Wheel of Names
Wheel of names: paste up to 200 names, one per line, and spin. Give a name more chances with a weight such as Ana:3, remove each winner automatically, pick a color set, turn sound on or off, and copy a link that holds your wheel. Full screen works for classrooms.
Spin the wheel in three steps
- Type or paste your names, one per line. Add a colon and a number to give a name more weight.
- Choose a color set, turn on Remove the winner if you want to draw everyone once, and press Spin the wheel.
- Read the result under the wheel, copy a link to share the wheel, or press Full screen for a classroom.
How the wheel chooses a winner
The wheel decides first and animates second. When you press Spin, your browser draws a random number with the Web Crypto generator and uses it to pick a slice, according to the weights. The animation then spins the wheel and stops with the pointer on that slice. This means the animation cannot change the odds. The table shows how weights turn into chances for a three-name wheel.
| Name | Weight | Chance of winning |
|---|---|---|
| Ana | 3 | 60% |
| Ben | 1 | 20% |
| Cy | 1 | 20% |
Ways to use the wheel
| Use | Setup | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Pick a student to answer | Names from the class list, remove each winner | Everyone is called once |
| Choose a prize winner | Paste the entries, one wheel spin per prize | Use the link to show the list to others |
| Decide who goes first | Names with equal weights | Fair order |
| Weighted draw | Give more entries a higher weight | A name with :3 wins three times as often |
Share a wheel without an account
The Copy a link button builds an address that contains your list and your color choice after a # sign. Opening the address rebuilds the wheel in the other person’s browser. Nothing is stored on our server. If you change the names, copy a new link.
Symbols for your names
Add a star or a shape to a name, or copy a symbol into the list. Tap one to copy it.
Stars and asterisks
Shapes
Tips for a classroom
- Press Full screen and project the wheel.
- Turn on Remove the winner so that nobody is picked twice.
- Turn the sound off if the room is noisy, or on if you want a click for each slice.
Device check
We checked the wheel in Chrome on a computer and have not yet tested it on iPhone Safari or Android Chrome. Sound needs a tap on the page first in many browsers. Report problems to [email protected]. Back to OxoApp.
Frequently asked questions
Is the wheel fair?
The winner is chosen first with your browser’s secure random generator, using the weights you set. The spinning animation then lands on that winner. With equal weights, every name has the same chance.
How do weights work?
A name with :3 after it has three times the chance of a name with no weight. If Ana has 3 and Ben and Cy have 1 each, Ana wins 60% of spins and the others 20% each.
Where is my list stored?
The share link holds your names inside the web address after the # sign, so they are not sent to our server. Anyone who has the link sees the list, so do not put private names in a link you post.
How many names can the wheel take?
Up to 200. Names that are too narrow to read on the wheel are still in the draw, and the winner appears in text below the wheel.
Updated