The Worst Lottery EVER

With the lotteries these days hitting over $100 million, it’s hard NOT to play. It’s fun to dream of winning—imagining what you’d buy and who you’d tell to “Go to H...,” lol. You get the picture. Plus, it’s easy and straightforward: they draw a number, you check your numbers, and BOOM—you’re on an island drinking fruity drinks.?

But I once got caught up in a lottery—or raffle, as they called it—that should never have happened. It was at a big dinner event. People had cocktails and hors d’oeuvres before dinner, then dinner, then speeches, and then the raffle—and THEN me! Whew! That was a lot.?

The raffle was a 50/50 pot: people paid $10 each for a chance to win half the money. While the pot wasn’t in the millions, it was over $2,000, so winning $1,000 or more was definitely worth it. But here’s the twist: this raffle was a “Reverse Raffle.”?

Instead of picking a number and calling out the winner, they

picked a number and called out the LOSER. That’s right—if your number was called, you were out! The idea was to build suspense, but what it really built was a lot of frustration. Did I mention it had already been a long night? Every time a name was called, you’d hear a BIG sigh and see someone leave. Who wants to stick around to root for a colleague to win—or to listen to an unknown comedian??\

They whittled over 200 hundred people down to about 30—the ones who either had money in the pot and hoped to win or were stuck because their ride was still in the running.?

THEN they introduced me. They thought they were building suspense, but all they built was frustration and impatience. I faced an audience whose faces screamed, “JUST TELL US WHO WON THE MONEY!!!” I’ve performed through plenty of distractions—loud music, waitresses, drunk hecklers—but a crowd of tired Reverse Raffle participants was one of the toughest challenges I’ve faced.?

This was many years ago, and I made it through, but I vowed never to follow a Reverse Raffle again. Shockingly, I’ve never been asked to. Maybe Reverse Raffles were a one-night trend that died as quickly as it started.?

As we move into the new year, just remember: trying new ideas is great, but make sure there’s a really good reason to switch things up. Sometimes the standard approach still works. Getting too creative can backfire and give people the opposite of what you wanted.?

Jan McInnis is a Keynote Speaker, Comedian, Comedy Writer, and Master of Ceremonies. She has written for Jay Leno’s Tonight Show monologue as well as many other people, places, and groups – radio, TV, syndicated cartoon strips, and even guests on the Jerry Springer show (her parents are proud). For 20+ years she’s traveled country as a keynote speaker and comedian sharing her unique and practical tips on what business leaders can learn from comedians (no, it’s not all about telling jokes). She can be reached at www.TheWorkLady.com, or [email protected]? She’s also a GREAT Master of Ceremonies. Click here for her emcee site?

Some of the stories in this newsletter are taken from my book:?

Convention Comedian: Stories and Wisdom From Two Decades of Chicken Dinners and Comedy Clubs. ?

Click on the link above to check it out!?