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How to Say "raffle" in Spanish

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sorteo

/sor-TEH-oh//soɾˈteo/

nounA2general
Use 'sorteo' when referring to the general event or process of a draw where a winner is chosen by luck, such as a prize drawing at an event or a lottery drawing.
A hand reaching into a large glass bowl filled with many small folded slips of paper to pick a winner.

Examples

Ganamos el primer premio en el sorteo de la empresa.

We won the first prize in the company's raffle.

¿Quién ganó el sorteo de la lotería?

Who won the lottery draw?

He participado en un sorteo para ganar un viaje a España.

I entered a giveaway to win a trip to Spain.

El sorteo de los grupos para el mundial será mañana.

The draw for the World Cup groups will be tomorrow.

Gender and Endings

Since it ends in -o, it is almost always masculine. You should use 'el sorteo' or 'un sorteo'.

Verbs that go with 'Sorteo'

Use 'participar en' (participate in) or 'entrar en' (enter) when talking about joining a raffle.

Don't use 'para'

Mistake: “Participar para el sorteo.”

Correction: Participar en el sorteo. Use 'en' to say you are taking part in the event itself.

lotería

nounA1general
Use 'lotería' when referring to a lottery ticket or a small-scale drawing, especially one for a specific purpose or prize like the Christmas lottery.

Examples

Se venden boletos de lotería para ayudar a la escuela.

Raffle tickets are being sold to help the school.

Sorteo vs. Lotería

Learners often confuse 'sorteo' and 'lotería'. While 'lotería' can refer to a raffle ticket or a specific type of drawing, 'sorteo' is the broader term for the drawing event itself. Think of 'sorteo' as the action of raffling and 'lotería' as the ticket or the specific game.

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