How to use a classroom random wheel fairly

Random selection reduces manual bias, but list quality, duplicates, weighting and what happens after a draw still affect fairness.

What to know before you start

Animation does not create randomness; the selected result should come from the browser random generator. A web wheel is not a substitute for legally regulated drawing procedures.

Recommended workflow

Confirm the class list and absences before starting.
Explain whether students can be selected more than once, then keep that rule unchanged during the activity.
Use fullscreen and visible history when the goal is to make the process easy for the whole room to follow.

How to check the result

Recheck the result against the original input and the rule you intended to apply. Animation does not create randomness; the selected result should come from the browser random generator. A web wheel is not a substitute for legally regulated drawing procedures.

Worked example and limits

Try Alice, Bob, Bob on separate lines. If each line is an entry, Bob has two positions; the chance is not equal per unique name. Remove unintended duplicates and empty lines before the real draw, agree whether winners are removed, and show participants the rule in advance. Do not redraw merely because a result is unwelcome. Browser randomness is not an independently auditable lottery or legal draw certificate.

Frequently asked questions

Is the wheel fair?

Each equal entry should receive the same selection chance when no weighting or duplication is used. Review the list before the draw.

Can I stop the same name winning twice?

Enable removal after selection so the chosen entry is taken off the wheel for subsequent spins.

Roulette Wheel

Create a random name wheel from a list, use fullscreen, remove selected entries and keep result history with browser cryptographic randomness.

Open the related tool