TicketRunQuick answer: Enter the first and last ticket numbers, list any unsold numbers to leave out, and press Draw a winner. Every eligible ticket has exactly the same chance. Draw again for more prizes; earlier winners aren't drawn twice. Copy or save the result to share it.
How to pick a raffle winner online
- Enter the range you printed, for example 1 to 500. If you came from the ticket generator, it's filled in already.
- Leave out tickets that weren't sold. Type numbers and ranges such as
51-75, 102, 340-350. The picker shows how many tickets are eligible and each one's chance. - Choose how many winners to draw at once, or draw them one at a time for each prize.
- Draw. Read the number out, check it against the stub and the buyer's ticket, and record it. Copy result gives a text record with the date, time and time zone.
How the draw is kept fair
The picker uses your browser's built-in cryptographically secure random number generator (crypto.getRandomValues), not the simpler Math.random, whose output isn't designed to be unpredictable.
It also avoids a subtle problem called modulo bias. A random 32-bit value has 4,294,967,296 possible results. If you just take “value mod 500”, some ticket numbers come up very slightly more often, because 4,294,967,296 isn't a multiple of 500. The picker throws away the few values at the top that would cause that imbalance and draws again (this is called rejection sampling), so every eligible ticket has exactly the same chance. Winners are chosen the moment you press the button; the rolling numbers are only an animation.
Drawing stubs or drawing numbers?
| Drawing stubs from a drum | Random number picker | |
|---|---|---|
| Visible to the audience | Yes, very | Yes, if shown on a screen |
| Depends on mixing | Yes: folded or stuck stubs can be missed | No |
| Unsold tickets | Leave their stubs out | List them as exclusions |
| Record of the draw | Write it down | Copy the result text or save the image |
Whichever you choose, announce the method before the draw, have someone who isn't selling tickets run it, and check the winning number against the stub before handing over a prize.
Check your local raffle rules. Raffle and 50/50 laws vary by state, province and country: some require a licence or limit raffles to registered charities and nonprofits, and some restrict prices, prizes or online sales. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Need tickets first? Make them with the raffle ticket generator; after downloading, the confirmation links straight here with your range filled in.
Frequently asked questions
Is this raffle number picker really random?
Yes. It uses crypto.getRandomValues, your browser's cryptographically secure random number generator, with rejection sampling so no number is favoured.
Can the same ticket win twice?
No. Each winner is removed from the pool, so later draws can't repeat a number until you press Start over.
How do I leave out unsold tickets?
Type them in Leave out as single numbers or ranges separated by commas, for example 51-75, 102. The eligible count updates straight away.
Can I prove the result later?
Copy result gives a text record with the range, exclusions, winners, date, time and time zone. For a public draw, show the picker on a screen and have a witness note the result.
More ticket types and guides
Last updated · Written by the MiniTools team. General information, not legal advice.