THE ART OF CHOOSING GAMES
Picking games for your event makes a difference. There are 5 different types of games. The types of games you choose should be based on the type of event you are having. Are you looking to raise funds, or just entertain your guests? Here is a breakdown of our 5 types of games.
1. Laydown Games - These are best for raising funds. Multiple players can play at the same time which will maximize your profits during busy times at your event.
=The Math= These games take 2 minutes to play or 30 times per hour. Depending on the number of spaces on the laydown will determines how much money can potentially be generated per hour. Pig Race has 10 space. SO... $10 per play x 30 plays per hour x 3 hours of operation = $900 in potential sales. The cost of the prizes are between $4 and $5. During that same 3 hour period you would give away approximately $425 in prizes. Your profit = $475 (profit can vary. See PROFITS below)
2. Skill Games - These are great for entertaining. Most of the skill games take time to play. Fast playing games are better for raising funds.
=The Math= Fat Cats can be played approximately 60 per hour. SO... $1 per play x 60 plays per hour x 3 hours of operation = $180 During that same 3 hour period you would give away approximately $85 in prizes. Your profit = $95 (profit can vary. See PROFITS below)
3. Pic a Ticket Games - These are strictly fund raising games. There is a pre-determined number of winners per set of tickets. The game can handle large crowds simply by place a few jars of numerals on the counter.
=The Math= 2000 numerals in a set x .50 per numeral = $1000. 20 prizes would cost approximately $480. Your profit on a set would be $520
4. Winner Every Time Games - These are great for raising funds. Every time someone plays the game they will win a prize and your event makes money.
=The Math= Basketball can be played approximately 120 per hour. SO... $2 per play x 120 plays per hour x 3 hours of operation = $360 During that same 3 hour period you would give away $180 in prizes. Your profit = $180 (profit can vary. See PROFITS below)
5. Fun Fair / Wristband Games - Used for events looking to entertain and has lots of younger children.These are easier games to play and take longer to play. Frozen Toss can be played approximately 40 per hour. SO... .50 per play x 40 plays per hour x 3 hours of operation = $60 During that same 3 hour period you would give away $30 in prizes. Your profit = $30 (profit can vary. See PROFITS below) A Wristband event is a great way to entertain the little one's while creating a great profit center. The kid pays one price and gets a big prize. They then can play the Wristband games all night long. At the game you can pass out penny candy. This is also great if you have lots of teenage volunteers. No need for them to handle money or prizes.
Our volunteer Jimmy
PROFIT
The overall profitability of the games can be affected by the following factors. Here is a story about Jimmy who wants to volunteer. We love volunteers and we need to make sure you have the right tools to make him successful while running a game.
Jimmy our Volunteer
So, Jimmy just volunteered to run one of your games. He showed up 5 minutes before his shift cause he's busy. You can't say anything because VOLUNTEERS are GOLD. So quickly you say charge $1 to play and give away the large plush when they knock over 3 cans and a small prize if they knock over 2 cans. Jimmy starts running his booth and see that it's kinda hard so he starts giving kids an extra throw at the cans. Then when they lose he feels bad and give away a big prize to the kids that are friends with his kids. A couple kids didn't have enough money to play so he let them play for free. He has one kid that just can't lose so he keeps winning over and over and over again. Jimmy's happy for him. About an hour into his shift he comes looking for you because he's outta big prizes. At the end of the night Jimmy had to run so he gave his money to the lady in the booth next to him and went home.
Now, this isn't every volunteer but the quality of a responsible volunteer is getting harder to find. So what can you do to help Jimmy?
1. Game Sheets - We provide you with a game instruction sheet that will tell the worker how to set up the game in the booth. How much it costs to play. Exactly what prizes to give away in each game situation. If the game has a limit on the number of first prizes the player can win per night.
2. Game Sign - We provide a 8 1/2 by 11 game sign to hang in the booth that tells the player the price to play, object of the game, and any special rules along with a limit of first prizes per night if applicable.
3. Smartphone Volunteer Training - We provide a section on our website specifically for your volunteers to watch a video of their game being played. There is also a section on general tips and rules. This can be watched and read in less then 2 minutes.
4. If you run out of prizes within the first hour of the first night of your event it's a HUGE red flag. Because we know how many times an hour a game can be played, we send you plenty of prizes to last for more then 1 day. You will need to make sure the volunteer is running the game right and not giving away prizes. You also need to make sure the game is at the right distance and working properly. If there is a mechanical failure you will need to shut the game down and call us at the end of the night so that we can get a replacement to you the following day.
5. After the festival is over we will send you an invoice that is broken down by the amount of money spent per game. Make sure to keep good accounting on the amount of money each game takes in. We have found that sometimes a game doesn't perform as it should because prizes were substituted from one booth to another or money gets mixed up. That's ok! SImply total up all your game sales and all your game costs. It is our goal to make sure you make between 38% and 50% on the total. In a perfect world your profit should equal the cost of the prizes.