How the Draw Lots Generator Works
This tool replaces the folded paper slips you would normally prepare by hand. Enter the number of participants and how many winning lots there are, and the generator builds the full set of lots, scatters the winners at random, and shows the chance of winning. Paste a name list and the table shows names instead of numbers, so you can reveal the result straight from the screen.
When a name list is present, the participant count box is ignored and the list length is used instead. Line breaks and commas both work as separators, and empty lines are dropped. Identical names are treated as different people rather than merged, so your headcount never shrinks quietly. Up to 200 names are used and the summary says so when the list was trimmed.
How winners are placed
The lot numbers are shuffled with the Fisher-Yates algorithm and the first slice of that shuffle becomes the winners. A lot can never be picked twice, and every lot has exactly the same chance. The chance shown is the number of winning lots divided by the total, rounded to one decimal place. If you ask for more winners than there are participants, the draw stops and shows a message instead.
When to use it
- Deciding who pays the bill or takes a forfeit
- Handing out a limited number of prizes or seats
- Setting a presentation or chore order fairly
Frequently Asked Questions
It is treated as two different people and gets two lots. Names are never merged automatically, so the headcount you pasted stays intact.
The draw does not run and a message appears instead, because winning lots can never exceed the total number of lots.
Winning lots divided by total lots, shown as a percentage rounded to one decimal place. Weighted draws that give some people better odds are not supported.