Texas Family Offers $1M or Mineral Rights in Viral Sweepstakes

The unconventional giveaway raises questions about ownership, risk and reward in the oil and gas industry.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A Texas family is offering 100 acres of mineral rights or a $1 million cash prize in a sweepstakes, promoting it as a rare opportunity to access an asset class traditionally held by families or institutions. The offering, which includes mineral rights in the Pearsall Shale formation, has sparked interest but also raises questions about the risks and rewards of mineral ownership.

Why it matters

Mineral rights ownership is often opaque and difficult for the public to evaluate, with fluctuating commodity prices, production decline, and other financial and legal considerations. This sweepstakes highlights the complexities of mineral rights and the tradeoffs between potential long-term royalties and a guaranteed cash payout.

The details

The sweepstakes, called WinMyMineralRights, is being promoted through the online platform Raffall. The mineral rights have been held by the same Texas family for over a century and are currently leased with a 22.5% royalty. The winner can choose between 100 acres of mineral rights or a cash prize of up to $1 million. The offering includes only the mineral rights, not the surface land or any buildings.

  • The sweepstakes is set to conclude on May 31, 2026 at 5 PM CST.
  • The winner will be selected and notified at an unspecified date.

The players

Justin Jones

The organizer of the sweepstakes, who described the effort as an alternative to selling the minerals directly to an oil company or investment firm.

Raffall

An online sweepstakes platform hosting the WinMyMineralRights offering.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“There's the old adage in Texas: never, ever sell your mineral rights. And that's what I was brought up with. The mineral rights game is a funny one here, because the oil companies and the investment groups, they hold all of the power.”

— Justin Jones (KXAN)

What’s next

The sweepstakes is set to conclude on May 31, 2026 at 5 PM CST, but the details on how the winner will be selected and notified have not been disclosed.

The takeaway

This unconventional sweepstakes highlights the complexities of mineral rights ownership, which can offer potential long-term royalties but also carry significant risks and financial considerations. The offering aims to open access to an asset class traditionally held by families or institutions, but the tradeoffs between a cash payout and mineral rights ownership will ultimately depend on the winner's priorities.