How I choose winners in online random-drawing contests

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.

  1. Count the number of entries you had in your contest.
  2. Go to www.random.org/integers/
  3. Do not panic. These are the only boxes you need to pay attention to:
  4. randomorg.jpg

    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!


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53 responses to “How I choose winners in online random-drawing contests”

  1. Janice Avatar

    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)

  2. Janice Avatar

    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)

  3. AbsolutelyBananas Avatar

    You’re such a tech geek. (it’s part of your charm)

  4. AbsolutelyBananas Avatar

    You’re such a tech geek. (it’s part of your charm)

  5. Edna Avatar

    Ohhh, just what I needed, thanks!!

  6. Edna Avatar

    Ohhh, just what I needed, thanks!!

  7. thordora Avatar

    The RAND function is pretty easy in excel as well-same thing really.

  8. thordora Avatar

    The RAND function is pretty easy in excel as well-same thing really.

  9. Csara Avatar

    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!! :)

  10. Csara Avatar

    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!! :)

  11. Believer in Balance Avatar

    Thank you so much for the tip! I was about to do the hat thing. :)

  12. Believer in Balance Avatar

    Thank you so much for the tip! I was about to do the hat thing. :)

  13. Susan Avatar

    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!

  14. Susan Avatar

    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!

  15. Erika Jurney Avatar

    Excellent — I’m glad it helped ;)

    1. justin Avatar
      justin

      just because it gives u a number. what if all u have are names what will a number do? please help!

  16. Erika Jurney Avatar

    Excellent — I’m glad it helped ;)

  17. Erika Avatar

    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

  18. Erika Avatar

    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

  19. Julianne Avatar

    Awesome! Thank you for sharing this! I was just Googgling “random drawings tools” for my online contest and found your blog. Glad I did!

  20. Pam Avatar

    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

  21. Alice Phua Avatar

    Thanks for the great idea and link! I have plans to do a giveaway contest in my blog too in the future.

  22. Dee Wilcox Avatar

    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! :)

  23. Jovan Hackley Avatar
    Jovan Hackley

    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.

  24. Angela Avatar

    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!!

  25. Angela Avatar

    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!

  26. Roni Avatar

    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

  27. Jay Avatar
    Jay

    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…

  28. Erika Jurney Avatar

    @Jay, consider a theme with numbered comments. If you’re using a recent version of wordpress you can turn this on in your settings.

  29. Erika Jurney Avatar

    @Jay, consider a theme with numbered comments. If you’re using a recent version of wordpress you can turn this on in your settings.

  30. Lindsey Avatar

    Ooooh. I’m totally using this for our current blog giveaway.

  31. reality chick Avatar

    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

  32. Tina "The Book Lady" Avatar

    Is there a way to use random.org without having to pay for it? $4.95 for one use seems expensive.

  33. Erika Jurney Avatar

    Random.org is free.

  34. Johnlyn Avatar

    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!

  35. Johnlyn Avatar

    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!

  36. Scott Avatar
    Scott

    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?

  37. Staciorichards Avatar
    Staciorichards

    Scott…did you ever find out how? I would like to enter the number of entries per person too…

  38. Mr. Walters Avatar

    @technolit If you assign numbers to everyone (i.e., tickets from 1 to ???), then these instructions will work: http://bit.ly/aMzP7k

  39.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Erika, thanks so much for posting this. Just found it, and this site is just what I need. No more drawing out of a hat for me, either! Lol.

  40. CherylHenderson Avatar

    Thank you so much for the information. I’ve been hesitant to have a giveaway because I didn’t want to just draw names out of a hat!

    Cheryl
    hs-wahm.com

  41. rod rodriguez Avatar

    I can’t believe that’s how simple it was, I was researching for ways to pick a winner on an online contest I’m having on my site, I came across random.org somehow the concept escaped me. Good thing I tried again and found this article. Thank you very much for this, your a life saver! Cheers! BTW great blog you have here!

  42. BigDreamsRF Avatar

    Typed ‘random drawing generator’ into Google, and here I am! Thanks for the super helpful blog post! Working on my very first giveaway in my new business, and was slightly stressing about the time factor and frantically searching for a suitable hat! ;-)

  43. Georgina Avatar
    Georgina

    Awesome! Saved me hours of cutting up little bits of paper… :)

  44. Paul Avatar

    I’ve looked at random.org, but I want to find a widget that not only picks the winner but shows on my blog the winning number. Any ideas?

  45. Alisa Avatar

    I’ve done the same thing!! cutting up paper and having my daughter draw a name! although she thought it was fun (she’s only 4) it was WAAYYYY too much work haha! Thanks for this tip!

  46. stylifiq Avatar

    I don’t know how to get the widget on my blogs… urgh

  47. Monica Avatar

    Thank you for advice, it works fine. Random.org has also a special function to pick a winner called “Third-Party Draw Service” – unfortunatelly it is paid :-(. I also found another site – http://www.randompicker.com , any experience? My husband is a programmer and often helps me choose winners using MS Excel ;-)

  48. Gill Avatar

    I am going to be running a competition soon for some crafted goodies – tatting, hand dyed ribbon and probably a little French sachet. This will be most useful thanks

  49. aimee Avatar
    aimee

    the hat is soooo cool

  50. Carol Avatar

    Thanks, cool tool. I’m looking to start a giveaway and this is a great idea!

  51. catherine Avatar

    Ok, so how do I get all of the people who like my facebook page into this random integer thing. Help? :)
    Thank you!

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