About
What playdrawr is for
playdrawr is a web app for running private sweepstakes around major tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup and Eurovision Song Contest. It helps organisers set up a draw, share entries, follow standings, and keep everything visible to the group without relying on a spreadsheet.
Who built this
playdrawr was built by Callum, a UK-based developer who found himself spending more time organising sweepstakes than watching football. Chasing payments over WhatsApp, manually updating a shared spreadsheet, answering the same "who do I have again?" question for the tenth time — it was all fixable with the right tool.
We built the tool we wished existed: something that handles the boring admin automatically so organisers can focus on the parts that are actually enjoyable. The draw, the leaderboard, the moment someone realises their long-shot team has made the quarter-finals — that's what the sweepstake is for.
We support the FIFA World Cup and Eurovision Song Contest because they're the two events that reliably get the whole office talking — including people who say they don't follow football or Eurovision right up until their team or country is doing well.
What the product does
Organisers create a sweepstake, add participants or share a join link, run the draw, and then share a live public view. Participants can check their assigned team or country, see standings, and follow the leaderboard as the tournament progresses.
playdrawr does not take custody of entry fees, process bets, or operate gambling services. Organisers collect money privately if they choose to run a paid sweepstake.
Who it is for
- Offices running a World Cup or Eurovision sweepstake for staff.
- Pubs and clubs that want a cleaner way to manage entries and standings.
- Friendship groups and five-a-side teams that want a live leaderboard without spreadsheets.
- Remote and hybrid teams that need a shareable online view instead of a paper sheet in one location.
How we approach the site
- Keep the draw fair and easy to understand.
- Make the organiser’s job lighter, not more complicated.
- Show useful tournament information without requiring a login for participants.
- Be clear that playdrawr is a tool for private sweepstakes, not a gambling service.
What information on the site is based on
- Participant lists and payment-tracking status entered by the organiser.
- Tournament structures, teams, fixtures, and results used to update standings.
- Public guide content written and edited by the playdrawr team for UK organisers.
Where a guide refers to tournament dates, formats, or public rules, we aim to point readers to the relevant official source or make it clear when we are giving practical organiser advice rather than a legal or regulatory interpretation.
Need help?
For support, partnership enquiries, or questions about the guides on this site, contact the team at headcoach@playdrawr.co.uk or use the contact page.
For details on how we write and maintain guide content, see our editorial policy.