Omaze

Omaze
FormationSeptember 2012 (2012-09)
Founder
  • Ryan Cummins
  • Matthew Pohlson
HeadquartersLondon, England
Key people
  • Matthew Pohlson (CEO)
Websiteomaze.com

Omaze is a for-profit entertainment company that partners with charities in fundraising events. To enter the draw for the prizes, customers purchase an entry or subscribe, with a percentage of sales going to charity. Businessmen Matthew Pohlson and Ryan Cummins established the organisation in the US in 2012. It initially specialised in celebrity-experience draws, before switching focus to UK house draws in 2020. Omaze has raised more than $300 million for charities as of August 2026.

History

Pohlson and Cummins met at Stanford University in the late 1990s. In July of 2012, they launched Omaze, which offered the chance to win experiences through sweepstakes, while also raising money for charities.

In 2018, co-founder Ryan Cummins left the company, while Pohlson remained as CEO.

In 2020, Omaze introduced the Million Pound House Draw in the UK, offering the chance to win luxury homes while supporting charitable causes. By 2023, Omaze had fully transitioned to the house draw model and relocated its headquarters from Los Angeles to London. The company paused operations in the U.S. but continued its efforts in the UK, and as of 2025, in Germany as well.

Each account on Omaze UK is limited to £500 of entries per calendar month. In the United Kingdom, Omaze gives each monthly charity partner a guaranteed £1 million donation, alongside a separate, multi-year philanthropic grant. As of August 2026, Omaze has raised over £150 million for UK charities. In Germany, the company guarantees charities a minimum of €500k. Select homes have been raffled off in Dorfen, Flensburg Fjord, and the Mecklenburg Lake District.

Business model and house draws

Omaze's previous US model started as a privately owned, for-profit company that had two models. Sweepstake entries for a celebrity experience see 60% of the money donated to charity, 25% towards fees and Omaze's costs for advertising and creating content for the event, and 15% to Omaze as profit.

Since 2020, Omaze has operated a fundraising model that offers the chance to win prizes and luxury homes. For each draw, Omaze partners with a charity. A fixed percentage covers the cost of the draw and prize, with the remaining portion paid to the charity partner.

The inaugural draw featured a £1 million property in Cheshire and raised £250,000 for Teenage Cancer Trust. As of 2026, Omaze has awarded 50 homes with an average value of £4 million.

In May 2026, Omaze gave away a home worth more than £5,000,000 overlooking Lake Windermere. As of August 2026, Omaze has given away more than £250 million worth of prizes in the UK since launch.

Contests

Omaze offers prize draws in which entrants are encouraged to contribute financially to a charitable cause, with the amount given determining the number of sweepstake entries that the person receives.

Sweepstakes systems such as Omaze include a no-purchase-necessary clause to comply with fundraising and gaming regulations. In the United Kingdom, participants may submit a postal entry with no fee.

In January 2023, Omaze paused operations in the United States. Due to the move, on 9 December 2022, Omaze laid off 103 employees.

References

  1. 1 2 "Celebrity-backed charity platform launches in the UK — with a £1m house giveaway". Sifted. 12 May 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  2. 1 2 "What is Omaze? About Us & How We Help People In Need". Omaze. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  3. ↑ Pohlson, Matt (9 September 2020). "Purpose At Work: How Omaze Reinvented Philanthropy To Unlock Exponential Growth And Impact". Forbes. ISSN 2609-1445. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  4. ↑ "Omaze boss reveals staggering amount he has spent buying UK houses to give away monthly". Mirror UK. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
  5. ↑ "Omaze How Does it Work". Telegraph. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
  6. ↑ "Meet Omaze, the Celebrity-Endorsed Juggernaut That Has Raised Over $100 Million for Charity". Entrepreneur. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
  7. ↑ "Sounds Good is Good Good Good's weekly podcast that hosts hopeful conversations with optimists and world-changers about the headlines we can be hopeful about — and how you can make a difference". goodgoodgood. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
  8. ↑ "Omaze house winner overjoyed despite planning issue". Bbc. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  9. ↑ "We're giving more than ever before". Omaze UK. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  10. 1 2 "Your Frequently Asked Questions, Answered". Omaze UK. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  11. ↑ "Omaze UK Limited". Companies House. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  12. ↑ "House raffles – that's where the new trend comes from". Sueddeutsche. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
  13. ↑ "Omaze launches £4million West Sussex beach house prize draw backed by Eddie Redmayne". The Standard. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  14. ↑ "Omaze: How does it work and what are your chances of winning?". Telegraph UK. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  15. ↑ "Fundraising.co". First Omaze £1m house winner announced – with £250k raised for Teenage Cancer Trust. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  16. ↑ "Widow wins 'breathtaking' £4m Omaze home in Scottish Highlands". Edinburgh News. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  17. ↑ "Father who lived in council flat for 42 years wins £5m property". Telegraph UK. Retrieved 24 September 2026.
  18. ↑ Conway, Jeff (3 December 2020). "Omaze Promotes Optimism This Holiday Season With The Help Of Charlize Theron, Ben Affleck And Matt Damon". Forbes. Retrieved 30 January 2021.[dead link]
  19. ↑ Lindsay, Jessica (17 April 2021). "House raffles: Legit way to get on the property ladder or filled with loopholes?". Metro. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  20. ↑ "Wife who ignored husband 'astonished' to become multi-millionaire". Bbc. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  21. ↑ Welch, Andy (4 April 2023). "Too good to be true? What it is really like to win a £3m dream home". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  22. ↑ "Omaze, Inc. - Layoffs/Closings". usa today.