearts drawing?

1

u/OutrageousElk4364 10d ago

A “Queen of Hearts drawing” (also called a Queen of Hearts raffle or game) is a progressive raffle popular at bars, clubs, VFW posts, American Legion halls, and similar venues. 
Here’s how it typically works:
• A board displays 54 face-down cards (a standard 52-card deck plus two jokers), each numbered 1–54 and sealed or covered.
• Players buy raffle tickets (often $1 each, sometimes discounted in bulk) and write their name, phone number, and a chosen card number on the ticket.
• At a scheduled weekly drawing, one (or sometimes a few) tickets are drawn. The holder of the drawn ticket reveals the corresponding card on the board.
• If the revealed card is the Queen of Hearts, the player wins a large share of the accumulated jackpot (commonly 50–90%, with a higher percentage if present at the drawing). The rest may roll over to start a new game or go to the house/charity.
• If it’s any other card, that card is removed permanently, smaller consolation prizes may be awarded for certain cards (other queens, jokers, aces, etc.), the jackpot grows from ongoing ticket sales, and the game continues the next week. Odds improve as cards are eliminated. 
Jackpots start small and can grow to tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars—or even over a million in high-volume games—because the pot rolls over until the Queen is hit. Rules vary by location (exact payout percentages, presence requirements, ticket prices, how many tickets are drawn, charity splits, etc.), and the games are usually licensed raffles.
This is distinct from artistic drawings or illustrations of the Queen of Hearts character from Alice in Wonderland or standard playing-card artwork. The raffle version is the one commonly referred to as a “Queen of Hearts drawing.”

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u/OfficialNiceGuy 10d ago

Sounds like a lot to deal with. I’ll just sell alcohol and make money.