Eurovision pub sweepstake: how to maximise the night
Eurovision already drives footfall. A sweepstake converts casual viewers into invested participants — and invested participants stay longer, order more, and come back for the final result.
Why pubs benefit from a sweepstake
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Dwell time
Customers stay until the last vote — not just until their drink is finished.
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Return visits
Repeat customers come back for the semi-finals and Grand Final as separate events.
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Group size
A sweepstake gives people a reason to bring others — your regulars recruit new customers.
Setup: what you need before the night
Create the sweepstake
Set it up on playdrawr with a name like "The Crown Eurovision 2026". Takes five minutes. Set the entry fee upfront.
Promote it in advance
Post on social media and add a notice behind the bar at least a week before. "Eurovision Sweepstake Night — £5 entry, winner takes the pot." That's all you need.
Decide the entry format
Either: collect entries on the night with a cash box and add names yourself, or share the playdrawr join link in your social posts so people enter beforehand.
Set a draw time
Announce when the draw happens — typically 30 minutes before the show starts. Creates an event within the event.
Entry fee and prize structure
Pubs typically run at higher entry points than office sweepstakes — the environment supports it.
Some pubs take a small percentage (10–15%) for administration. If so, state this clearly upfront — transparency avoids any awkwardness when the pot is paid out.
Running the night
The leaderboard as a display tool
playdrawr generates a public link that anyone can open on their phone. Cast it to a TV or projector for real-time visibility across the pub.
No login required for customers. They open the link, see the leaderboard, and follow along. You can also display a QR code pointing to the live link — print it or display it on a screen.
Semi-finals as a second event
Eurovision has two semi-finals (Tuesday and Thursday) before the Grand Final on Saturday. Each is its own opportunity for a pub night.
Run the draw before the semi-finals. Anyone whose country does not qualify is eliminated. The remaining participants compete for the Grand Final prize. This triples the number of dedicated evenings — and footfall.
Set up your pub sweepstake
Free to create. Share one link. Leaderboard updates automatically on the night.
Create your sweepstake →