How do I add names or labels to the wheel?

Type a name into the input field and click Add (or press Enter). The wheel updates immediately with the new label.

Will the wheel remove the selected name automatically?

You can choose automatic removal (auto remove after a 2 second pause) or manually remove or keep the selected name using the on-screen buttons.

Is the selection fair and deterministic?

The spinner uses deterministic angle math tied to the wheel's rotation and pointer alignment so the slice under the pointer is always the one selected. Randomness only affects how far the wheel spins visually.

Can I import or export names?

This version focuses on a lightweight, standalone experience. Import/export (CSV) can be added on request.

Wheel Spinner — Decision Maker & Random Selector

Add names or labels, spin the wheel, and remove the selected entry if you want. Designed for giveaways, classroom picks, team standups, and quick decisions.

Auto remove after 2s

Red pointer is fixed. Yellow pointer is drawn on the wheel and rotates with it.

Names on wheel

Empty — add names to start

How the Wheel Works

The spinner renders a circular wheel on a canvas and rotates it using a CSS transform. The tool calculates which slice is under the fixed top pointer using deterministic angle math so the selection is accurate and repeatable. Randomness only affects the visual spin distance; the selected slice is computed from the final rotation and the pointer alignment.

Selection formula (concept)

If the wheel is rotated clockwise by R degrees, the canvas slice angle A that ends up at the top satisfies:

A ≡ (270 − R) mod 360

The selected index is then the integer division of that angle by the slice angle (360 ÷ number of labels).

Why this is reliable

Pointer alignment is explicit: a fixed DOM pointer and a rotating canvas pointer are both visible for debugging.
Selection math uses the final CSS rotation, not an approximation, so the slice under the pointer is always the one chosen.
Removal is performed on the exact index computed from the math, so the selected label is removed from the wheel.

Wheel Spinner — Guide & Best Practices

Use this spinner to make fair, visible selections. Start with an empty wheel, add names or labels, then spin. After the wheel stops the selected label is highlighted; you can either remove it automatically (after a short pause) or choose to keep it. This tool is intentionally lightweight and runs entirely in the browser — no external libraries or network calls are required.

Practical uses

Giveaways and prize draws
Classroom student selection
Team standups or random task assignment
Decision making when you want a visible, fair random pick

Expert notes & limitations

The spinner is deterministic with respect to the final rotation and pointer alignment. Visual randomness comes from the spin animation; the final selection is computed precisely. This tool does not provide cryptographic randomness and should not be used where provable randomness is required (for legal or regulated draws). For reproducible testing, the spin parameters can be logged or extended to accept a seed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I save the wheel between sessions?

Not in this default build. If you want persistent state, I can add localStorage support so the wheel contents persist across page reloads.

Can I import a list of names?

Yes — CSV import/export can be added. Tell me the format you prefer and I’ll include it.

Does the wheel work on mobile?

Yes. The spinner uses standard HTML5 canvas and CSS transforms and is responsive to touch. Buttons and inputs are sized for mobile use.

Explore More Tools

CalcLifeHub offers a wide collection of calculators and utilities.