Chinese Auction Rules: How to Run a Tricky Tray or Penny Auction at School
Updated · 6 min read
By The I Survived Room Parent Team
It's called a penny auction, but nobody has ever left one having spent pennies.
If your PTO just voted to run a "Chinese auction" and you're the one holding the ticket rolls, this guide covers everything: what it is, how it works, the rules to post, how to price tickets and how to run the drawing without chaos. You also get a free printable ticket sheet and rules sign at the end.
First, a Note on the Name
"Chinese auction" is a long-standing American term for this kind of ticket raffle. Nobody seems to know exactly where it came from, and it has nothing to do with how auctions work in China. Many schools and community groups now use other names, which are more descriptive and avoid tying the event to a culture it isn't from. Common choices include:
Tricky Tray (very popular in New Jersey and the Northeast)
Penny Social or Penny Auction
Basket Raffle or Basket Bonanza
Bag Raffle or Ticket Auction
We use "tricky tray" through the rest of this post, and we'd gently suggest your school do the same on flyers and signs. It's friendlier, clearer and makes a cuter banner. People still search for "Chinese auction rules," which is why it's in the title, so families can find the answers.
Quick Answer: How Does a Tricky Tray Work?
Guests buy a set of tickets (for example, 25 tickets for $20).
Each prize has a cup, bag or box in front of it.
Guests drop tickets into the bag of the prize they want, as many as they like.
At the end, one ticket is drawn from each bag.
That ticket's owner wins that prize.
It's a raffle where you choose which prize you're entering. That's why people love it, and why they buy "just one more" sheet of tickets four times.
Tricky Tray vs. Silent Auction vs. Regular Raffle
Silent auction: you win with the highest written bid. Best for big-ticket items and experiences.
Regular raffle: one drawing, with all tickets in one pool. Best for one or two grand prizes.
Tricky tray: a drawing for each prize, and you choose where your tickets go. Best for lots of mid-value baskets and families on a budget.
A tricky tray lets a family with $10 win the same basket as a family with $100. That's the magic. (For the bidding version, see our silent auction basket ideas.)
Check the Law Before You Sell a Single Ticket
A tricky tray is legally a raffle in most states. Raffles are gambling under many state laws, so:
Check your state's raffle rules. Many states require nonprofits to register or get a raffle license.
Run it through your PTO or PTA, not as an individual or a class.
Ask your district about any rules for raffles on school property.
Keep alcohol prizes out unless your school, district and state allow them, and then only for winners 21 and older.
Track every dollar with a clear record of tickets sold and money collected.
Five minutes with the school office now beats a very awkward email later.
Tricky Tray Rules to Post (Copy These)
Tickets: Tickets are sold in sheets or strips. Write your name and phone number on the back of each ticket, or use a printed label.
Entering: Place your ticket stub in the bag or cup in front of the prize you want to win. You may put as many tickets in one bag as you like.
Choose carefully: Tickets can't be moved once they're in a bag.
Drawing: One ticket is drawn from each bag at the announced time.
Winning: You don't need to be present to win unless the event says so. Winners will be contacted.
Pickup: Prizes must be picked up by the posted time or arranged with the committee.
Age: Adults buy tickets. Kids may help choose (loudly).
Final: All ticket sales are final. Prizes are donated "as is."
The free printable rules sign has this in big, readable type.
How to Price Tickets
The most common setups are:
Basic sheet: 25 tickets for $20
Value sheet: 60 tickets for $40
Big sheet: 150 tickets for $80
Single tickets: $1 each, for latecomers and kids' prizes
Some schools add a premium tier for big prizes (like a TV or a vacation week). Those use separate, different-colored tickets at $5–$10 each. Keep the premium drop bags in their own section with a clear sign.
A good guide: the total value of all prizes should be about 25–40% of what you expect to raise.
How to Set Up the Room
Number every prize. Put a numbered card in front of it, matching a numbered bag.
Use paper lunch bags, cups with lids or shoe boxes with a slot cut in the lid.
Group prizes by type: kids, family, grown-ups and premium.
Leave walking room. People with 150 tickets need space to think.
Set up a ticket table near the door with a cash box, card reader and a QR code for payment apps.
Provide pens and pre-printed address labels. Writing your name 150 times is a hand workout nobody signed up for.
Tickets are $20. The hand cramp from writing your name on all of them is free.
How to Run the Drawing Without Chaos
Close ticket sales 15 minutes before drawing.
Seal the bags or collect them in order.
Use two volunteers per drawing: one draws, one records.
Read the prize number and the winner's name clearly into a microphone.
Record each winner on a master list with their phone number.
Post winners on a board or screen as you go.
Draw premium prizes last to keep people in the room.
Speed matters. Plan on about 20–30 seconds per prize. A 60-prize event takes 20–30 minutes, so build in a snack break or the crowd evaporates.
Nothing says suspense like 300 people silently praying for the Lego basket.
Prize Ideas That Draw Tickets
Family Movie Night or Game Night baskets
Restaurant gift card bundles from local favorites
Experiences: principal for a day, front-row seats at the play or a reserved parking spot
Kid favorites: Lego, art supplies, a scooter or a stuffed-animal mountain
Grown-up favorites: spa day, coffee lover, grill master or a babysitting voucher
Premium: a TV, a tablet, a theme park package or a week at a donated vacation home
See our silent auction basket ideas for 30 themes and what to put inside. They work for tricky trays too.
Volunteer Roles You'll Need
Ticket sellers (2–4, depending on the crowd)
Prize table hosts to answer questions and guard the bags
Drawing team with a caller and a recorder
Prize runners to bring prizes to the pickup area
Pickup table to match winners with prizes
Money counters (always two people together)
The right team makes the hard nights lighter. The wrong team leaves before the drawing.
Day-Of Checklist
Ticket rolls or printed ticket sheets
Numbered bags or cups, plus a few spares
Prize number cards and the rules sign
Cash box, change, card reader and a payment QR code
Pens, address labels and tape
Microphone or speaker
Master winner list and a clipboard
Bags or boxes for winners to carry prizes home
After the Event
Contact absent winners within 48 hours.
Thank donors with a note and a tax receipt through your PTO.
Share the total raised with families.
Save your notes: which prizes drew the most tickets and what you'd change next year.
Grab Your Free Tricky Tray Ticket and Rules Sign
Our free single-PDF printable includes:
A sheet of numbered tickets with a stub for the drop bag and a stub to keep
A large "How Our Tricky Tray Works" rules sign
Prize number cards to match each bag
Download the free Tricky Tray Tickets and Rules Sign
All of our printables are free, so we're always the more affordable option for room parents. Planning more fundraisers? See our 50/50 raffle guide, our PTO fundraiser ideas and our Minute to Win It class party games.
FAQ
Why is it called a Chinese auction?
It's an older American term, and its origin isn't clear. It doesn't reflect how auctions work in China, which is why many schools now call it a tricky tray, penny social or basket raffle.
Is a Chinese auction the same as a raffle?
Yes, legally it's usually treated as a raffle. That's why you should check your state's raffle rules and run it through your PTO.
How many tickets should one person put in a bag?
As many as they want! That's the strategy part. Spreading tickets out gives you more chances, and stacking one bag improves the odds for your favorite.
Do you have to be present to win?
That's up to your event. Most school tricky trays don't require it. Just make sure every ticket has a name and phone number.
How much money does a school tricky tray raise?
It depends on the crowd and prizes. A small school event might raise $2,000–$5,000, and bigger community events can go well past $20,000.
You ran a tricky tray, survived the drawing and only lost one pen. Okay, 40 pens.
Survived this one? Wear it proudly.
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