Spin the Wheel
Add names or choices, spin the wheel, and let it pick one at random. Use it to draw a winner, choose a student, or settle a decision. Remove winners as you go, and everything runs in your browser.
What the spin the wheel tool does
It turns your list into a colored wheel with one slice for each line. When you spin it, the wheel turns fast, slows down, and stops with one slice under the pointer at the top. That slice is the result.
The result is not decided by the animation. The winner is picked from a secure random number before the wheel moves, so every slice has the same chance and the spin only shows you the outcome.
Why use our wheel spinner
- ·Fair. Every entry has an equal chance, picked with your browser's secure random numbers.
- ·Winner removal. Take each winner off the wheel so nobody is picked twice.
- ·Big lists. Up to 500 entries, with shuffle and A to Z sort.
- ·Past results. See and copy every result from this visit.
- ·Free and private. No signup, and your list never leaves your device.
How to spin a wheel of names online
- 1
Add your entries
Type or paste your names or choices into the Entries box, one per line. The wheel updates as you type. You can also load a ready-made list, such as Yes or no or Numbers 1 to 10.
- 2
Spin the wheel
Click the wheel or the Spin button. You can also press Tab to reach the wheel and spin it with Enter or Space. Set how long it spins with the Spin time slider.
- 3
Read the result
The wheel slows down and stops with one entry under the pointer at the top. That entry is shown in large text under the wheel and added to the list of past results.
- 4
Spin again for the next pick
The winner stays on the wheel so everyone can see it, then leaves when you spin again, so the next spin picks someone else. To keep winners on the wheel, turn off Remove each winner before the next spin.
Is the spinning wheel fair or rigged?
It is fair. Each line in your list is one slice, and every slice is the same size and has the same chance. Your chance of winning is simply 1 divided by the number of entries:
| Entries on the wheel | Chance for each entry |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1 in 2 (50%) |
| 4 | 1 in 4 (25%) |
| 8 | 1 in 8 (12.5%) |
| 10 | 1 in 10 (10%) |
| 25 | 1 in 25 (4%) |
| 100 | 1 in 100 (1%) |
- ·Duplicates count twice. A name on two lines gets two slices and twice the chance. That is how you give one option better odds on purpose. For a draw where everyone gets one entry, run your list through remove duplicate lines first.
- ·Each spin is a new draw. Past spins have no effect on the next one. With winner removal turned off, the same entry can win twice in a row.
- ·Spin time and position do not matter. The winner is picked before the wheel moves. The spin time slider and where the wheel was resting only change the animation.
- ·For giveaways, spin in public. Share your screen or record the spin so entrants can see the full list and the result.
How to pick names without repeats
The wheel does this by default. Remove each winner before the next spin is on when the page opens, so everyone gets one turn, such as when picking the order of presentations. You can change how it works:
- ·Every time (default). The winner stays on the wheel so everyone can see the result, then leaves when you spin again.
- ·By hand. Turn off Remove each winner before the next spin. A Remove from wheel button then appears under each result, so only the winners you choose leave the wheel.
- ·Keep every winner. Turn the switch off and never click Remove from wheel. The Yes or no and Truth or dare lists turn it off for you, since removing one answer would leave only the other.
The past results list shows the full order, newest first. Copy it when you are done to keep a record. If you want the whole order in one step, the random team generator and the random word picker can draw a whole list at once.
Who uses a spinning wheel picker
- ·Teachers. Pick which student answers next, who presents first, or which topic the class reviews. Turn on winner removal so everyone gets a turn before anyone goes twice.
- ·Streamers and giveaway hosts. Paste the entrant names and spin on screen so viewers can watch the draw happen. The past results list keeps a record of each winner.
- ·Families and housemates. Share out chores, choose a movie for the night, or decide who picks the music on a road trip without an argument.
- ·Friends who can't decide. Load the What to eat list or add your own places, then let the wheel choose. It also works for party games like truth or dare.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I spin the wheel?
- Type your names or choices into the Entries box, one per line, then click the wheel or the Spin button. The wheel spins, slows down, and stops on one entry. The result is shown under the wheel.
- Is the spinning wheel really random?
- Yes. The winner is chosen with your browser's secure random number generator, crypto.getRandomValues(), before the wheel starts moving. The spin is then aimed at that entry. Every entry has the same chance, and the result does not depend on where the wheel was resting or how long it spins.
- Can I make one option more likely to win?
- Yes. Add it more than once. Each line is its own slice of the wheel, so an entry on two lines has twice the chance of an entry on one line. To give every entry an equal chance again, remove the extra lines.
- How do I remove a name after it wins?
- It happens on its own. Remove each winner before the next spin is on by default, so the last winner leaves the wheel when you spin again and the same name cannot come up twice. If you turn that switch off, a Remove from wheel button appears under each result so you can choose which winners to take off.
- Can the same name win twice?
- Not with the default settings, because each winner is taken off before the next spin. Turn off Remove each winner before the next spin if you want every entry to stay on the wheel, so any entry can win again.
- How many entries can I put on the wheel?
- Up to 500. Names are written on the slices for up to 140 entries. With more than that, the slices are too thin for text, but the wheel still works and the winner is shown under it.
- Can I make a yes or no wheel?
- Yes. Click Yes or no under the Entries box to load a wheel with those two answers. Loading it also turns off winner removal, so both answers stay on the wheel and each spin has a 50% chance of each.
- Can I change how long the wheel spins?
- Yes. Use the Spin time slider to set anywhere from 2 to 15 seconds. A longer spin builds more suspense but has no effect on who wins.
- How do I turn off the ticking sound?
- Turn off the Sound switch under the Entries box. The tick plays each time a slice passes the pointer, and it is only played after you click Spin.
- Does the wheel save my list?
- No. Everything runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded. Your list and past results are cleared when you reload or close the page, so keep a copy of long lists somewhere else.