How to use the spin the wheel picker
- Type your options in Entries (one per line), or load a list from Preset wheels. Blank lines are ignored and the wheel redraws as you type.
- Press the round SPIN button or click the wheel. It turns for 4.5 to 6 seconds, then the winner appears in a pop-up and under the wheel.
- Tick Remove winner to take each winner off the list, so every spin draws someone new until one entry is left. Leave it unticked to keep all entries in play.
- Use Shuffle entries to mix the order, Clear entries to start over, Sound to mute the ticks and Fullscreen to show the wheel on a big screen. Results so far lists every winner of your visit.
How the winner is chosen
The winner is drawn first, then the animation is built around it. Your browser's crypto.getRandomValues() supplies a 32-bit random number, and any value above the largest exact multiple of the entry count is thrown away and drawn again. That is the standard fix for modulo bias, so every slice has exactly the same chance. The wheel then turns 5 to 7 full circles plus the angle that brings the chosen slice under the pointer, with a small random offset so it does not always stop on the middle of the slice.
Worked example with the default entries
The default wheel has six entries: Pizza, Tacos, Sushi, Burgers, Salad and Pasta. Each slice covers 60 degrees (360 divided by 6), and the line under the wheel reads "6 entries, each with a 16.7% chance." If the draw picks Sushi, the third slice, its middle sits 150 degrees clockwise from the pointer's starting line, so the wheel turns 210 degrees plus the full circles, give or take up to 21 degrees of offset. With Remove winner on, the next spin has 5 entries at 20% each, then 4 at 25%.
Limits and edge cases
- You need at least 2 entries. With none or one, the tool tells you instead of spinning.
- Repeated entries get one slice each, so typing Yes twice and No once makes Yes twice as likely. Use that to weight a pick on purpose.
- The wheel holds up to 200 entries and ignores later lines. Above about 70, labels are hidden and you read the winner from the result line.
- Long entries are shortened on the slice, but the pop-up shows the full text. Fullscreen is hidden in browsers that do not support it.
Want a plain list instead? Use the random name picker, split a group with the random team generator, or settle two options with a coin flip or the dice roller.
Spin the wheel FAQ
Is the spin the wheel picker really random?
Yes. The winner is chosen with your browser's cryptographic random generator before the wheel starts moving, and the animation is built to land on that choice. Every slice has the same chance, and a name typed on two lines gets two slices.
How do I make one name more likely to win?
Type it on more than one line. Each line is one slice, so in a list of six lines where Sam appears twice, Sam has 2 chances in 6 (33.3%) and each other name has 1 in 6 (16.7%).
How do I pick several winners without repeats?
Tick Remove winner before you spin. Each winner is deleted from the entries, so the next spin can only land on someone new. Results so far shows the draw order.
How many entries can the wheel hold?
Up to 200 entries; later lines are ignored. Above about 70 entries the slices are too thin for text, so labels are hidden and the winner shows in the result line.
Are my entries saved or sent anywhere?
No. The wheel runs in your browser tab, and your entries are not uploaded or stored. Refreshing or closing the page clears them.
Sources: MDN Web Docs, Wikipedia. For everyday decisions, not gambling or certified draws.