Originally known as the People's Choice Community Lottery, the People First Community Lottery gives local sporting clubs, schools, charities, volunteer groups and other not-for-profit community groups around Australia the opportunity to raise funds and achieve fundraising goals. The Community Lottery has helped to raise more than $22 million for community groups since its inception in 1984.

As you may know, People's Choice recently merged with a like-minded banking organisation, Heritage Bank. One of the benefits of this merger is that we're able to make the Community Lottery bigger and better than ever before. This year will be the 42nd year of the Community Lottery!

As you may know, People's Choice recently merged with a like-minded banking organisation, Heritage Bank. Combined we are now 'People First Bank', a national mutual that presents a compelling alternative to the listed banks. This is a fresh new brand that builds on our past, reflects the deep roots and values of both organisations, and is underpinned by the feedback from our people and members who told us they wanted us to continue to put people first. Find out more here.

The key days for the 2026 People First Community Lottery are:

Ticket sales open: Thursday 2 July, 12pm (ACST)

Early bird close: Thursday 30 July, 11:59pm (ACST)

Early bird draw: Thursday 6 August, 11am (ACST)

Ticket sales close: Thursday 8 October, 11:59pm (ACDT)

Final draw: Thursday 15 October, 11am (ACDT)

There are 700,000 tickets available for sale at $2 per ticket in this year's People First Community Lottery.

Safe and contactless fundraising for our groups, 24/7. Quick and easy ticket purchasing and ticket bundles are available for bulk ticket purchases - saving time and better for the environment than paper tickets.

To purchase tickets you can use a Visa or Mastercard debit card. Please note, changes in legislation means credit cards are no longer able to be used to purchase tickets in lotteries like ours.

If you are trying to use a credit card to purchase tickets, you will not be able to. The People First Community Lottery has been coded under the ‘gambling’ merchant code (MCC). Changes to legislation have meant a ban on credit cards purchases for lotteries like ours. You can use a debit card to purchase your tickets.

If your debit card is not working, please contact your bank to enquire if they have a ban on gambling purchases for your debit card.

To purchase a ticket, click here to search for a community group using the search bar on the homepage. If you don't have a community group to support, you can purchase from our charity partner RizeUp Australia by clicking here. Simply add your tickets to the cart then follow the prompts at checkout.

If you can't find a particular group using the search bar, you can search via categories.

If you don't have a preferred community group to support, you can support our charity partner, RizeUp Australia. Click here.

Your Community Lottery ticket numbers and information are sent to the email address provided when you purchase your tickets online.

If you can’t find the email with your tickets after purchasing, please check your Junk Mail before contacting us.

Our Community Lottery team can resend your tickets to the email you supplied when you purchased them. You will need to contact us with your name and email address so we can find the tickets and resend them.

Yes! If you buy tickets before the Early Bird ticket closing date (11:59pm ACST 30 July 2026), you'll automatically go into the draw for a chance to win our Early Bird prize. Once the Early Bird prize is won, all tickets go into the main draw for a chance to win a prize.

Both Community Lottery draws are conducted on Level 13, 50 Flinders Street, Adelaide.

The Early Bird prize draw is on 6 August 2026 and the Main prize draw is on 15 October 2026.

The Community Lottery team will notify all prize winners within 4 days after each draw.

For full list of key dates, click here.

All prize winning ticket numbers will also be published on the website and The Australian 7 days after the prize draws.

Unfortunately we do not currently offer the option of using PayPal to buy tickets.

No, because your ticket purchase provides you with the potential for personal benefit (winning a prize), it isn't tax deductible. However, every ticket you purchase helps provide much needed funds to a very worthy community group.

Yes! To purchase tickets as a gift, put the name of the receiver under 'billing address'. Their name and address will then appear on the ticket.

The key days for the 2026 People First Community Lottery are:

Ticket sales open: Thursday 2 July, 12pm (ACST)

Early bird close: Thursday 30 July, 11:59pm (ACST)

Early bird draw: Thursday 6 August, 11am (ACST)

Ticket sales close: Thursday 8 October, 11:59pm (ACDT)

Final draw: Thursday 15 October, 11am (ACDT)

Step 1: Click on Register your group.

Step 2: Click on 'Not Registered' and create your account to login to the People First Community Lottery group portal.

Step 3: Under ‘My Groups’ click on ‘Register for the Community Lottery’ and complete the group registration form. There are a few things you'll need in order to complete the form so make sure you have your group's ABN and bank details handy before you begin.

Step 4: Once you’ve completed the group registration form, your application will be sent to our team for approval. You’ll receive an email from us within 2-3 business days to let you know if your registration has been approved.

Step 5: Once your group registration is approved, your fundraising page on the People First Community Lottery website will be ready to go!

Yes, please follow these steps:

Step 1: Click on Register your group.

Step 2: Login using your details from last year. If you have forgotten your login details don’t stress…simply contact us at info@communitylottery.com.au and we will reset these for you.

Step 3: Under ‘My Groups’ simply click on ‘Register’ and follow the prompts to verify all your group’s details are correct, or update them as required.

Step 4: Once you’ve completed the registration form, your application will be sent to our team for approval. You’ll receive an email from us within 2-3 business days to let you know if your registration has been approved.

Step 5: Once your group registration is approved, your fundraising page on the People First Community Lottery website will be ready to go!

Yes! You can register your group at any time, even once ticket sales open. The sooner you register, the longer you have to sell tickets.

Visit the People First Community Lottery portal sign in and select the ‘Forgot your password?’ hyperlink at the bottom left.

This hyperlink will then ask you to provide the nominated email address for your lottery account and then will send a new password to that email address. Once logged in again, you will then be asked to create a new password.

If you are still having issues logging in, please contact us.

To allow us to process this request, we ask that you provide us some additional information as outlined below:
1. Register the new primary contact’s email and password at this link.

2. Click on 'Register Group' and enter in your groups details.

3. They will be asked to provide proof of ownership transfer by uploading a document on your organisation’s letterhead and signed by a member of the group who has authority to approve.

4. In the system, we’ll update your group’s details and the new primary contact can login and complete the group’s registration.

Funds raised by your group will be deposited within 90 days of the final draw.

There are 41 prizes on offer for the People First Community Lottery, worth more than $300,000.

Our Early Bird prize is a Toyota Corolla Hybrid Ascent Sport Hatch (RRP $35,939). First prize in the main draw is a Toyota Kluger Hybrid GX AWD Wagon (RRP $67,451). Second prize is a Toyota Yaris Hybrid Ascent Sport Hatch (RRP $32,691). Third prize is a Northern Lights and Rhine River Delights Cruise Package (RRP $31,980).

Visit our prize list to check out our full list of prizes.

You can view the full terms of the Northern Lights and Rhine River Delights Cruise Package here.