Wheel Spinner
Free random name picker wheel. Add your own names, hit spin, and watch the wheel land on a winner with realistic physics. Perfect for classrooms, raffles, team assignments, or any random decision.
Names (8)
Add multiple
🎡 What This Tool Does
A free online wheel spinner and random name picker. Add any list of names (or options), spin the wheel with realistic physics, and get a fair random winner. Perfect for classrooms, raffles, team picks, game night, dinner choices, and any decision where you need to pick one option from a list.
The wheel uses true randomization — JavaScript's strong random number generator picks the winner first, then the visual animation is calculated to land on that winner. Every name has an exact 1-in-N chance regardless of segment size on screen.
⚡ How to Use
- Add names — type them one by one and press Enter, or paste a list into the "Add multiple" textarea and click "Add all"
- Load a preset (optional) — pre-built lists for common scenarios like "Pick a student" or "What's for dinner?"
- Click SPIN — watch the wheel accelerate, slow down, and land on a winner
- See the result — a popup shows the winner with a triumphant chord sound
- Optional: enable "Remove winner after pick" to draw multiple unique winners in sequence
🎯 Use Cases
👩🏫 Classrooms
Pick a random student to answer a question, read aloud, or go first. The visual wheel keeps students engaged and makes selection fair.
🎁 Raffles & giveaways
Draw a winner in front of an audience. The dramatic spin and sound build suspense — much more fun than a name out of a hat.
⚽ Sports & games
Pick captains, assign positions, choose who goes first. Use "Remove winner" to split a group into teams without repeats.
🍕 Decisions
Can't decide what to eat, watch, or do? Put the options on the wheel and let chance decide. Use the preset lists or make your own.
✨ Features
- Realistic physics — wheel accelerates fast, slows gradually with ease-out cubic, lands precisely on the pre-selected winner
- Live sound effects — ticking click that slows with the wheel, triumphant chord on stop (Web Audio API, no files)
- Mute toggle — click the sound icon to silence effects
- Any number of names — add 2 to 40+ names, wheel adjusts automatically
- Bulk paste — paste a whole list at once
- Remove winner option — for drawing sequences without duplicates
- Recent winners — see the last 20 spins
- 5 preset lists — for common scenarios
- Mobile-friendly — works on any device
- Fully private — no names ever leave your browser
- No sign-up — instant use, no ads
🔒 Privacy
- ✓ All randomization and animation runs in your browser
- ✓ Your list of names is never sent or stored anywhere
- ✓ Works offline after the page first loads
❓ FAQ
Is the wheel spin actually random?
Yes. Before the wheel starts spinning, the tool picks a winner using JavaScript's strong random number generator. The wheel animation is then calculated to end on that pre-selected segment — so the visual spin is deterministic but the winner is genuinely random. This is how all professional wheel spinners work and guarantees a truly fair 1-in-N chance for each name.
How many names can I add to the wheel?
Technically there is no hard limit, but the wheel becomes hard to read above 30-40 names. For large pools, consider grouping into batches (spin for team A first, then team B). 2-20 names is the sweet spot for a visible, usable wheel.
Can I remove a name after it wins?
Yes. Enable the "Remove winner after pick" toggle. After each spin, the winning name is automatically removed from the wheel so you can draw a sequence of unique winners without duplicates — perfect for raffles and team-building.
How do I add a lot of names at once?
Paste them into the "Add multiple" textarea, one name per line, then click "Add all". This is faster than typing names one at a time. You can paste from a spreadsheet column, a text file, or any list.
Is my name list saved anywhere?
No. The list lives only in your current browser tab — nothing is sent to any server, stored in cookies, or logged. Close the tab and the list is gone. If you want to save it, use the "Copy list" button to copy the names to clipboard before closing.
Can I use this for a classroom?
Yes — it is one of the main use cases. Paste your class roster, spin to pick a student for reading, answering, or group assignments. The big visual wheel builds anticipation and keeps students engaged. Pair with the "Remove winner" option to cycle through all students evenly across a week.
Can I use this for a raffle or giveaway?
Yes, the randomness is cryptographically strong (uses JavaScript's Math.random which is sufficient for non-security random selection). For high-stakes official raffles, check with relevant authorities first — some jurisdictions require specific randomization procedures.
Does the wheel work on mobile?
Yes. The wheel is responsive and works on phones, tablets, and desktops. Touch-tap the Spin button to spin. The wheel is large enough to read on small screens.