In the final stretch of the holiday season, two firefighter-backed 50/50 raffles—one in Nova Scotia and one in British Columbia—delivered headline-grabbing wins while spotlighting a fundraising model that keeps growing across Canada: online ticket sales that can turn community support into life-changing prizes.
On the East Coast, the Nova Scotia Firefighters 50/50 posted a six-figure-plus “half-the-pot” payout that topped $1.2 million for a resident of Deep Brook, Annapolis County. [1] On the West Coast, the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund wrapped its Bright Nights 50/50 draw with a final jackpot of $179,525, sending $89,762.50 (half) to a Surrey winner. [2]
Beyond the winners, the story is also about where the other half of the money goes: local fire departments, burn survivor supports, prevention campaigns, and the infrastructure that helps people recover after catastrophic injuries.
Deep Brook, Nova Scotia: a $1,201,675 50/50 win—and a boost for Bear River Fire Department
The Nova Scotia Firefighters 50/50 website lists Rickie Taylor of Deep Brook as the winner of Draw #290, with Ticket #4066527 taking a jackpot prize of $1,201,675. [3]
The same posting notes that Taylor purchased tickets in support of the Bear River Fire Department, which received a $1,000 bonus tied to the draw. [4] The draw also included other prizes—such as a $1,000 Early Bird winner and multiple bonus winners—underscoring how these raffles often layer “extra chances” on top of the main jackpot. [5]
Why this particular raffle gets so big
Organizers describe the Nova Scotia Firefighters 50/50 as the largest weekly 50/50 in Canada, and say it was founded in March 2020 by the Amherst Firefighters Association as a new fundraising approach during the COVID-19 era, expanding from eight agencies to more than 270 across the province. [6]
That scale shows up in the stakes—and in the impact. In a testimonial featured by fundraising platform Rafflebox, Andrew Wallis, identified as an Organizer with the Amherst Fire Fighters Association, says the effort “has changed people’s lives.” [7] (It’s a short line, but it reflects what many departments have found: consistent weekly participation can become a significant, repeatable revenue source.)
Surrey, B.C.: Bright Nights 50/50 pays out $89,762.50
In British Columbia, the Bright Nights 50/50—a seasonal fundraiser tied to the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund—finished with a posted jackpot of $179,525. The winner listed is D. Bouillet, from Surrey, holding Ticket #13003666. [8]
Because a standard 50/50 splits proceeds, that jackpot means the take-home prize is $89,762.50.
The raffle page also details key mechanics that matter to ticket buyers and regulators alike:
- 59,000 tickets available for sale
- A posted sales deadline of Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.
- A B.C. gaming event licence number displayed on the site
- A prominent reminder: “Know your limit, play within it,” alongside the B.C. problem gambling helpline [9]
The Burn Fund likewise promoted the same sales deadline and listed a draw time of Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. [10]
Local coverage of the win (from the Black Press network) also framed the outcome in the same terms—half of the final jackpot going to a Surrey resident—reflecting the heightened attention that tends to follow holiday draws. [11]
From $125,225 to $179,525: the late-December jackpot climb
Before the final Bright Nights draw closed, local reporting noted the jackpot had already reached $125,225—a figure that helps explain why 50/50 raffles often accelerate in the last days before a deadline, when social sharing and “fear of missing out” spike. [12]
By the time sales ended, the posted total had climbed to $179,525. [13] Even without a single national lottery brand behind it, that kind of growth can happen quickly when:
- ticketing is online,
- participation is limited (or time-bound),
- and a cause is already part of a seasonal tradition.
The fundraising engine behind Bright Nights: nearly three million lights and a long-running burn survivor mission
The Bright Nights name is widely associated with holiday light displays in the Lower Mainland—and the Burn Fund says that tradition is now featured as part of the Noel Holiday Light Festival at Cloverdale Fairgrounds from Nov. 28 to Dec. 28, 2025. [14]
In its own Burn Fund news release, the organization describes the display as featuring nearly three million lights and thousands of volunteer hours from more than 800 fire fighters, and says the tradition has raised millions to support burn survivors across B.C. and the Yukon. [15]
The Burn Fund also traces Bright Nights back to a Surrey-origin story: a Newton-area home display created by Bob Wingfield and Marg Barrett, later supported by Surrey firefighters, which raised money for burn survivors connected to Vancouver General Hospital—eventually evolving into the Stanley Park tradition and now “coming home” to Surrey. [16]
Where the “other half” goes: burn recovery, housing, and long-term support
Like many high-participation 50/50 raffles, Bright Nights is designed so that half of proceeds go to the winner and half supports the cause. [17] In this case, the Burn Fund says proceeds help fund survivor programs year-round, including:
Burn Camp for kids and youth
Burn Camp is described as a week-long summer camp where kids can connect in a safe environment. The Burn Fund says Burn Camp has operated since 1994, and typically welcomes around 70 children and 60 firefighter and nurse volunteers each summer. [18]
Home Away accommodations in Vancouver
For survivors and families who need treatment far from home, the Burn Fund’s Home Away program offers accommodations at the Burn Fund Centre. The organization describes a facility with eight short-term suites and shared spaces, aimed at letting guests focus on recovery rather than logistics. [19]
The Burn Fund says guests are asked to contribute $25 per night, while the true cost is closer to $100 per night, subsidized by donors (subject to eligibility and availability). [20]
A decades-long partnership between fire fighters and medical experts
The Burn Fund’s “About” page also highlights its origins: founded in 1978 by a Coquitlam firefighter (Captain Alex Blake) and Vancouver General Hospital doctor Charles Snelling—a reminder that these campaigns sit at the intersection of emergency response and long-term medical recovery. [21]
Why online 50/50s are booming: reach, simplicity, and shareability
A major driver behind both the Nova Scotia and B.C. examples is how easy it has become to run province-wide raffles online—legally, with licensing, and with ticket delivery handled digitally.
In a profile about the growth of Rafflebox Technologies, Simon Cusack, identified as the company’s Chief Operating Officer, said the goal was to create a secure platform so charities “have a way to fundraise online with raffles,” emphasizing reduced administrative burden. [22]
Rafflebox’s own FAQ explains the regulatory baseline: organizations generally need to be registered charities or non-profits and must apply for raffle licences through provincial regulators. [23]
That mix—easy sharing, built-in compliance workflows, and a “prize + cause” pitch—helps explain why raffles can scale from a local fundraiser to a province-wide phenomenon.
What to know before buying a 50/50 ticket
Whether you’re eyeing a weekly draw or a seasonal jackpot, a few basics can help you stay informed and avoid common pitfalls:
- Confirm the licence and organizer. Legit raffles display licensing details and identify the charitable cause or host organization. [24]
- Watch deadlines carefully. Bright Nights posted a Dec. 23 sales cutoff and a Dec. 24 draw time—timing that matters if you’re buying near the end. [25]
- Understand who can play. Bright Nights prominently states 19+ and includes responsible gambling resources. [26]
- Keep your confirmation email or ticket number. Platforms typically deliver ticket numbers electronically; that record is what you’ll use to verify winnings and orders. [27]
- Treat unexpected “you won” messages with caution. Verified raffles explain how winners are contacted and what identification is required. [28]
Responsible play: what Canadian experts recommend
Because 50/50 raffles are a form of gambling, the same “play within limits” advice applies—even when the cause is meaningful.
The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) released evidence-based Lower-Risk Gambling Guidelines to help reduce gambling-related harms. The guidelines recommend limits on spending (no more than 1% of household income per month), frequency (no more than four days per month), and game variety (avoid regularly gambling on more than two types of games). [29]
CCSA senior research and policy analyst Dr. Matthew Young, who co-chairs the scientific working group behind the guidelines, has warned that while gambling is legal, it can still pose risks that include financial and emotional harms for some people. [30]
In B.C., the provincial government’s Gambling Support BC information page similarly notes that most people gamble for entertainment, but a small percentage develop problems—and it points residents to free supports, including a 24/7 line at 1-888-795-6111. [31]
Bottom line: big wins, bigger community stakes
The Deep Brook and Surrey wins show why firefighter-driven 50/50 raffles keep landing in holiday headlines: the prizes can be enormous, the format is easy to understand, and the fundraising impact is immediate.
But the “other half” of every jackpot is what turns these stories into community news—whether that means added support for volunteer departments across Nova Scotia, [32] or year-round burn survivor programs in B.C. that span everything from summer camp to accommodations near trauma hospitals. [33]
References
1. nsfirefighters.ca, 2. brightnightsraffle.com, 3. nsfirefighters.ca, 4. nsfirefighters.ca, 5. nsfirefighters.ca, 6. amherstfirefighters.ca, 7. www.rafflebox.ca, 8. brightnightsraffle.com, 9. brightnightsraffle.com, 10. burnfund.org, 11. kelownacapnews.com, 12. langleyadvancetimes.com, 13. brightnightsraffle.com, 14. burnfund.org, 15. burnfund.org, 16. burnfund.org, 17. www.rafflebox.ca, 18. burnfund.org, 19. burnfund.org, 20. burnfund.org, 21. burnfund.org, 22. digitalnovascotia.com, 23. www.rafflebox.ca, 24. brightnightsraffle.com, 25. burnfund.org, 26. brightnightsraffle.com, 27. www.rafflebox.ca, 28. nsfirefighters.ca, 29. www.ccsa.ca, 30. www.ccsa.ca, 31. www2.gov.bc.ca, 32. amherstfirefighters.ca, 33. burnfund.org
