- Search for the Queen of Hearts is an approved weekly progressive raffle governed by the Constitution and Statutes of the Benevolent and Protective Order of ELKS of the U.S.A. and the Florida Statutes on Gambling Chapter 849.
- To begin, 54 playing cards including two jokers are placed in sealed envelopes, face down on a mounting board purchased from a certified gaming vendor; the envelopes are numbered one (1) through fifty four (54). The game board will be displayed and sealed in the Social Quarters, with the QUEEN OF HEARTS as the “Jackpot Card” and a Stop Card that was randomly picked before and placed in an envelope.
- Any good standing member of the ELKS is eligible to play.
- Suggested minimum donation per ticket is $5; $20 for 5 tickets, with no limit on the number of tickets purchased. There can be more than one name per ticket, as long as all names listed are Elks in good standing. Write your name and the number of the available card you’re requesting (in case you’re not present; otherwise, a card will be selected for you) legibly on the back of the ticket put it in the drop box with the donation. Do not write nicknames or abbreviations. Tickets can be purchased immediately after the drawing up to 5 minutes before the time of the next drawing, currently a 7:10 pm Wednesday cutoff.
- Drawings will be held at the Lodge each Wednesday (unless otherwise posted) at 7:15 pm. One ticket is drawn each week from all tickets sold that week to determine who wins the opportunity to “Search for the Queen of Hearts” playing card. Ticket holder need not be present to win. Queen of Hearts chairperson will ask a volunteer to turn over a card on your behalf if you did not identify which number card you requested, or if the number you requested was previously selected. Remember that there is a new drawing every week. This means that after the drawing, the non-winning tickets are thrown away. Also, the Stop Card will reset the game. As the weeks go by, the pot grows bigger and bigger. Also, there will be less and less cards to choose from which increases the odds of finding the Queen of Hearts, unless the Stop Card resets the game.
- The prize pool is determined before the start of the raffle. The total prize pool will continue to accumulate weekly (after the initial the initial prize pool amount is recouped) until the QUEEN OF HEARTS or Stop Card is drawn. The jackpot amount, based on ticket sales, will be updated weekly and prominently displayed in the Social Quarters. Sixty percent of all ticket donations go into the jackpot.
- If your name is drawn, you choose a card. Each winner shall select one sealed face down playing card; if that playing card is the Queen of Hearts the holder of the winning raffle ticket shall be awarded 100% (2/3 if NOT present) of the Jackpot. Forty percent of the ticket donation amount will go to the ELKS Vero Beach Lodge 1774 for expenses. If the QUEEN OF HEARTS is not drawn the winning payouts of the Queen’s treasure are: All cards win $100 ($50 if NOT present).
Jackpot will be calculated prior to the Drawing.
If a person is not present, they can designate a card number on their ticket or a card will be drawn randomly.
- Once a card is selected, it will be removed from play by drawing a diagonal line on the card’s face and placing the card face up on the board. Each week after the drawing, all tickets for that week’s drawing will be destroyed.
- If the Stop Card was drawn, the game resets with a new deck of cards.
- All winning players are responsible for any and all taxes. A W2-G (1099) will be issued for prizes over 600. NO prize over 600 will be paid until the W2-G information is completely filled out. If a player is unwilling or unable to provide W2-G information, the prize will revert to the club.
- The winner must provide photo identification and a valid Elks membership card. Taxes will be assessed on any prize over 5,000 and remitted to the IRS. A winner from an out of state lodge may also have state taxes withheld in accordance with the laws of his or her state.
- The proceeds from the current week’s sales will not be included in the current week’s jackpot. If the queen of hearts is not selected in the current week’s drawing, then the current week’s sales will be split 60-40 as described in section 7 above. However, if the Queen of Hearts is drawn, then 100% of that week’s sales will be used to fund the new jackpot. Donations to the Lodge charity account will be suspended for that week.
