Car giveaways
Car giveaway or cash option? What the official rules say about taking the money
Several US car prizes come with a cash alternative. Here is what the official rules we reviewed say about cash options, deadlines and who makes the choice.
By Daniel Whitfield, Editor · Updated November 2, 2026
Many car giveaways and raffles list a cash alternative next to the vehicle. The headline prize may be a car, but the rules can let you take money instead. Read the cash terms in the official rules before you enter, because they differ between giveaways.
What the rules we reviewed say
The examples below come from the rules on our review pages.
- Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation. The grand prize is a choice of a 2026 Ford Bronco Big Bend (maximum retail $65,700), a 2026 Mustang Mach-E Premium (maximum retail $62,000) or $10,000 cash. Maximum retail values are not the same as the cash figure.
- Mile High Raffle. If 12,000 main tickets sell, the winner may choose a vehicle or $100,000 cash. The rules state no retail value for any vehicle, so you cannot compare the two options from the rules alone.
- RMHC San Diego Giving Back Raffle. The top prize is a house with an estimated retail value of $7,000,000, or a $5,000,000 20-year annuity, or a $4,000,000 lump sum, if at least 60,000 tickets sell.
- Dream Giveaway. The rules for the draw we reviewed describe the car and the part of the federal prize tax that the operator pays. Our data does not record a cash alternative, so do not assume one exists. Check the rules for the draw you want.
Questions to answer from the rules
Each cash option raises the same questions, so write down the answers before you enter:
- Who chooses between the car and the cash, you or the sponsor?
- How long do you have to choose, and what happens if you do not choose in time?
- Is the cash figure fixed, or does it depend on tickets sold? Some rules pay an annuity over many years.
- Is the car’s retail value stated, and does it match the value the rules put on the cash?
- Does the choice change how much tax you owe, and when?
Deadlines and claims
Claim rules set time limits. The Diamondbacks raffle rules say a prize must be claimed within 30 days of the drawing. Missing a deadline can end your right to the prize, so calendar the date as soon as you know it.
Tax on the choice
A cash prize and a car are both taxable income at their value when you receive them. The tax on a car is based on its fair market value, and that value can differ from the retail figure in the rules. A tax professional can explain how a particular choice would be taxed in your position. Our guide on lottery taxes explains the general rules.
The short version
A car prize with a cash option gives you a choice, but the rules decide what the choice is and when you must make it. You can read our Dream Giveaway review or the other sweepstakes reviews for the rules of each draw.