Number Wheel
Spin to land on a random number. Use 1 to 12 out of the box, switch to 1 to 6 or 1 to 20, or edit the slices to match your class list or ticket numbers.
Press Spin or tap the centre of the wheel.
- Calling on studentsGive every student a number and spin to choose who answers next.
- Board games without diceThe 1 to 6 wheel works as a big, visible die for the whole table.
- Raffles and ticket drawsNumber the tickets, spin, and remove each winning number for the next prize.
- Turn order and groupsSpin to decide who goes first or which group number each person joins.
Spin a number in three steps
Choose a range
Keep 1 to 12, pick the 1 to 6 or 1 to 20 preset, or type your own numbers into the slices.
Spin
Tap spin. The wheel slows down and stops on one number, with every slice equally likely.
Keep or remove it
Leave the number in for independent rolls, or remove it so the next spin can't repeat it.
A number picker everyone can watch
Number wheel or random number generator?
Both pick a number at random with equal odds. The difference is how the result is shown. A wheel is a show: everyone watches it spin and slow down, which builds suspense and makes the draw feel fair to a room full of people.
A random number generator is better for big ranges or many numbers at once. Past about 30 slices a wheel gets hard to read, so for 1 to 1000, lottery-style draws or a list of 10 numbers, use the number generator instead.
- Use the wheel for small ranges you want to show live, roughly 2 to 30 numbers.
- Use the number generator for large ranges, decimals or several numbers in one go.
- Both can avoid repeats: remove slices on the wheel, or turn on no duplicates in the generator.
Odds per slice
With equal slices, the chance of any one number is 1 divided by the number of slices. If you keep every slice on the wheel, numbers can repeat, and it takes quite a few spins before you have seen them all.
| Slices | Chance per number | Average spins to see every number |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 50% | 3 |
| 4 | 25% | 8.3 |
| 6 | 16.7% | 14.7 |
| 10 | 10% | 29.3 |
| 12 | 8.3% | 37.2 |
| 20 | 5% | 72 |
If you remove each result after it is drawn, you see every number in exactly as many spins as there are slices, in a random order.
Using a number wheel in the classroom
Many teachers assign each student a class number and spin to choose who reads, answers or presents next. It feels fairer than picking by hand, and students stop guessing who the teacher will call on.
Set the wheel to match your roster, for example 1 to 28, and remove each number once it has been called so everyone gets a turn before anyone goes twice.
- Cold calling: spin for who answers the next question.
- Presentation order: remove each number to build a random running order.
- Group numbers: spin 1 to 4 for each student to make random teams.
- Homework check: spin to decide which question gets reviewed together.
Frequently asked questions
How do I pick a random number between 1 and 12?
Just press spin. The wheel starts with numbers 1 to 12, each on an equal slice, and stops on one of them at random.
Can I change the range of numbers?
Yes. Switch to the 1 to 6 or 1 to 20 preset, or edit the slices to any numbers you like, such as 0 to 9 or 1 to 30.
How do I stop the same number coming up twice?
Remove the winning number after each spin. The next spin then chooses only from the numbers that are left.
Is every number equally likely?
Yes. All slices are the same size and the stopping point comes from your browser's cryptographic random source. With 12 slices each number has a 1 in 12 chance, about 8.3%.
Can I use it instead of a die?
Yes. The 1 to 6 preset behaves like a fair six-sided die. For other dice like a d20, use the 1 to 20 preset or the dice roller.
What is the biggest range that works on a wheel?
A wheel stays readable up to about 30 to 50 slices. For larger ranges like 1 to 1000, the random number generator is a better fit.