🎡 Random Picker
Random Name Picker
Spin the wheel
Names in the wheel
Live odds
| Name | Entries | Chance |
|---|
Draw history
No draws yet this session.
We have a winner
Paste in a list of names, spin the wheel, and get a fair random winner — for giveaways, raffles, classroom picks, or deciding who goes first. Draw multiple winners, run a no-repeat raffle, and see the exact odds for every name. Everything runs privately in your browser.
What is a random name picker?
A random name picker takes a list of names and selects one — or several — completely at random, the same way drawing a name out of a hat would. This tool visualises the pick as a spinning wheel, similar to popular "wheel of names" tools, but adds a few things most simple pickers skip: a raffle mode so winners are not picked twice, the option to weight names by how many times you enter them, and a live odds table so you can see exactly how fair the draw is before you spin.
Common uses
| Use case | How to set it up |
|---|---|
| Giveaway or contest winner | Paste all entries, keep raffle mode on, and draw as many winners as you have prizes. |
| Classroom name picker | Add your class list and use Quick Pick for a fast, fair way to call on a student. |
| Team or turn order | Set winners per spin to your full player count and disable raffle mode to reveal a random order. |
| Weighted raffle tickets | Enter a name once per ticket bought — duplicate weighting handles the odds automatically. |
| Tie-breaker | Add just the tied names and spin once for an instant, unbiased decision. |
How the random pick works
The winner is decided the moment you press Spin. The tool draws it with your browser's cryptographic random number generator — the same crypto.getRandomValues source browsers use for security keys — and then turns the wheel so it stops on that name. The spin is there so everyone can watch; it cannot change the result.
Every line in the list is one ticket, so a name typed three times has three times the chance of a name typed once, exactly as the live odds table shows. When you draw several winners in one spin, a person can only be picked once, and with raffle mode on, all of a winner's tickets leave the wheel so they cannot win again this round.
Running a fair giveaway
- Paste the final entry list before you start, and check that the Live odds tab shows the count you expect.
- Turn on Remove winners after each draw if each person can win only one prize.
- Set Winners per spin to the number of prizes, or spin once per prize for more suspense.
- Share your screen or record the spin, then use Copy history to post the winners with their draw times.
Frequently asked questions
Is the random name picker actually fair?
Yes. Every name has an equal chance unless you intentionally weight the odds by entering a name more than once. The wheel uses the browser's random number generator, and the live odds table shows the exact percentage chance for every name before you spin.
Can I pick more than one winner at a time?
Yes. Set the winners-per-spin option to draw 2, 3, 5 or more names in a single spin. Winners within the same draw are always unique, even if raffle mode is off.
How do I stop the same person from winning twice?
Turn on "Remove winners after each draw" (raffle mode). Every name that wins is taken out of the wheel, so future spins can only land on names that have not won yet. Use Reset wheel to bring everyone back for a new round.
What happens if I type the same name twice?
By default, repeated entries increase that name's chance of being picked — similar to putting more than one raffle ticket in a hat. If you want every unique name to have exactly the same odds instead, turn off duplicate weighting or use the Remove duplicates button.
Is my name list uploaded anywhere?
No. The wheel, the random selection, and the history all run locally in your browser using JavaScript. Nothing is sent to a server or stored outside your device.
Can I use this for a classroom or team pick?
Yes. It works well for picking a student to answer a question, assigning presentation order, drawing raffle or giveaway winners, or choosing who goes first in a game.
Is the winner decided before the wheel stops?
Yes. The winner is drawn with your browser's cryptographic random number generator the moment you press Spin, and the wheel is then turned to stop on that name. The animation is only there so everyone can watch.
Can someone with several entries win twice in raffle mode?
No. When raffle mode is on, all of a winner's entries are removed, so each person wins at most once per round even if they had several tickets. In a single spin with several winners, a person can only be picked once either way.
Will my list still be here next time?
Yes, while Remember my list on this device is ticked. The list is saved only in this browser's own storage — it is never uploaded — and Clear list or unticking the box removes it.
Can I paste names from a spreadsheet?
Yes. Copy a column and paste it into the list, and each cell becomes one name. Cells copied from a row are split into separate names too, and the Add box accepts several names separated by commas.
How do I put a whole class in a random order?
Set Winners per spin to All (random order), turn off raffle mode, and spin once. The winner window lists every name, numbered in the order drawn, and Copy winner copies that order.