Flatspot raffle guide: entering skate shop draws
The Flatspot raffle is one of the few ways to get Nike SB Dunks at retail in the UK. This guide covers how it works, what details you need, and why the odds at a skate shop are better than at a chain.
Flatspot is a skate shop in Brighton. It is a real skate shop that sells decks and trucks, and Nike SB and adidas Skateboarding supply it because of that. Its sneaker allocations are small, and its raffle process reflects a shop with a handful of staff rather than a retail group.
How the Flatspot raffle works
Flatspot runs raffles through its website. There is no app. When a limited SB or skate collaboration is coming, a raffle page goes up, usually announced on the shop's social accounts and email list.
The process:
- The raffle page opens with the product, sizes and close time.
- Entries stay open for a window, usually around 24 hours, sometimes longer.
- You fill in the form: name, email, phone, delivery address, size, and card details.
- A payment authorisation is placed for the full price.
- After the close, winners are picked at random and charged. Losers have the hold released.
No account is needed. You enter with your details directly. That makes it quick, and it also means the details you type are the only thing the shop has to check you with, so they need to be right.
What you need ready
- Your real name, address and phone number. The billing address on the card and the delivery address should match.
- A card with the full price available. The hold is placed at entry. A declined card means no entry.
- Your size. Nike SB sizing can differ slightly from mainline Nike. Check before you commit.
- The close time noted. Skate shop windows are shorter than the chains. Twenty-four hours passes quickly if the raffle opened while you were at work.
The payment hold
Flatspot pre-authorises the full price when you enter. It shows as pending on your statement. If you lose, the hold is released, typically within a few working days depending on your bank. If you win, it is captured as payment and the shoes are posted.
As with every pre-authorised raffle, this ties up cash for the duration. It also means that if you enter three skate shops for the same Dunk, you have three holds at once. Plan for it.
Why skate shop odds are better
A Flatspot allocation on a hyped SB Dunk might be a few dozen pairs. That sounds hopeless next to a chain with hundreds. It is not, because the entry pool is a fraction of the size. Skate shop raffles are announced quietly, they need you to find the page, and they close fast. Most people who enter the chains never enter them.
Per entrant, a skate shop raffle is often the best odds available on an SB release. That is the whole reason to bother.
Why Flatspot voids entries
Skate shops are strict about one entry per person, and they check by hand. Flatspot looks for the same name, address, phone, email or card across entries and removes duplicates. Given the tiny allocation, they take it seriously. Entries with a billing address that does not match the card, or with a forwarding address, get dropped too.
Variations on a name, a slightly altered address, a second email for the same person: all of that gets spotted, and it gets every entry from that person removed. Enter once with real details. If you are on the shop's radar as a genuine customer, buying a deck or a tee now and then, that does no harm either.
After a win
Winners get an email confirming the charge and the order. Delivery is by tracked post and usually arrives within a few working days. Flatspot occasionally runs in-store raffles or collection-only releases for the Brighton shop, and those are marked clearly on the raffle page.
For resale, SB Dunks in the right colourway hold value better than most mainline releases. Check what the pair sells for before you enter. Some are worth double retail. Some are worth retail. Skate collaborations from smaller brands often sit at retail, so know which one you are entering.
Flatspot at a glance
| Item | Flatspot |
|---|---|
| Where you enter | Flatspot website raffle page |
| Account required | No |
| Payment at entry | Pre-authorisation, charged on a win |
| Entry window | Usually around 24 hours |
| Does speed matter | No, within the window |
| Billing and delivery | Should match |
| Duplicate entries | All removed |
Common questions
How do I enter a Flatspot raffle?
Open the raffle page on the Flatspot website when it goes live, fill in your name, contact details, delivery address, size and card details, and submit. A payment hold is placed at entry. Winners are picked at random after the close and charged. No account is needed.
Does Flatspot charge you to enter a raffle?
Flatspot places a pre-authorisation for the full price at entry. It shows as pending on your bank statement. If you lose, it is released within a few working days. If you win, it is captured as the payment and your shoes are dispatched.
How long are Flatspot raffles open?
Usually around 24 hours, though some run longer. The close time is on the raffle page. Skate shop windows are shorter than the big chains, so check the page as soon as you hear about a release rather than assuming you have a few days.
Are Flatspot raffle odds better than JD or Size?
Per entrant, usually yes. Flatspot gets far fewer pairs, but far fewer people enter, because the raffle is announced quietly and closes quickly. For Nike SB releases in particular, skate shops are often the best chance most people have of paying retail.
Why was my Flatspot entry not counted?
Most often a duplicate of another entry sharing a name, address, phone, email or card, a billing address that does not match the card, or a forwarding address. Flatspot checks entries by hand and removes every entry from a person who appears more than once.
Where this fits
Flatspot works the same way as the other UK skate shops, and if you enter one, enter Slam City Skates and Route One too, because the same SB releases land at all three. The broader picture of UK raffles and why the awkward ones are worth it is in UK sneaker raffles explained. Paragn Network members get raffle reminders and a release calendar, which matters most for the short skate shop windows.