Raffle Picker: Draw Winning Tickets or Names
Use this raffle picker to run your draw in the browser: enter the range of ticket numbers – or paste the names with the number of tickets each person holds – and draw one winner per prize. Every ticket has the same chance, a ticket can only win once, and the list of winners stays on screen for everyone to see. Free, no sign-up, works on a phone and on the projector.
Source: W3C Recommendation, W3C Web Cryptography API – getRandomValues(). Updated: .
How it is calculated
A fair raffle draw gives every ticket exactly the same chance and never draws the same ticket twice. This raffle picker does both: for each prize it picks one of the tickets still in the draw with your browser’s secure random generator, then takes that ticket out.
How to run the draw
- Ticket numbers: enter the first and the last number you sold, for example 1 to 250. List any unsold or void tickets under “Tickets not in the draw” (“12, 40-45”).
- Or names: switch to “Names” and paste your list. Write the number of tickets after a star – “Emeka *5” – so people with more tickets have a proportionally higher chance.
- Prizes (optional): list them one per line in the order you want to draw them. Many organisers draw the smallest prize first and the main prize last.
- Press “Draw a winner” once per prize. The winner appears in large type and is added to the list.
Why the draw is fair
Before each draw the picker counts the tickets that are still in. It then asks the browser’s cryptographically secure generator (crypto.getRandomValues()) for a whole number in that range and takes the ticket at that position. Random values that would favour some positions are discarded and drawn again, so there is no rounding bias. Nothing is sent to a server; the draw happens on your device.
Chances with multiple entries
With names, the chance of winning the next prize is a person’s tickets divided by all tickets still in the draw. In the sample list – Alex 3, Blessing 1, Chris 2, Dana 1, Emeka 5, Fatima 1 – there are 13 tickets, so Emeka has 5 in 13 (about 38%) for the first prize and Dana 1 in 13 (about 8%).
- With “Each person can win only one prize” ticked, a winner’s remaining tickets are removed.
- Unticked, only the winning ticket is removed – someone with five tickets could win again with one of the other four.
Showing the result
- Full screen puts the winner on a projector or TV in large type.
- Share creates a link with the full result. Anyone who opens it sees the same winners in the same order – handy for posting the outcome in a WhatsApp group or on a club page.
- The draw is saved in your browser, so a reload or a locked phone does not lose it. The names you type are kept in your browser only; they leave it solely inside a link you share yourself, after the # sign, which browsers do not send to a server. “Undo last draw” removes the latest winner, for example if a ticket was drawn that turned out to be void.
What this tool is not
It draws winners; it does not sell or print tickets and it says nothing about prizes or their value. Whether and how you may hold a raffle is a matter for the organiser and the rules where you live.
Drawing from a short list without ticket counts? The random name picker is quicker. For a single number, use the random number generator, and for a draw with suspense, spin the wheel.
Frequently asked questions
How do I pick a raffle winner at random?
Enter the range of ticket numbers that were sold, or paste the names of everyone taking part, and press “Draw a winner”. Each press draws one ticket that has not been drawn before.
Can someone have more than one ticket?
Yes. In “Names” mode, write the number of tickets after a star, for example “Chris *2”. The chance of winning grows in proportion to the tickets.
Can the same ticket win twice?
No. A drawn ticket leaves the draw. With names you decide whether a person can win a second prize with another of their tickets.
Is the raffle picker really fair?
Yes. Every ticket still in the draw has the same chance. The numbers come from crypto.getRandomValues(), the browser’s secure generator, and the method avoids the small bias that simple rounding would cause.
What if some ticket numbers were never sold?
List them under “Tickets not in the draw”, as single numbers or ranges such as 40-45. They are left out.
Can I draw several prizes?
Yes. Either list the prizes, and the picker draws them one after another and stops when all are gone, or leave the list empty and draw as many winners as you need.
How do I prove the result to everyone?
Run the draw on a shared screen with “Full screen”, then send the “Share” link. It shows the complete list of winners exactly as drawn.
Sources and legal basis
- W3C Recommendation: W3C Web Cryptography API – getRandomValues()
- MDN Web Docs – Crypto.getRandomValues()
As of: · Editorial policy
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