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How to run a giveaway on Discord

To run a giveaway on Discord you need a clear prize, rules in writing, an easy way to enter and a fair way to pick the winner. You can do it by hand with reactions, but with a bot the giveaway is created, counts entries and picks a winner on its own, with no mistakes and no doubts from your community.

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Before you post: what to decide

A well run giveaway starts with simple decisions that are worth writing down:

  • The prize and how many winners there will be.
  • The closing date and time, with the time zone if your community spans several countries.
  • The requirements: being in the server, having a certain role or level, following your socials.
  • How the winner will be told and how long they have to claim the prize.

How to enter: reaction, button or command

The classic way is asking people to react with an emoji to the giveaway message. It works, but it counts badly when there are a lot of people and it is easy for someone to be left out. A button on the message or a bot command is clearer, because each person is registered only once.

Giveaway message on Discord with the prize, the number of winners, the end date, the requirement to enter and a button to join.
Everything people need to know, in one message.

How to pick the winner so nobody doubts it

What matters is that the choice is random and visible. Picking by hand, even in good faith, always leaves room for suspicion. A bot picks at random among the entrants who meet the requirements and posts the result in the channel, which gives everyone peace of mind.

Five steps of a fair giveaway: entrants, requirement check, random pick, public announcement and prize delivery.
If every step is visible, nobody doubts the result.

How to avoid cheating and fake accounts

Giveaways attract people who create accounts just to win. To limit that:

  • Ask for a minimum role or level in the server, which is earned by taking part.
  • Require a minimum account age or time spent in the server.
  • Exclude the moderation team and anyone who has been sanctioned.
  • Allow a single entry per person.

When it is worth automating

If you run one giveaway a month, doing it by hand is enough. If you run them every week, or on every stream, a bot saves a lot of work: they are scheduled, they count entries, apply the requirements and pick a winner without you being there. A custom bot can also tie them to your levels and coins, for example making an entry cost server coins.

If the prize has value

When the prize is money or a product, check the promotion rules of your country and the rules of the platform where you announce it. Write down that the giveaway is not sponsored or run by Discord.

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Frequently asked questions

Can you run a Discord giveaway without a bot?

Yes. You post the message, people react and you pick by hand among those who reacted. It is possible, but it gets complicated with many entrants and it is less transparent than a bot.

How do I stop fake accounts from winning?

By asking for a minimum role or level, a minimum account age and a single entry per person. A bot applies those requirements automatically.

Can a bot run giveaways automatically?

Yes. They are created, count entries and pick a winner without you stepping in. With a custom bot they can be tied to levels, coins or your streams.

How long does a giveaway system take to build?

It depends on the scope. The Pro plan, which includes levels, minigames and a custom bot, is delivered in 2 to 4 days. For a custom bot I confirm the time before I start.

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