Raffle Joe's House

[Bruce Brakel]

The other day signs popped up around the neighborhood saying RAFFLEJOESHOUSE.COM on them.  I thought, "I ought to visit the website to see where Joe's house is," but just a bit later I drove by a house with nine signs in the lawn so I figured that was it.  My neighbor who knows everything told Kira that raffle tickets were $100.

So Kira wanted to know how that could be legal, and I said the only way it could be legal, last I knew, was if Joe had sold his house to a charity and they were raffling it with a license.  This prompted me to go visit his website and go visit the gaming commission website. 

What I learned at the gaming commission website did not jibe with what Joe had on his web page.  I was right that the only way it could be legal was if a charity owned the house outright and was selling the tickets.  But Joe was claiming that he owned the house outright and he was selling the tickets.  Hmm.

If the raffle was on the up-and-up I wanted to buy a ticket.  So I thought I'd go look at his tickets.  If the raffle was legal under Michigan law the ticket would have to have the raffle license number on it and the name of the licensee. 

So tonight I went out to his website to get his phone number. 

If you have not yet gone there, go now.

I guess the raffle was not on the up-and-up! 

[Jon Brakel]

http://www.rafflejoeshouse.com/home_details.html
Still works.

[JCthrills]

some lady near Grand Rapids did this a few months ago & it made CNN.  I never heard anything about it not being legit which is wierd since I too thought raffles/lotteries had to have a charity tie.   I would love to raffle off my home. 

[pickax]

Get swoopo.com to buy it.

[pearso66]

There was a house in Maryland or Virginia not too long ago that did this.  It was all over the news and shows like that for a while.  They had a million dollar house that they were trying to sell because they had to move to Colorado or somewhere near there, and wanted to get what it was worth.  So they were selling $50.00 raffle tickets, to try to sell the house that way.

[Bruce Brakel]

The only way you can do it legally in Michigan is if you have a raffle license, and only non-profits can get raffle licenses.  I'll have to inquire about buying a ticket. 

[Bruce Brakel]

Hmmm.  Now i'm getting the Raffle On Hold page again...

Somebody besides me thought it was illegal, apparently.

http://www.wxyz.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=5130F489-70F6-408C-85B3-EFED26E893B5&gsa=true

If you want to be an expert on Michigan raffle laws, this is must reading:

www.michigan.gov/documents/BSL-CG-1824_26045_7.pdf

[dana]

Just another day in the life of Bruce Brakel!

[Chainmeister]

Are you "Brilliant" from the comments section?

[Bruce Brakel]

No, on the news story where I commented, I'm "Local Lawyer, Waterford." 

[Sr.]

There are so many things that are illegal but overlooked because nobody really cares to prosecute. Why do you think so many politicians get away with so much? League play is considered gambling and illegal but people realize it's such a minor issue and it effects nobody personally. Just like football boards and NCAA boards. But, a house to be raffled off seems a little risky. It doesn't compare to raffling off a basket. To many other issues involved with raffling off a house. But, it is in the motor city state. Home of illegal certificates that are purchased daily.

[Jon Brakel]

There are so many things that are illegal but overlooked because nobody really cares to prosecute. Why do you think so many politicians get away with so much? League play is considered gambling and illegal but people realize it's such a minor issue and it effects nobody personally. Just like football boards and NCAA boards. But, a house to be raffled off seems a little risky. It doesn't compare to raffling off a basket. To many other issues involved with raffling off a house. But, it is in the motor city state. Home of illegal certificates that are purchased daily.

League play in Illinois is not gambling and is legit. Same thing with tournaments.

[Fox Metro Discer]

There are so many things that are illegal but overlooked because nobody really cares to prosecute. Why do you think so many politicians get away with so much? League play is considered gambling and illegal but people realize it's such a minor issue and it effects nobody personally. Just like football boards and NCAA boards. But, a house to be raffled off seems a little risky. It doesn't compare to raffling off a basket. To many other issues involved with raffling off a house. But, it is in the motor city state. Home of illegal certificates that are purchased daily.

Besides there is an easy way around it as well.... weekly "tournament"

[Bruce Brakel]

League play often violates park rules, but it does not violate state law in Illinois.  There are only a few states where a $5 disc golf league is going to violate state law, and cash leagues are rarely prosecuted.  If someone cares and you are in a "bad state," they usually just tell you that you can't do that. 

I talked to Joe tonight briefly and gave him a copy of the state raffle guide.  His lawyer is trying to get an opinion from the county prosecutor that if Joe has everyone write a 20-word essay, the raffle is o.k.  You have to be a non-profit in Michigan and there's no 20-word essay exception.  And the prosecutor doesn't give opinions.