How to use it
- Paste or type the names in Names, one per line. Each line is one entry.
- Set the Number of winners. Tick Leave out people who have already won to skip past winners in the next draws.
- Press Draw. The winners appear in the order they were drawn, and Copy puts them on your clipboard.
- Press Draw again for more winners. Forget past winners starts the list again.
How the draw is made
Each winner is chosen with the browser's cryptographic random generator (crypto.getRandomValues). From the names not yet drawn, a random name is taken, then another, until the number of winners is reached. No name can win twice in one draw, and every name left has the same chance at each step.
- The random numbers are unbiased: a value that would favour some names is drawn again.
- The animation before the result only scrolls the names; it does not choose the winner. Tick off animation if you prefer the result at once, or if your system asks for less motion.
- Nothing is sent to a server. The names are read in your browser and forgotten when you leave the page.
What this picker is not
- It is not an official lottery, and it cannot prove a draw to a regulator or a court. Use a recognised procedure, with witnesses, where the law requires one.
- It does not weight names. Each line counts once, so a name written twice has two chances.
Example: one winner from six names
With six names, each name has a 1 in 6 chance for the first winner. Draw one, and the next draw has five names left, so each of those has a 1 in 5 chance. With past winners left out, the names that already won are removed from the pool before the draw.
| Draw | Names in the pool | Chance for each name |
|---|---|---|
| First winner | 6 | 1 in 6 |
| Second winner | 5 | 1 in 5 |
| Third winner | 4 | 1 in 4 |
Frequently asked questions
Is the draw fair?
Yes, when the names are entered as you want them. Every name has the same chance at each step, because the random numbers are unbiased and each draw takes a name only once.
Can the same name win twice?
Not in one draw. A name won earlier can be drawn again later unless you tick the box to leave out people who have already won.
Why does the page say it is not an official lottery?
A lottery or prize draw that the law regulates must follow its own rules and may need witnesses or a notary. This page makes a fair random choice, but it cannot replace those rules.
Are the names I enter stored or sent anywhere?
No. The list is read and drawn in your browser. It is not saved and not sent to our server.
Can I copy the winners to share them?
Yes. Press Copy to put the winners on your clipboard, one per line, in the order they were drawn.
Sources
- MDN: Crypto.getRandomValues() (cryptographically strong random values)
- Wikipedia: Fisher-Yates shuffle (every permutation is equally likely)
Figures and text last checked on Tuesday, November 10, 2026.