What Is Omaze?
Omaze is a charity prize draw platform that offers life-changing prizes, most famously luxury houses worth millions of pounds, while raising money for UK charities. Founded in the US, Omaze launched in the UK and has since given away dozens of houses, made monthly millionaires, and raised over £30M for charitable causes.
The concept is simple: buy entries to win a house (or other major prize), and a portion of your entry fee goes directly to a named charity partner.
How It Works
House Draws
Omaze's headline draws feature stunning properties across the UK. Recent prizes have included:
- Country mansions worth £3M+
- Coastal homes worth £2M+
- London properties worth £4M+
- Lakeside retreats and barn conversions
Every house is offered mortgage-free, with stamp duty and legal fees covered. Winners also receive a cash lump sum (typically £50,000-£250,000) to help with running costs.
Monthly Millionaire Draws
Alongside the house draws, Omaze runs monthly millionaire draws where one winner receives £1,000,000 in cash. These draws typically have lower entry costs and more frequent winners.
Entry Process
- Visit omaze.co.uk and browse active draws
- Choose your number of entries (minimum £10 for house draws)
- More entries increase your chances but are not required to win
- Free postal entry is available for every draw
- Draws take place on the advertised date with winners contacted directly
Charity Impact
What sets Omaze apart from other prize draws is the charitable element. Every draw partners with a specific UK charity, and a significant portion of entry fees goes directly to the cause.
Charity Partners Include
- Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) for children's healthcare
- The Royal Marsden for cancer treatment and research
- Teenage Cancer Trust supporting young people with cancer
- RSPCA for animal welfare
- British Heart Foundation for heart disease research
- Shelter for homelessness support
Over £30M has been raised through Omaze draws, funding life-saving research, patient care, and charitable programmes across the UK.
Is It Legitimate?
How Omaze Operates
Omaze operates as a prize draw, not a lottery. The key legal distinction is that free postal entry is available, meaning a purchase is not required to enter. This is a regulatory requirement in the UK, and Omaze complies fully.
Prize Delivery
Omaze has a strong track record of delivering prizes. House winners are well-documented with video reveals, press coverage, and social media content. The properties are genuinely transferred to winners mortgage-free.
Financial Transparency
Omaze publishes information about how entry fees are allocated between prizes, charity donations, and operating costs. Like any commercial fundraising platform, not all money goes to charity; a portion covers prizes and business operations.
Entry Costs
Omaze entries are higher than many other draws:
- House draws: typically from £10 for a bundle of entries
- Larger bundles offer more entries per pound
- Monthly millionaire draws: from £10
- Free postal entry: available for all draws (no purchase required)
At £10 minimum, Omaze is more expensive than options like Win A Million (from 50p), but the prize values are significantly higher.
Odds of Winning
Omaze doesn't publish specific odds because they depend on the number of entries sold for each draw. However:
- Each entry has an equal chance of winning
- More expensive bundles give more entries, increasing your chances
- Free postal entries have the same chance as paid entries
- The total number of entries varies per draw
With popular house draws attracting millions of entries, the odds of winning the top prize are long, similar to lottery odds.
Pros and Cons
Strengths:
- Genuinely life-changing prizes (houses worth £4M+)
- Every entry supports a UK charity
- Mortgage-free with stamp duty and legal fees paid
- Monthly millionaire draws for additional chances
- Well-documented prize delivery with real winners
- Free postal entry available
Weaknesses:
- Higher minimum entry cost (from £10)
- Odds not published in advance
- Not all entry fees go to charity (covers prizes and operations)
- Limited number of draws compared to daily draw platforms
Tips for Players
- Choose draws supporting charities you care about as your money benefits the cause regardless of winning
- Use free postal entry if you want to participate without spending
- Set a monthly budget for Omaze entries and treat it as charitable giving with a bonus chance to win
- Don't overstretch on larger entry bundles; the odds remain long regardless of how many entries you buy
- Check the prize details carefully, including the cash lump sum amount and property location
Our Verdict
Omaze offers a genuinely unique proposition: the chance to win a multi-million pound house while supporting UK charities. The charitable element gives your money purpose even if you don't win, which sets it apart from pure gambling draws. Entry costs are higher, but so are the prizes. Just keep expectations realistic about winning odds, and view your entries as charitable donations with an exciting bonus.
Browse all reviewed draws on our draws page to compare your options.
