How the reel picks a winner
The moment you press spin, the tool asks your browser's cryptographic random number generator (crypto.getRandomValues, the same machinery used to create encryption keys) to choose one name, giving every entry on the list exactly the same chance. Only then does the reel start moving: it blurs into a fast scroll, decelerates over a few seconds and settles with the chosen name framed in the window. That order matters. The result is decided by strong randomness before a single pixel moves, so the animation cannot drift, the timing of your click changes nothing, and no amount of watching the reel gives anyone an edge.
Everything happens on your device. The names are never uploaded, nobody else can see the list, and refreshing the page clears it. If your device is set to reduce motion, the reel skips the animation and jumps straight to the winner, which is exactly as fair and considerably quicker.
Worked examples
Reel or wheel?
This is the wheel spinner's showier sibling. Both tools use identical randomness and identical odds, so the choice is purely about the performance. The wheel shows every name at once, which is reassuring for a raffle because entrants can see themselves on screen before the spin. The reel hides the field and builds suspense a name at a time as it clatters past the window, which plays better on a big screen or a video call where you want a drum-roll moment. A good rule: use the wheel when fairness needs to be seen, and the reel when the reveal is the point. If you need everyone matched with someone else rather than one winner picked, the Secret Santa generator does that in one go, and for splitting a group rather than choosing from it, the random team generator is the tool you want.
Tips for a good draw
- Agree the list first: paste it in, scroll it on screen, then spin. Nobody argues with a draw they watched being set up.
- Check for duplicates: a name entered twice gets two slots on the reel and double the chance. Use that deliberately if you like, for example one line per raffle ticket bought, but never by accident.
- Multiple prizes: spin for the top prize first, then use remove winner and spin again so nobody wins twice. The button takes the winner off the list for you.
- Keep a record: for anything that matters, screenshot the result panel after each spin, or run the draw live on a call.
- Random order, not just one winner: keep removing winners until the reel is empty and you have the whole list in random order, handy for presentation running orders and penalty shoot-outs.
Frequently asked questions
Is the reel fair?
Yes. The winner is chosen by your browser's cryptographic random number generator before the reel even starts moving, and every name gets exactly the same chance. The spin, the blur and the slowdown are pure theatre, so the timing of your click makes no difference.
How many names can I add?
Up to 100, one per line. However long the list, the draw stays perfectly fair, because the winner is picked by the random number generator rather than by where the reel happens to stop.
How is this different from the wheel spinner?
Same fair randomness, different show. The wheel lays every name out in a circle and spins them all at once, while the reel scrolls the names past a window and stops on one, like a fruit machine. Use whichever builds the better suspense for your crowd.
Can the same name win twice?
Yes, if you spin again without removing it, since every spin is an independent draw. Use the remove winner and spin again button between draws to pick several different winners, for example first, second and third prizes.
Are the names uploaded anywhere?
No. The reel is built and spun entirely in your browser, the names never leave your device, and refreshing the page clears them.