How random is 'random' here?

Cryptographically secure. We use crypto.getRandomValues which is the browser's CSPRNG - the same one that backs TLS key generation, with rejection sampling so there's no modulo bias. For raffles, prize draws and anything that has to be auditable, it's more than enough.

Pick N: with or without replacement?

Without replacement by default - each entry can be picked at most once. Toggle 'allow duplicates' to sample with replacement (useful for stress-testing or simulating dice).

Can it split a list into teams?

Yes. Choose 'Make teams', set the number of teams, and the list is shuffled and dealt out round-robin into balanced groups whose sizes differ by at most one.

Can I give some entries a better chance?

Turn on 'Weighted' and append :weight to a line, e.g. 'Alice:5'. Heavier entries are proportionally more likely to be drawn as a winner or picked. Lines without a weight default to 1.

List Randomizer

Shuffle a list, pick N random items, or draw a single winner - cryptographically fair.

Mode

Weighted (name:weight)Trim spacesRemove duplicatesNumber results

Input list0 entries

Output

Paste a list - one entry per line - and pick a mode: shuffle the whole thing, pick N items at random (with or without replacement), split everyone into balanced teams, or single out a winner. Weight entries with name:weight for raffles. Each pick is cryptographically random and unbiased.

How to use it

Paste your list
One entry per line. Empty lines are ignored; toggle trim and de-duplicate to tidy the input.
Pick a mode
Shuffle all, pick N, make teams, or pick a winner.
Run the draw
Click Run. The output is the new order, selection, or teams - copy it or click a recent draw to bring it back.

What is it?

A list randomizer takes a sequence of strings and produces a permutation, a sample, or a single random pick. The interesting part isn't the algorithm (Fisher-Yates shuffle, k-out-of-n sampling) - it's the random source. Math.random is fine for a hobby raffle; for anything that has to be defensible, the CSPRNG behind window.crypto.getRandomValues is the right tool.

When to use it

Picking a winner from a giveaway. Shuffling a class roster for a presentation order. Sampling 10 lines from a 1000-line log for a manual QA pass. Randomising a playlist when your music app has 'shuffle' but won't reveal the order. Splitting a team into pairs.

Common mistakes

Using Math.random for a high-stakes draw - it's not unbiased enough, and on older Safari versions it had known weaknesses. Forgetting that picking from a list with duplicates and asking for 'unique' returns the unique set first; clarify whether 'unique' means by line content or by line position. And running the shuffle, then sorting the output for display, which defeats the point.

FAQ

How random is 'random' here?: Cryptographically secure. We use crypto.getRandomValues which is the browser's CSPRNG - the same one that backs TLS key generation, with rejection sampling so there's no modulo bias. For raffles, prize draws and anything that has to be auditable, it's more than enough.
Pick N: with or without replacement?: Without replacement by default - each entry can be picked at most once. Toggle 'allow duplicates' to sample with replacement (useful for stress-testing or simulating dice).
Can it split a list into teams?: Yes. Choose 'Make teams', set the number of teams, and the list is shuffled and dealt out round-robin into balanced groups whose sizes differ by at most one.
Can I give some entries a better chance?: Turn on 'Weighted' and append :weight to a line, e.g. 'Alice:5'. Heavier entries are proportionally more likely to be drawn as a winner or picked. Lines without a weight default to 1.