How to Use WheelSpinnerLive

WheelSpinnerLive lets you choose from your own names, numbers, tasks or other options. For a first spin, replace the sample list with your entries and press Spin the Wheel. The rest of this guide explains the controls you may need when you want equal chances, several different winners, a reusable list or a wheel you can send to someone else.

These instructions describe the controls currently available on the wheel spinner. You do not need an account. Before replacing a list you want to keep, open Share and download a JSON backup.

Start with a clean entry list

In Entries, select the sample names and paste your own list, with one option on each line. Use short labels that remain readable while the wheel turns. For two people with the same first name, add an initial or another non-sensitive identifier so the result is unambiguous. Blank lines do not count as eligible entries.

Read through the list before spinning. Shuffle changes its order; Sort arranges it alphabetically. Neither is a substitute for checking eligibility or removing unwanted entries. The CSV control lets you import a supported entries file, while direct pasting is usually easier for a small list.

Choose equal chances or intentional weights

Open Advanced to inspect individual entries, colors and weights. For a normal one-person-one-chance draw, keep each eligible person once and give every entry the same weight. Equal weights produce equal probabilities when entry weights are enabled. If you deliberately want different chances, change the weights and check the displayed percentages before the draw.

For example, weights of 1, 1 and 2 give the third entry half the total weight. That is a 50% chance for that entry, with 25% for each other entry. Under More wheel customization in Settings, Use entry weights controls whether those assigned weights affect selection. When it is off, selection treats entries equally.

Repeated names are important: two entries for the same person can give that person more chances. Hiding repeated names visually is different from removing duplicate entries. For equal chances per person, clean the actual entry list rather than relying on the wheel’s appearance.

Spin and read the result

Press Spin the Wheel, tap the wheel’s center control, or use Space when you are not typing in a field. Wait for the animation to finish and read the announced winner. The Results tab records selections. A repeat result is possible when the winning entry remains eligible; the wheel does not automatically rotate through everyone.

Settings lets you adjust spin duration, sounds, confetti and winner display. Shorter spins are useful when drawing many names. Quiet activities may work better with sound and confetti disabled. Full screen can give the wheel more space where your browser supports it; browser and phone fullscreen behavior can differ.

Pick several winners without repeats

For a unique sequence, remove the selected entry after each spin. You can use the winner controls manually or enable Auto-remove winner in Settings. Automatic removal occurs after five seconds, so wait until the list count decreases before starting another draw. Selecting Keep cancels the pending automatic removal for that winner.

If a person appears on several lines, removing one selected entry does not remove all their other entries. Clean the list first when each person may win only once. Agree on the selection rules before you start, and finish drawing all winners before restoring entries.

Use Results as a working record

Open Results to review winners and selection times. Copy results when you need a quick text record, or use Download CSV to save the history. Clearing history and restoring entries are different actions: one changes the record, while the other changes who can be selected. Check both before starting a fresh round.

A results file is a convenient record, not an independently certified audit. For an event, keep your final eligible list and agreed rules alongside the results. If you record the screen, avoid exposing private information that the audience does not need.

Save locally, back up or share

Under Settings, Save entries keeps the entry list and result history in the same browser. Save settings retains customization. This does not create an account or sync your devices. Clearing browser data, changing browser profiles or using a private session can make that saved state unavailable.

In Share, Backup JSON downloads the complete wheel, including images, for later restoration. Restore JSON replaces the active wheel, so back up that wheel first. Export entries CSV saves an entries file; it is different from exporting result history.

Copy share link creates a snapshot of supported entries and settings on this website. Large uploaded images are not included. Newly created short share links expire after 30 days. Anyone with the link may be able to load its contents, so use only labels you intend to share. Editing your local wheel afterward does not update an existing snapshot.

Use a template when the starting list matters

Templates provide editable starter entries for particular activities. Their browser saves are separate from the main wheel, so return to the same template when looking for a saved list. Reset template restores its sample entries. For teaching routines, the classroom guide explains how to prepare rosters, run turns and adapt activities without treating the wheel as a substitute for teacher judgment.