Omaze has become one of the most talked‑about prize draws in the UK, thanks to those glossy ads promising million‑pound homes in return for a relatively small monthly payment or one‑off entry.
This guide walks through the whole journey, from how Omaze started to what actually happens when someone wins one of those houses and has to decide what to do with it next.
What is Omaze?
Omaze is a for‑profit prize draw company that raises money for charities by offering high‑value prizes such as luxury houses, cars and cash.
It began in the United States in 2012 and launched in the UK in 2020, shifting its focus to “Million Pound House Draws” that combine fundraising with the chance to win a fully furnished property.
The company describes itself as a social‑impact business rather than a charity or a traditional lottery.
Participants pay for entries into prize draws, a portion of the proceeds goes to a named charity partner, and the rest funds the prize, marketing, running costs and profit.
How The House Draws Work
Each house draw is linked to a specific property in the UK and a named charity partner, with marketing that focuses on both the dream home and the cause it supports.
Ticket sales typically run for several months, during which time Omaze promotes the draw heavily across TV, online and social media.
Entries can be purchased as one‑off bundles or via a subscription, with prices scaled so that bigger spenders receive more entries.
There is also a free postal entry option, which keeps the draws within prize‑competition rules rather than being regulated as gambling, although most people participate online.
Where The Money Goes
Omaze’s model aims to balance charity fundraising with commercial profit.
Since launching in the UK, its house draws and related competitions have raised tens of millions of pounds for partners such as Teenage Cancer Trust, British Heart Foundation, Alzheimer’s Research UK, the RSPCA and Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.
The company guarantees a minimum donation of £1 million to each charity partner for a house draw, along with a stated percentage of ticket sales.
The remainder covers the cost of buying and “Omazifying” the property, marketing, administration and profit, so players should view it as a commercial prize draw rather than a pure charity raffle.
Buying Entries: Subscriptions and One‑offs
For most UK players, the journey starts with the Omaze website, where they choose the current house draw and decide how many entries to buy.
One‑off purchases give a set number of entries, while monthly subscriptions provide entries into whichever house draws are closing that month, which means you may automatically be moved onto a new property as campaigns roll over.
Payment is made online, and once the transaction is processed, Omaze emails a confirmation with a unique entry code for each purchase.
It is worth keeping these emails safe, not because you need the code to win, but because they make it easier to check entries and confirm details if you end up being that extremely lucky person.
For UK Omaze house draws, online entry bundles typically start at £10, which gives you around 15 entries.
Higher bundles such as £25 and £50 giving more entries at a better rate.
There is also a subscription option starting from about £10–£15 per month, which gives a set number of entries into every current draw each month (for example, 60–100+ entries depending on the plan).
Entry Codes and How Draws are Logged
Every time someone buys entries, the system generates a 13‑digit entry code that is linked to that transaction.
That code is then logged into Omaze’s draw database as many times as the number of entries purchased, so someone buying 15 entries has their code recorded 15 times, increasing their statistical chance in the random draw.
Postal entries are handled slightly differently. Those letters are processed and coded by an independent scrutineer (currently Civica) and then added into the same database as online entries before the draw takes place.
Once the entry period closes, no further entries are accepted, and the full list of eligible codes is locked down ready for the winner selection.
How Winners Are Drawn
Winners are chosen using a certified random number generator rather than a spinning drum full of paper tickets, which is slightly less glamorous but far more practical for hundreds of thousands of entries.
This process is independently audited to ensure it meets fairness and compliance standards, and the draw itself can be overseen by the scrutineer where required.
There is always a guaranteed winner for each house draw, even if ticket sales are lower than expected, and Omaze also guarantees the minimum charity donation regardless of sales.
Once the randomised engine has selected a winning entry code, Omaze matches it to the customer details in the database, and the “potential winner” stage begins.
Confirming and Contacting the Winner
After the winning code is generated, Omaze first emails the winner at the address linked to their account at around 5pm on the advertised announcement date.
The winning entry code is also published on the winners page, and for the grand prize house draw the team often arranges a surprise doorstep visit, just in case the recipient is ignoring their inbox.
However, that person is only a “potential winner” until all verification checks are complete.
Omaze must confirm that the individual meets eligibility rules (for example age and residency), has complied with the terms of the draw and can legally accept the prize, and if they do not pass these checks the company is required to redraw and contact an alternate.
Verification, Paperwork and Legal Checks
To move from potential winner to confirmed winner, the person needs to provide documentation such as proof of identity and address, and to complete a set of winner forms.
Depending on the prize, there may also be tax declarations or anti‑money‑laundering checks, and all of this has to be done within the time period specified in the rules or the prize can be forfeited and re‑awarded.
Omaze’s terms allow the promoter to make final decisions on eligibility and verification.
That sounds stern, but in practical terms it is similar to other large prize providers and is mainly there to ensure regulatory compliance and to protect both the company and the genuine winner.
What You Actually Win
For a house draw, the grand prize is the property itself, usually fully furnished and mortgage‑free.
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Omaze also covers stamp duty and legal fees relating to the transfer, which removes one of the biggest potential hurdles to accepting a high‑value home, especially in areas with steep property prices.
On top of the house, winners normally receive a lump sum of cash (commonly around £50,000) intended to help with initial running costs or general life admin, and the furnishings and interior design work are typically included.
Some draws may include extra perks, such as membership of local facilities or a car, but those details vary from campaign to campaign and are set out in the specific experience rules.
Moving In, Renting Out or Selling Up
Once the property has been legally transferred and the keys handed over, the winner becomes the owner just like any other buyer, minus the mortgage paperwork and years of saving!
At that point, they can choose to move in, rent the property out or sell it, and Omaze openly states that what happens next is entirely up to the winner.
In practice, many winners decide to sell or let their new home because council tax, insurance and maintenance on a multi‑million‑pound property can be eye‑watering compared with everyday budgets.
The additional cash that comes with the prize can help bridge the first year or two of running costs, but long‑term affordability is something winners have to think through carefully once the TV cameras have left the driveway.
Odds, Risks and Regulation
From a player’s point of view, the most important fact is that the odds of winning are extremely low, because there can be hundreds of thousands or even millions of entries in a single draw.
Unlike traditional lotteries, Omaze does not normally publish exact odds, because they depend on total entries, so players should treat it as a bit of fun rather than anything close to a financial plan.
Omaze’s UK prize draws operate under prize‑competition law rather than gambling legislation, which is why the free postal route exists and why payments are described as entries rather than stakes.
The company is registered and compliant with UK regulations for prize promotions, and while some industry bodies have debated the model, regulatory authorities have allowed the draws to continue as long as rules are followed.
Frequently Asked Worries
Players often wonder whether Omaze is “legit” or just clever marketing.
Multiple UK winners have received and sold or lived in their homes, charities have confirmed receipt of large donations, and mainstream media have covered both success stories and the occasional controversy about ongoing costs, which suggests the model is genuine even if it is not risk‑free for participants.
Another common question is what happens if a draw does not sell enough entries to cover costs.
Omaze states that the house and the minimum charity donation are still guaranteed, meaning the company takes the commercial risk rather than the charity or the players, although of course the model relies on most draws remaining profitable over time.
Worth It?
For UK players, Omaze offers a straightforward but high‑risk proposition: pay for entries, support a charity and get a tiny chance of winning an extravagant home that could transform your finances, or your council tax bill!
The journey from signing up on the website to picking up the keys involves randomised draws, independent checks, legal paperwork and some very real decision‑making once the cameras are off and the running costs land on the doormat.
But, like any prize – if you're not in, you can't win!
