“HEART OF A CHAMPION” RAFFLE LAUNCH

One winner will be drawn each week on Monday at 9 a.m.

Special Olympics Arizona has launched a new progressive raffle called “Heart of a Champion” that is similar to the traditional 50-50 raffles seen at various sporting events, but with a unique twist.

The Heart of a Champion raffle is progressive, so each week, one winner will be drawn randomly to win 15 percent of that week’s raffle ticket sales. For the progressive pot, if the weekly winner selected an envelope containing the Queen of Hearts when purchasing the raffle ticket, that person will win the progressive jackpot. If the weekly winner’s envelope did not contain the Queen of Hearts, that prize pool will roll over until the next week. The other 50 percent of the proceeds, like in typical 50-50 raffles, will benefit Special Olympics Arizona and its mission to empower Arizonans with intellectual disabilities and to spread the message of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

“It has been difficult this year to host many of our typical fundraisers that allow us the chance to raise money to support our more than 21,000 athletes,” said Special Olympics Arizona President and CEO Jamie Heckerman. “We are excited to unveil this unique spin on the traditional 50-50 raffle and think that this will be a fun way to support Special Olympics Arizona, along with the chance to win some money.”

Here is how to play:
• Go to www.SOAZRaffle.com

• Purchase your raffle tickets (there is no limit on how many you can buy)

• Select the envelope to find the Queen of Hearts

• Raffle tickets sales close every Monday morning at 8:59 a.m.

• Winning number will be drawn at 9 a.m. each Monday morning

• If your raffle ticket number is randomly drawn AND the envelope you selected contains the Queen of Hearts, you will win the progressive jackpot in addition to the weekly prize

• If your raffle ticket number is randomly drawn and your envelope does not contain the Queen of Hearts, you win that week’s jackpot

• The game continues each week and the jackpot grows in progressive format until the Queen of Hearts is found by the holder of that week’s winning raffle ticket number, at which time the raffle will reset and start again

• After the weekly winner is announced, fans can purchase tickets for the next week’s raffle starting every Monday at 9 a.m.

The purpose of Special Olympics Arizona is to empower children and adults with intellectual disabilities to live healthy, fulfilling and meaningful lives. This vision of acceptance and inclusion is realized through health, leadership and advocacy programs, as well as providing year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-style sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving more opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.