Names Lottery
Empty bowl
Add a name and a ball drops inDisclaimer: Names Lottery is a free entertainment and organization tool for classrooms, raffles, and random selections. It does not involve real-money wagering or gambling. Users are responsible for making sure any giveaway, contest, or drawing they run with this tool follows their local laws.
What is Names Lottery for?
Names Lottery is a free random name picker and visible lottery bowl for classrooms, meetings, team events, and group draws. Add names, mix the bowl in plain view, and choose a winner or next participant through the pipe when you want a fair selection everyone can watch.
Common ways to use Names Lottery
- Classrooms and workshops. Pick a student to answer, present, or take the next turn without calling on the same people every time.
- Team raffles and task assignments. Use a visible draw to choose who takes the next task, leads a round, or gets the next slot in a team activity.
- Meetings and standups. Rotate who demos, facilitates, or takes notes so the selection feels fair and transparent for the whole group.
- Parties and game nights. Choose who goes first, who picks the next activity, or who starts the next round. Each name sits on its own ball so the group can follow the mix.
- Volunteer and group selection. Make quick, visible picks for classroom roles, volunteer rounds, or lighthearted group decisions without a hidden draw.
How Names Lottery works
- Type a name and add it. A labeled ball drops into the bowl and joins the visible draw.
- Edit or remove names in the list. The matching ball updates or leaves the bowl as needed.
- With at least two names loaded, press Draw winner. The bowl mixes, then the ball nearest the pipe drops into the winner cup.
- Keep the field and draw again, or remove a winner and continue with the remaining names.
FAQ
What is Names Lottery?
Names Lottery is a free random name picker in the browser. You add names as lottery balls, mix the bowl, and draw one winner through the pipe. The pick stays on screen so a class or group can watch.
How does Names Lottery pick a winner?
The draw starts with a random mix. When the mix ends, the ball sitting closest to the pipe entrance drops out. If a few balls are tied at the mouth, one of those is chosen at random. You do not pick the winner in advance.
Is Names Lottery random?
Yes. Names Lottery does not pick a name before you press Draw. After the mix, pickNearestToPort measures the distance from each ball to the pipe. It keeps the closest ball, plus any others almost as close (within a small margin of that nearest distance). If more than one ball sits in that cluster, it uses Math.random() to choose among them. The winner is whoever the mix left at the pipe.
Is Names Lottery free?
Yes. Names Lottery is free to use in the browser. There is no account, no paywall, and no download.
How does Names Lottery use my data?
Names Lottery keeps your name list, mute setting, theme, and your privacy-banner choice in this browser with local storage. We do not run a server that saves your list, and we do not send names to an analytics vendor. When you use Share in the header, the names in the list are written into the link, such as name=Ada. Anyone who opens that link sees those names. If you do not want names in a URL, clear the list before you share.
Can I share my Names Lottery list?
Yes. Use Share in the header. The link includes the names in your list so the other person sees the same names. We do not store that shared list on a server.
Can I use it for a classroom, team raffle, or live selection?
Yes. That is a common use for classrooms, meetings, team activities, and live group selections. You are responsible for following local rules for any event or school activity you run with it.
Is Names Lottery gambling?
No. It is an entertainment and organization tool. It does not take wagers, prizes, or payments. If you run a giveaway, you must follow your local laws.
How many names can I add?
You can load up to 20 names. Each name gets its own color so balls stay easy to tell apart in the bowl.
Does Names Lottery work on a phone?
Yes. The bowl and draw controls are built for phones and desktops. Add names, mix, and draw from either.
How do I remove a winner and draw again?
After a ball lands, you can remove that winner from the list or leave them in and press Draw again. Draw again mixes the current bowl and picks a new ball at the pipe.