The first time I held a contest, I chose the winner by literally choosing their name out of a hat. But after that I decided it was way too much work, plus I’m lazy, so I looked around the internet for something computer-y to solve my problem.
When I found Random.org I knew my problem was solved. Now I just use their Integer Generator and quick as a flash I have found the winner! It is so simple, and I’ll show you how.
- Count the number of entries you had in your contest.
- Go to www.random.org/integers/
- Do not panic. These are the only boxes you need to pay attention to:
This example shows a contest with 17 entries and 3 winners (hmmm, much like this contest…). Change the 3 to a 1 to just choose one winner.
Stand back in awe of your mighty mathematical prowess, contact the winner and get them the prize — so easy!
{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
Sounds like the evil algebra class I got a 2.8 in. I get to take algebra 2 in the fall. Oh my goodness, help! I’m having flashbacks to my algebra final! The agoneeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
(actually very cool way to make things fair)
You’re such a tech geek. (it’s part of your charm)
Ohhh, just what I needed, thanks!!
The RAND function is pretty easy in excel as well-same thing really.
Ahhh, PERFECTO! I am holding a contest on my site right now and was totally going to pick the names out of a hat too. Thank you, thank you, thank you!! :)
Thank you so much for the tip! I was about to do the hat thing. :)
I googled “random drawing” and got you, thankfully! So simple! So wonderful! Thanks for posting the link to the savior of my fingers and eyeballs. This is the 3rd Bloggy Giveaway I’ve put on, and when you have over 100 comments to draw from, it takes up paper, then I cut them into strips and fold each one…and I guess you know the rest (your bloodied fingers).
I’m grateful for this simple answer. Oh, that all life’s answers could be solved with a link and a click. :-)
Susan
Susan’s latest post: Family Secret is up for grabs!
Excellent — I’m glad it helped ;)
just because it gives u a number. what if all u have are names what will a number do? please help!
From one Erika with a K to another:) – thank you so very much for this, now I don’t have to figure out how to do it in excel. This will save me a lot of time!
Erika´s latest post: Oct 16, Adiri Nurser Bottles
Awesome! Thank you for sharing this! I was just Googgling “random drawings tools” for my online contest and found your blog. Glad I did!
Thank you! I’m holding my first contest this week and I forgot where to go to pick a random winner. Your site popped up in my google search and I’ve been here before so I knew I was going to get the answer I needed, and I did!
Thanks~Pam
Thanks for the great idea and link! I have plans to do a giveaway contest in my blog too in the future.
I have a giveaway running through this Friday and have close to 20 entries so far. Thanks for this tip! I was looking at Random.org but didn’t know what the Integer Generator was until now. So easy! And no paper cuts! :)
This is awesome. You saved me at least an hour’s work today. I don’t know if Jane is so plain if she’s spreading this sort of brilliance.
Thank you so much!! I do several drawings and can never get the formula right in Excel…this is sooo much easier!!! This will definately be on my favorites list from now on!!
Justin….I always have names, and I have them in an Excel spreadsheet, I used the random.org and whatever nmber it gave me I went to the Excel sheet and whoever was on that line in the sheet was the winner!
Boy did I get lucky! This is exactly what I needed and I found you on my first try! Thanks for the post, you just saved me a lot of time and effort!!
Roni
ok this is cool but what if i have like 2 thousand entries? should I put them all in excel and number them from 1-2k? still too much work. what if it’s 50k? arggg…
@Jay, consider a theme with numbered comments. If you’re using a recent version of wordpress you can turn this on in your settings.
Ooooh. I’m totally using this for our current blog giveaway.
@Ateyaaa Here's a website to explain how it works – http://blog.erikajurney.com/how-i-choose-winners-in-online-random-drawing-contests/
THANK YOU so much… I used a tricky excel formula for our last comp, but this one we have over 100 names and I wanted something super-easy. This is IT. Huge thanks. Bookmarked for future giveaways… yay! RC
Is there a way to use random.org without having to pay for it? $4.95 for one use seems expensive.
Random.org is free.
Thank you so much!!! It’s my first giveaway and I had no idea how this worked. I was thinking the hat trick would have been easier, but you explained it very well.
Thanks again!
Random.org was 1st on google search but I couldnt find how to have a drawing when each person has a different number of tickets in the raffle/drawing. This blog was 2nd and maybe someone here knows how. How would using random.org work with these variables?