Random picker
Pick a winner or shuffle a list — one entry per line.
How to use the random picker
- Paste or type your entries, one per line — blank lines and stray spaces around names are ignored.
- Click Pick one to draw a single winner; it appears on the Result line instantly.
- Click Shuffle instead to reorder the whole list — the reordered version appears in its own box below, and the Result line shows a count like Shuffled 12.
- Need several winners without repeats? Shuffle once and take the top two, three or ten names — that's a fair draw of N winners.
- Every pick is independent, so clicking again can select the same entry — re-roll as often as you like.
Common uses
- Draw a giveaway or raffle winner: paste the entrants one per line and pick — or shuffle and take the top three as first, second and third prize.
- Classroom and team rituals: choose who presents first, who's on snack duty, or cold-call fairly without playing favorites.
- Split people into groups — shuffle the list, then divide it top half and bottom half (or take every other name).
- Settle small decisions — which restaurant, which movie, which task to start with — when every option is fine and you just need to commit.
- Randomize the order of survey questions, playlist tracks or tournament matchups before publishing them.
Tips & limitations
- Randomness comes from
crypto.getRandomValues()— the browser's cryptographically secure generator, the same source used for encryption keys — not the weakerMath.random(). - The draw is exactly uniform: rejection sampling removes the subtle “modulo bias” that would otherwise favor entries at the top of the list, and shuffles use the Fisher–Yates algorithm, so every ordering is equally likely.
- Want weighted odds? Paste an entry on multiple lines — three lines of Alice gives her three tickets. Duplicates are counted, not collapsed.
- Results aren't logged anywhere. If you're running a public giveaway, screenshot or screen-record the draw as your proof, because there's no history to go back to.
- Repeats across separate picks are normal — genuine randomness has streaks. Use Shuffle when you need everyone drawn exactly once.
How it's built & why it's safe
Picks and shuffles run on the Web Crypto API: crypto.getRandomValues() supplies cryptographically secure 32-bit random values, rejection sampling maps them onto your list size without bias, and the Fisher–Yates algorithm produces uniform shuffles. It's a few lines of JavaScript running locally — the list is never uploaded, nothing is stored, and no history is kept. Close the tab and the draw is gone, which is exactly what you want for lists of real names.
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Frequently asked questions
How random is it, really?
It draws from crypto.getRandomValues, the browser's cryptographically secure random source — the same one used to generate encryption keys — and corrects for modulo bias with rejection sampling. Every entry has exactly the same chance, and results aren't predictable or reproducible.
Why did the same name win twice in a row?
Each pick is independent, like rolling a fresh die, so streaks happen — that's genuine randomness, not a bug. If you want everyone selected exactly once, use Shuffle and read the names off in order.
How do I pick more than one winner?
Shuffle the list and take as many names as you need from the top. A shuffle orders every entry exactly once with all orderings equally likely, so the top N names are a fair no-repeat draw.
Can I give some entries a better chance?
Yes — paste them on multiple lines. Duplicates aren't removed, so each extra copy is an extra ticket: two lines double a name's odds, ten lines give it ten entries.
Is my list uploaded or saved?
No. Entries stay in your browser, nothing is transmitted, and no draw history is kept anywhere. For a public giveaway, capture the moment with a screenshot or screen recording, since the result exists only on your screen.
Is this fair enough for a real giveaway?
Statistically, yes — a cryptographic source with bias correction is as fair as a random draw gets. What the tool can't provide is an audit trail, so document the draw yourself and check any platform or legal rules that apply to your promotion.