Choose a random entry from a list. Use one line per option for simple selections, practice prompts, and classroom activities.
How to use
Paste the options on separate lines and generate a result. Empty lines are ignored. Check the list before selecting so every intended entry is present.
Example
Enter Tea, Coffee, and Water on separate lines to choose one drink from the three entries.
FAQ
Do duplicate lines change the odds?
Yes. Each line is an entry, so repeating an option increases its chance. Remove duplicates when every distinct choice should have equal weight.
Related tools
A practical task
Prepare the list before pressing the button. Put one eligible option on each line and remove headings that should not be selected. If a selection must exclude its previous winner, remove that entry yourself before the next draw.
Another useful question
Are blank lines real entries?
Whitespace only lines are ignored. A nonempty note or heading is still an entry, so keep commentary outside the list.
Details for interpreting the result
| Detail | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Independent samples | Independent draws do not remember previous outcomes. A repeat does not indicate a failure, and a run of one outcome does not force the opposite outcome next. Evaluate the sampling rule rather than the appearance of a short list. |
| Equal chances | Uniform sampling gives each eligible entry the same chance in a single draw. Equal chance does not mean equal counts in a short run. The definition of an entry matters when a list contains duplicates. |
| Single draw probability | With n equally likely eligible outcomes, the probability of one named outcome is 1 divided by n. A result observed once does not tell you the probabilities; those come from the defined sampling process. |
| Short and long series | Random variation is especially visible in short series. A sample can look unbalanced without contradicting the model. Choose the experiment length before reviewing outcomes so the stopping rule does not depend on an attractive result. |
| Recorded experiments | For an exercise, write down the rule, eligible outcomes, and observations separately. That lets another person distinguish what the generator was allowed to produce from what happened in a particular run. |
| Mapping a result to a choice | Assign meanings to possible outcomes before generating. Changing the mapping afterward introduces personal selection into the decision. Keep the same interpretation for a recorded trial unless the rules explicitly call for a new experiment. |
| Repeats and replacement | Sampling with replacement allows an entry to be chosen again. Selecting without replacement removes it from the remaining choices. These are different rules, so decide which a task needs before interpreting a result. |