McKinney Competitions launched in March 2020 from Dungannon, Northern Ireland, under Top Gear Autos NI LTD. Its first major draw—a Belfast apartment—sold almost 7,000 tickets within days. Five years later, McKinney has more than 35,000 Trustpilot reviews, over 50,000 winners, upwards of £100 million in prizes paid out, and additional offices in London and Dublin.
- Reviewed by RaffleRadar
- Last checked: 29 August 2026
- Company details verified
- Free-entry route checked
- Winner evidence checked
- Customer feedback reviewed
What Can You Win?
Property is McKinney’s speciality. It has run more than 30 property draws, with prizes ranging from Belfast apartments and a £775,000 luxury home on Malone Road to villas in Spain and apartments in Portugal. Most include a cash alternative, allowing winners to choose money instead of taking ownership of the property.
There are also cars, cash, technology, tools and lifestyle prizes, providing more affordable options for those who don’t want to enter the larger property draws.
Entering is straightforward: choose a competition, buy tickets, answer a skill-based question and receive email confirmation—including whether your answer was correct. Every competition has a capped number of entries, so the maximum odds are visible beforehand. Customers also receive 2% cashback on every order, which is a modest but welcome benefit for regular entrants.
What Are Customers Saying?
Reviews consistently praise the simple website, smooth payment process and convenient options such as Apple Pay. McKinney’s live draws are another major strength. They are treated as proper events, complete with build-up and real-time streaming, rather than winners being quietly announced in the background. This transparency gives customers greater confidence in the process.
The community atmosphere also appears regularly in reviews. Some customers describe McKinney as feeling like an extended family, and the frequency of similar comments suggests this is more than marketing.
Perhaps most convincing are the positive reviews from long-term entrants who have never won. Many still praise the prize quality, live draws and overall experience. Loyalty from non-winners is harder to manufacture than a simple five-star review.
Are There Any Concerns?
Negative reviews form a small part of the overall feedback, but a few recurring issues are worth noting.
Some entrants find the volume of marketing texts and messages excessive. Discounts and changing ticket prices can also cause confusion, particularly when the homepage and individual competition page display different figures.
Property winners don’t always choose the property, as many prefer the cash alternative. That option is clearly offered and completely legitimate, although it can make the final result feel less dramatic for those hoping to see someone receive the keys to a new home.
McKinney also operates a no-refund policy. Changing your mind or answering the skill question incorrectly will not normally result in a refund. This is common among competition platforms, but entrants should understand it before paying.
Encouragingly, McKinney usually responds to critical Trustpilot reviews within a week, showing that complaints are at least acknowledged rather than ignored.
Charity And Community
McKinney says it has donated more than £1 million to charity since launching. Several reviewers mention this as one reason they enter, as even an unsuccessful ticket may contribute to something worthwhile.
Its informal social media presence strengthens the community feel. McKinney has more than 700,000 followers across its platforms, where it shares live draws, winner updates and behind-the-scenes content rather than overly polished corporate marketing.
The Bottom Line
McKinney is one of the more credible and established competition platforms operating across the UK and Ireland. Live draws, capped entries, a visible winner history, extensive customer feedback and genuinely valuable prizes give it a level of substance that many smaller or newer operators cannot match.
Its property competitions are the standout feature. Few competitors offer the same range of houses, overseas homes and substantial cash alternatives, making McKinney appealing to anyone looking for a chance at a genuinely life-changing prize.
The usual caution still applies: treat competitions as entertainment, decide on a budget beforehand and never spend money you cannot comfortably afford to lose. The odds remain the odds, and most entrants will not win.
For those who enjoy following a competition through to a live reveal and want an occasional shot at a major prize, McKinney appears to be a well-run platform that delivers what it promises. Just enter with realistic expectations—and hope that Sunday-night phone call eventually comes.