2025 MerleFest 50/50 Raffle (“Raffle”)
OFFICIAL RULES: By participating, entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and by the decisions of the Wilkes Community College Foundation and MerleFest, which shall be binding and final as to all matters related to the Raffle. The Raffle is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws.
NET PROCEEDS: All net proceeds of the Raffle will benefit Wilkes Community College’s SAGE (Supporting Academic Goals through Education) First Year Experience Scholarship program.
PRIZE: Winner will receive 50% of the Net Sales. Maximum prize value is $125,000.
Winners are responsible for all taxes, transfers, and fees which must be paid before receipt of the prize by the winner. Some prizes may require withholding of Federal taxes from the prize in accordance with IRS rules. (Note: Taxes withheld are paid directly to the government in the name of the winner and become a credit on the taxes the winner owes at the end of the year. Winners getting tax refunds may recover part or all of the withholding as part of their refund). All winning ticket holders must complete the necessary IRS forms in order to receive prize.
ELIGIBILITY TO ENTER: During the dates and times and other details specified below, raffle tickets are available for purchase in person throughout each day of the festival by anyone, regardless of their residence. Individuals must be 18 years of age or older to purchase a raffle ticket and win. MerleFest Events Team Members who are Wilkes Community College employees are not eligible to purchase MerleFest Mega Raffle tickets and win prizes.
PURCHASING ENTRIES: Ticket sales will commence at 8:00 am on April 8, 2025, and conclude on April 27, 2025 at 3:00 pm. The Grand Prize winner will be announced on April 27 by 5:00 pm. The following prices and corresponding “ticket numbers” are available: 1 ticket for $5, 10 tickets for $20, 100 tickets for $40, and 400 tickets for $100. Raffle tickets will be available for purchase by eligible persons online at https://merlefest.org/silent-auction/ and onsite during the festival.
THE DRAW SELECTION: The winning number will be selected by a gaming lab certified random number generator draw on Sunday, April 27, 2025. The winner will be contacted by telephone per the information they submitted at the time of purchase. Winning ticket number will be posted at https://merlefest.org/silent-auction/ and posted on the MerleFest social media feeds.
ATTENDANCE AT DRAW: Ticket holders do not have to be present at the draws in order to win or to claim their prize.
CLAIMANTS: The winner must provide their full name, address, phone number, and photo identification to claim the prize.
FRAUDULENT TICKETS: Unauthorized persons copying, selling, or altering tickets are subject to prosecution. A 50/50 ticket will be void and no prize will be awarded if there is proof that the ticket was stolen, unissued, ineligible, altered, counterfeit in whole or in part, defective, printed in duplicate or printed/production in error.
AWARD OF PRIZE(S) TO OFFICIAL WINNER(S): For security and safety purposes, no cash payments will be made to winners. Winners must claim their prizes within thirty (30) days of the event. If a Winner does not claim his/her prize within thirty (30) days of the event, the prize shall be forfeited. A check will be mailed to cash prize winners within forty-five (45) days of the event once all required paperwork has been completed and returned
GENERAL CONDITIONS: The Released Parties (defined below under “RELEASE OF LIABILITY”) are not responsible for: (1) Entries which are stolen, lost, damaged, illegible, given away or no longer in the purchaser’s possession, (2) Entries that have been or may have been tampered with or re-sold in violation of these Official Rules; (3) Entries or payments that are delayed, misdirected, undelivered, not fully captured, or garbled as a result of any failure or problem whatsoever with the availability, functionality, operability or use of any network, server, ISP, website, computer, telephone, cable or satellite modem or connection, hand held mobile device or any other computer equipment or connection, whether or not caused by site users, tampering, hacking, or by viruses, worms, or malfunctions affecting a network, server ISP or any equipment or programming used in or associated with the Raffle; (4) any other errors of any kind, whether human, typographical, printing, mechanical, or electronic in nature, which relate to or are connected with the Raffle (collectively, as described in clauses (1) through (4), “Errors”), including without limitation Errors in Raffle-related materials or in the administration of the Raffle, such as Errors in processing Entries, identifying Potential Winners, determining Official Winners, or announcing or delivering Prizes; or If any portion of the Raffle is compromised, in Wilkes Community College Foundation ’s sole judgment, by a virus, worm, bug, non-authorized human intervention or other causes which, in Wilkes Community College Foundation ’s sole judgment, corrupt or impair the administration, security, fairness or proper play of the Raffle, or the proper submission or capture of Entries (collectively, a “Compromising Event”), then Wilkes Community College Foundation reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to suspend, modify or terminate the Raffle, and to select winners from all eligible, non-suspect Entries received before the known occurrence or discovery of such Comprising Event. All Entry purchases shall be final, and no refunds or replacements will be issued by Wilkes Community College Foundation . Wilkes Community College Foundation has sole and final decision on admissibility of entries and the determination of prize winner.
RELEASE OF LIABILITY: Entrants, by participating in the Raffle, agree that The Wilkes Community College Foundation , and Tap 50:50, each of their respective parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, and advertising and promotion agencies, and all of their respective officers, directors, employees, representatives, shareholders, members, consultants and agents (collectively, the “Released Parties”) will have no liability whatsoever for, and shall be held harmless by entrants against, any liability for injuries, losses, cost, expenses or damages of any kind, including damages for death, personal injury, property damage.