How does a meat raffle work? What is a meat raffle?

Meat raffles have become quite the thing in Western New York and people are packing in the VFW's, churches and schools to have a blast. How does a meat raffle work? What is a meat raffle?  If you've never been, you typically pay 5 to 10 bucks, it's then open bar (sometimes you get pizza, too) and then you buy $1 raffle tickets and that one ticket will get you through about 3-5 spins on the wheel,