Spin the wheel
Type names or choices, one per line, and spin. Remove the winner, save your wheels, or go full screen for the class or the stream.
SpacespinCtrl+Enterspin while typingFfull screen
One entry per line. Add *3 after a name to give it three times the chance.
Winners show up here, newest first.
Colors
Ready-made wheels
Start from a wheel that is already filled in, then make it yours.
How to use the wheel
- Type or paste your entries in the box on the right, one per line. The wheel updates as you type.
- Give the wheel a title at the top, such as “Who presents first?”. It shows on the result and in full screen.
- Press Spin, click the wheel, or press the Space bar. While you are typing, Ctrl + Enter (⌘ + Enter on a Mac) spins too.
- When the wheel stops, choose what happens next: Remove the winner from the list, Hide it for now, or Spin again.
Every winner is written to the Results tab with the time, so you can look back or copy the list. Under Options you can change the colors, the spin time (4 to 9 seconds) and the sound.
How the wheel picks a winner fairly
The winner is chosen before the wheel starts to move. KeenWheel asks your browser’s cryptographic random number generator (the same one used for passwords and encryption) for a number, and uses rejection sampling so that every entry has exactly the same chance. The spin you see is an animation that lands on that winner, a little off-center in its slice so it never stops on a line.
Nothing about the spin can be steered: not the speed, not where the wheel was before, and not how many times you have spun. Each spin is a fresh, independent draw.
Give some entries more chances
Add an asterisk and a number after an entry to change its odds. “Pizza *3” is three times as likely as a plain entry, and its slice is three times as wide, so the wheel always shows the real odds. Decimals work too (“Tea *1.5”), and “*0” leaves an entry off the wheel without deleting it.
Writing the same name twice has the same effect as “*2”. Use whichever is easier to read.
Ideas for the classroom
- Cold calling, kindly: put the class list on the wheel and turn on “Remove the winner after each spin”, so everyone is asked once before anyone is asked twice.
- Turn order: spin for who presents first, then keep spinning. The Results tab keeps the order for you.
- Review games: put topics, question numbers or vocabulary words on the wheel instead of names.
- Projectors and smart boards: press F or the full screen button to show just the title, the wheel and the Spin button, big.
Giveaways, streams and raffles
Paste the names of everyone who entered, one per line; the wheel takes up to 1,000 entries and stays smooth. Spin on stream in full screen, and use Share link to post the exact list you spun so people can check it.
For a fun giveaway among friends or followers this is fair and transparent. For prize draws that are regulated by law, such as lotteries or sweepstakes with official rules, you may need a certified or independently supervised method; check the rules where you live.
Save, share and keep your wheels private
Your current wheel is saved automatically and comes back the next time you open KeenWheel. My wheels keeps as many named wheels as you like, for example one per class. Everything happens in your browser. Your lists are saved on this device only, and nothing you type is sent to us or anyone else.
Share link copies a link with the entries, title and colors packed into the address after the # sign. That part of a link is never sent to a server. Opening a shared wheel does not replace your own; you can save it to My wheels or go back to yours.
Keyboard shortcuts
| Key | What it does |
|---|---|
| Space | Spin (when you are not typing) |
| Ctrl + Enter or ⌘ + Enter | Spin, even while typing in the list |
| Enter | Spin again from the winner card |
| Esc | Close the winner card, or leave full screen |
| F | Full screen on or off |
Questions and answers
Is the spin the wheel tool really random?
Yes. The winner comes from your browser’s cryptographic random number generator, with every entry given exactly the same chance (unless you add weights). The animation only shows the result; it cannot change it.
How many names can I put on the wheel?
Up to 1,000 entries. With many entries the labels get smaller and, past about 150, are hidden so the wheel stays readable and smooth; the winner card always shows the full name.
Can I remove a name after it wins?
Yes. Choose Remove on the winner card, or turn on “Remove the winner after each spin” under Options. Hide takes a name off the wheel for now and keeps it in your list; “Show all” brings hidden names back.
Does the wheel save my list?
Yes, in this browser on this device. The wheel you had open comes back next time, and you can keep more wheels under My wheels. Nothing is uploaded, so clearing your browser data removes them.
How do I share a wheel with my class or friends?
Press Share link. The link carries the entries, title and colors, and opens the same wheel for anyone. Your list travels inside the link itself, so only share it where you are happy for people to see the names.
Can I make one entry more likely than the others?
Yes: write “Name *3” to give that entry three times the chance. Its slice grows to match, so the odds you see are the odds you get.
Can I use it for a legal raffle or lottery?
It is fair and fine for classrooms, games and informal giveaways, but it is not a certified random number generator. Prize draws covered by gambling or promotion laws may need an approved or supervised method.
Can I turn the sound off?
Yes, with the speaker button above the wheel or under Options. KeenWheel remembers your choice. The ticks and the “ta-da” are made in your browser, so there is nothing to download.