Candy Guessing Jar Fundraiser: The Sealed-Count Way
A candy guessing jar fundraiser is the rare booth that runs itself: one jar, one question, and a line of people happy to hand over a dollar for a shot at it. The only unpleasant part has always been counting the candy. We took that part off your hands.
Why it works for fundraisers
A guess how many in the jar fundraiser asks almost nothing of the person walking by. There is no sign-up, no explanation, no commitment beyond writing a name and a number on a slip. That low bar is exactly why it out-earns fussier booths — people who would never stop for a raffle will absolutely stop to argue with a friend about a jar of candy.
It also runs on volunteer time you already have. One person at the table, a stack of entry slips, and a jar that does the advertising. Set the price per guess wherever your crowd is comfortable, let people buy more than one, and the whole thing keeps earning for as long as the table is open.
The sealed count is what makes a PTA guessing jar feel above board. Because we count and seal the jar before it ships, nobody on your committee knows the number — not the person running the table, not the parent who donated it. When you read the sealed envelope aloud at the reveal, every guess in the box was made on equal footing.
Candy we'd suggest
Jelly Beans - 49 Flavors
high count
Jelly beans are the classic fundraiser fill. They are small and colorful, they pack a high count relative to the bigger candies, and they make the jar look like a prize from across the room. Guesses land all over the place, which keeps the reveal genuinely suspenseful.
How to run it
- 1Order the jar and pick your candy. We fill it, count it, seal the lid, and ship the official number in a sealed envelope.
- 2Print the free contest kit — entry slips, a table sign, official rules and a tally sheet — and fill in your organization name, prize and deadline.
- 3Set the jar somewhere people already wait: the check-in table, the bake sale, the school entrance. One guess per slip, cash in the box.
- 4At the deadline, read the sealed number aloud before opening a single guess, then hand the prize to the closest guess. Ties go to the earliest entry.
Get the jar
A one-gallon glass jar of the candy you choose, filled, counted and sealed by us. The official number ships in a sealed envelope, so nobody knows it — not even you — until it is opened at the reveal.
See the Guessing JarFree printable contest kit
Entry slips, a table sign, official rules, a host tally sheet and a winner certificate — customize them with your event name and prize, then print or download the PDF. Free, no account needed.
Get the free printable kitFrequently asked questions
How much should we charge per guess?
Most groups charge a small flat amount per guess and let people buy as many as they like. Pick a price your crowd will not think twice about — the kit prints whatever you enter, or prints 'Free to play' if you leave it blank.
Who knows the number in the jar?
Only the sealed envelope. We count and seal the jar before it ships, so nobody on your team ever sees the number until you open the envelope at the reveal.
How long does it take to get the jar?
Every jar is made to order and ships in about seven business days, with shipping included in the contiguous US. Order with a little room before your event date.
More guessing jar ideas
Guess the count, drop your business card. It is the oldest trade show booth game there is, and it still works better than a bowl of branded pens — because a jar of candy stops people who had no intention of stopping.
The candy corn guessing jar is a Halloween fixture for a reason — a glass jar of orange candy is impossible to walk past without forming an opinion. Here is the version where nobody has to sit at a kitchen table counting it.