Spin the Wheel

How to use the Spin the Wheel

1. Type or paste your options into the box, one per line (between 2 and 200).
2. Use Shuffle or Sort A–Z to rearrange the slices if you like.
3. Click Spin, click the wheel itself, or focus the wheel and press Space or Enter.
4. Read the winner in the banner under the wheel. Turn on Remove the winner to draw names one at a time without repeats.
5. Click Copy link to share the same wheel with someone else. The options travel inside the link.

How it works

Every option gets an equal slice of the wheel. When you spin, the winner is chosen first with your browser's cryptographic random number generator (the same crypto.getRandomValues source used for passwords), using rejection sampling so no slice is even slightly favored. The animation is then calculated to stop on that slice: the wheel turns several full rotations and slows down with a smooth ease-out curve until the pointer rests inside the chosen slice. The animation is just for show; the outcome was already fair before the wheel started moving.

Because each line is one slice, you can give an option better odds by typing it more than once. For example, the list Pizza, Pizza, Tacos gives pizza a 2 in 3 chance. With 8 different options each one has a 1 in 8 (12.5%) chance on every spin, no matter what came up before. Spins don't remember previous results unless you turn on Remove the winner, which turns the wheel into a draw without replacement.

Your list is kept in this browser's local storage so it's still there next time. The Copy link button packs the options into the part of the address after the # sign (Base64URL-encoded text). Browsers never send that part of a link to a web server, so the person you share it with opens the same wheel without your list ever being uploaded. Anyone who has the link can read the options, so don't put private information in it.

Frequently asked questions

Is the wheel really random?
Yes. The winner is picked with your browser's cryptographic random generator before the animation begins, and every slice has exactly the same chance. Where the wheel stops is calculated from that pick, so the spin can't be nudged by timing or by how you click.

How do I make one option more likely?
Type it on more than one line. Each line is its own equal slice, so an option listed three times out of ten lines has a 3 in 10 chance.

Can I pick several winners without repeats?
Turn on Remove the winner from the list after each spin. The winner stays highlighted until your next spin, then the wheel is redrawn without it. For splitting a whole group at once, try the Random Team Generator.

What does the share link contain?
Only your options, encoded inside the link after the # sign. That part of a web address is not sent to servers, so the list is never uploaded. Anyone who opens the link sees the options, and the link gets longer as your list grows.

Why is there no confetti on my device?
If your device is set to reduce motion, the wheel spins briefly and the confetti is skipped. That's an accessibility setting in your operating system.