Random name picker
Winners for a giveaway, the order of presentations, who goes first: a fair draw in a click.
Examples temporarily replace the input and settings. You can restore your previous work.
Paste or type above to see the result here.
Your files stay on your device
This tool runs entirely in your browser. What you paste is processed on your device and is never sent to a server, so it is safe to use with tokens, keys and unpublished text.
Example
Example: 3 giveaway winners from 150 comments, when some people commented twice
A small shop runs a giveaway: comment to enter, 3 prizes. The 150 comments are copied in, one username per line, but only 132 are different, because some people commented more than once; one of them three times. Settings: Pick winners, Number of winners 3, “The same entry can win more than once” unticked.
- Each line is one entry, so a name on three lines has three chances, and with repeats off it can even come out twice, as 1. and 2.
- For one entry per person, paste the list into Remove Duplicate Lines first: 132 lines are left, and every name has the same chance.
- Press Draw: the list is shuffled with the browser’s cryptographic random numbers and the first 3 are shown, numbered 1. to 3.
| List | Lines | Someone who commented once | Someone who commented 3 times |
|---|---|---|---|
| As pasted | 150 | 3 in 150 = 2.0% | 5.9% |
| After Remove Duplicate Lines | 132 | 3 in 132 = 2.3% | 3 in 132 = 2.3% |
Three numbered usernames, each with the same chance once the duplicates are gone. Draw on a shared screen or a recording if people need to see it was fair; for reserves, set the number to 5 and let 4 and 5 step in if a winner does not reply.
How it works
- Paste the names, one per line (or separated by commas).
- Choose how many winners, or put everyone in order.
- Press Draw. Press again for a new draw.
Frequently asked questions
- Is it really random?
- Yes. It uses the browser’s cryptographic random numbers (the kind used for passwords) and an unbiased shuffle, so every name, and every order, is exactly as likely as any other.
- Can I prove the draw was fair?
- The draw happens on your screen and is not recorded anywhere. For a public giveaway, draw live on a shared screen or a recording.
- Can the same name win twice?
- Only if you allow it, or if the name is on the list twice. By default each line comes out once at most, but a name typed on two lines is two entries and can win twice: remove the duplicates first if everyone should have one chance.
- Can I paste names separated by commas?
- Yes, when they are all on one line: “Amy, Tom, Jen, Mo” is four entries. As soon as there are several lines, each line is one entry and commas inside it stay, so “Smith, John” on its own line among others is one name.
- How do I draw reserves as well as winners?
- Draw them together: for 3 prizes and 2 reserves, set Number of winners to 5. The result is numbered, so 1 to 3 win and 4 and 5 step in, in that order. With repeats off, no line comes out twice, so nobody is both a winner and a reserve unless their name is on two lines.
- Is my list uploaded?
- No. The draw runs in your browser and the names never leave your device.