Football Club's Grand Lottery to Fund New Clubhouse Ends Up Breaking Even

It was an ambitious plan, but in the end it yielded nothing for Excelsior '31, a football club from Rijssen. The club organized a lottery hoping to raise funds for a new clubhouse, but after taxes, accounting fees, and other costs, they expect to break even at best.

"We initially estimated around 50,000 euros, but now we expect to land around zero," said Art-Jan Dennekamp of the lottery committee. Gambling tax and an accountant's invoice ate into the proceeds.

One lucky winner did walk away with a prize: a holiday home worth 200,000 euros, located in Hellendoorn. The winner chose the vacation home over a cash prize of 150,000 euros. Had they chosen the cash, the club would have paid less tax, but Dennekamp holds no grudge. "The winner has a beautiful holiday home and they deserve it."

The four-person committee each invested between 300 and 400 hours over six months. Asked if he would do it again, Dennekamp was candid: "I don't think I'd organize it the way we did again anytime soon. And I don't think I'd get permission to do it again at home either."