Wheel Spinner
Type one entry per line, press Spin the wheel and the wheel lands on a random winner. Every slice has the same chance, and you decide whether repeated names count as extra slices or are removed. It works for picking a name, a meal, a team order or any choice you would rather leave to chance.
Last updated November 4, 2026
2 to 100 entries, up to 60 characters each
Result
Press Spin the wheel to pick one entry.
Each of the 5 slices has a 1/5 (20%) chance.
Duplicates: 0 kept as extra slices, 0 removed.
How the winner was chosen: when you press the button, your browser picks one slice number from 1 to 5 with its secure random generator, every slice equally likely. Only then does the wheel turn to that slice; the animation never decides the result.
- Pizza
- Tacos
- Sushi
- Burgers
- Salad
How the winner is chosen
winner = random whole number from 1 to N
chance of one slice = 1 ÷ N
When you press the button, your browser draws one random slice number from 1 to N, where N is the number of slices on the wheel. The draw uses the secure random generator built into the browser. To keep it fair, a few raw values that would slightly favor the first slices are thrown away and drawn again, so each slice has exactly the same chance. The generator is never the ordinary Math.random function.
The winner is decided first. Only afterwards does the wheel turn so that the chosen slice stops under the pointer. The spin is there to look good and to build a little suspense: the angle it stops at is worked out from the winner, never the other way round, and nothing about how long you wait or when you click changes the result. If your device asks for reduced motion, the wheel skips the spin and shows the winner at once.
See how we calculate for the formulas, sources and review schedule behind every calculator.
Repeated entries: keep or remove
Each line you type is one slice. If the same name appears on three lines out of ten, it owns three slices and wins with a chance of 3 in 10. That is useful for weighted draws, for example giving someone who bought three raffle tickets three slices. Choose Keep duplicates for this.
If the repeats are typing mistakes or a pasted list with doubles, choose Remove duplicates. Lines are compared without regard to capital letters, so Ann and ann count as the same entry, and the first spelling is kept. The result panel always tells you how many repeated lines were kept as extra slices and how many were removed, so you can see exactly what the wheel is using.
List rules and limits
Blank lines and spaces around each entry are ignored. You can use from 2 to 100 entries, and each entry can be up to 60 characters long. On a small screen the wheel prints slice names only while there are up to 40 slices, but the full list of entries is always shown as text under the result, so nothing depends on the picture.
Tick Remove the winner from the list after each spin to take turns without repeats, such as choosing the order of presenters or handing out tasks one by one. The winner leaves the list, the wheel redraws with one slice fewer, and you can keep spinning until two entries remain.
Is it fair, and what is it not for?
For everyday choices the result is fair: it comes from a secure random source and each slice has the stated chance. It is not a certified lottery or gambling system, so do not use it where a regulator, a contract or a prize law requires an audited draw.
Nothing you type is uploaded or stored by the calculator. A shared link carries your entries and settings so a friend can open the same wheel, but never the winner, so they get their own spin. Shared entries are cut to 40 characters each.
How to use the Wheel Spinner
- Type your choices in the box, one per line, from 2 to 100 entries.
- Pick Keep duplicates or Remove duplicates, and tick Remove the winner after each spin if you want turns without repeats.
- Press Spin the wheel. The winner is shown below the wheel and announced to screen readers.
- Spin again, or use Copy, Print and Share for the list and settings.
Worked example
The list Ann, Bob, Cy, Ann has four lines. With Keep duplicates the wheel has four slices and Ann owns two of them, so Ann wins half of the spins. With Remove duplicates the second Ann is dropped, the wheel has three slices and each name has a 1 in 3 chance.
| Name | Keep duplicates | Remove duplicates |
|---|---|---|
| Ann | 2/4 (50%) | 1/3 (33.33%) |
| Bob | 1/4 (25%) | 1/3 (33.33%) |
| Cy | 1/4 (25%) | 1/3 (33.33%) |
| Slices on the wheel | 4 | 3 |
Frequently asked questions
Can the animation change who wins?
No. The winner is drawn first, and the wheel is then turned to stop on that slice, so the animation is only for show.
Why does a name I typed twice win more often?
With Keep duplicates every line is its own slice, so a name on two lines has two slices and double the chance. Switch to Remove duplicates for equal chances.
How many entries can the wheel hold?
You can enter 2 to 100 lines of up to 60 characters each. Blank lines are ignored and do not count as entries.
Is the spin really random?
The result comes from your browser’s secure random generator with a method that avoids bias, not from the ordinary Math.random function.
Is my list saved or sent anywhere?
No. The spin happens in your browser and nothing is stored. A shared link holds only the entries and options, never the winner.