🎟️ Raffle Generator 🎩 Name Draw 🔢 Number Draw 🎡 Name Wheel 🎅 Secret Santa 🎰 Raffle

Free  ·  Instant  ·  No signup  ·  Privacy-first

Draw Names
Out of a Hat

The online version of the classic hat draw, except this one is actually fair. Paste your names, press the button, and pick a winner in seconds.

Used for 50,000+ draws and group events on SecretSantaMatch

Sarah M.
James T.
Priya K.
Marcus W.
Lucia R.
To draw names:
1
Open the free tool
2
Paste names (one per line)
3
Set winner count
4
Hit Draw
Open Tool →
The tool

What the free name draw does

The Raffle Generator is the primary draw tool on SecretSantaMatch. Here is what it handles that a real hat cannot.

🎰
Two reveal modes

Slot machine reveal where names scroll and land on the winner, or a spin wheel. Choose based on your situation: slot machine for recorded public draws, spin wheel for shared-screen fun.

👥
Multiple winners, no repeats

Set the winner count and each name is removed from the pool before the next draw. The same person cannot win twice unless you specifically enable repeats.

⚖️
Weighted entries

Give some participants more chances. Enter "Sarah x3" to give Sarah three times the probability. Useful when people have bought different numbers of raffle tickets.

💾
Save lists for next time

Save up to 5 named lists on your device. Your class roster or office draw list is there next time without retyping. Stored locally, never on a server.

🔒
Names stay on your device

Names you enter never leave your browser. The draw uses your device's own random number generator. Nothing is transmitted, stored, or logged anywhere.

📱
Works on any device

No download, no account, no installation. Open in any browser on mobile, tablet, or desktop and it works identically.

The right tool for each job

What you are actually trying to do

A name draw and a Secret Santa draw look similar but solve different problems. Picking the right tool upfront saves discovering the gap at the wrong moment.

🎁
Giveaway or raffle winner

One or a few winners from a list. No matching required, just fair random selection. Screen-record the slot machine reveal for a transparent public result.

🎟️ Use: Raffle Generator Draw names free →
🏫
Classroom cold-call or group pick

Draw a student name randomly to answer a question. The visible randomness removes any sense of targeting. No repeats until everyone has been picked.

🎟️ Use: Raffle Generator Draw names free →
🎤
Meeting or classroom spin wheel

Pick a random participant for a question or turn. A spin wheel on a shared screen is more visually engaging than drawing silently and announcing a name.

🎡 Use: Name Chooser Wheel Spin the wheel →
🎮
Game turn order or team assignment

Draw names to set who goes first, assign players to teams, or order a bracket. Paste all names and draw in sequence.

🎟️ Use: Raffle Generator Draw names free →

🎅 Drawing for Secret Santa? Use a different tool.

A simple name draw is not enough for Secret Santa. It cannot ensure everyone gets a unique recipient, prevent self-assignments, handle exclusions, or let each person see their result privately.

  • Every participant gets a unique recipient, no self-assignments
  • Block specific pairings (spouses, managers and reports)
  • Each person sees their result privately without the organiser forwarding it
  • Built-in gift questionnaire so givers know what to buy
  • No email required from participants
Set up Secret Santa Free →

Draw names right now. Nothing to install.

Open the Raffle Generator, paste your list, hit Draw. Slot machine reveal or spin wheel, multiple winners, weighted entries. Free, runs in your browser, no signup.

🎩 Open Raffle Generator →
Why it matters

Is a digital draw actually fairer than a real hat?

Yes, and for reasons worth understanding before you run a draw where people care about the result.

🎩 Physical hat draw
Paper slips vary in size and thickness. The person drawing can feel the difference and unconsciously select ones that feel distinct.
Mixing quality matters. A brief shake is not the same as full statistical randomisation.
No verifiable record of the draw. If someone disputes the result, there is nothing to review.
Impractical for large lists. Drawing 50 names one at a time takes an hour.
·No device required. Works anywhere with paper and a container.
·Tangible and ceremonial, which has real value in some settings.
💻 Online name draw
Uses crypto.getRandomValues(), the same standard used in encryption. Every name has exactly equal probability on every draw.
Screen-recordable before the draw happens. Anyone watching can see the randomness was real.
Handles 5 names or 500 names with identical reliability and in the same amount of time.
Multiple winners drawn automatically without replacement. No manual tracking needed.
·Requires a device and a browser.
All free drawing tools

Four tools, four situations

All free, no signup required from anyone.

🎟️
Raffle Generator

Draw names or numbers with a slot machine or spin wheel reveal. Multiple winners, weighted entries, saved lists. The primary draw tool.

Draw names free →
🎡
Name Chooser Wheel

A spinning wheel that decelerates and lands on a name. Best for shared-screen use in meetings, classrooms, and in-person events.

Spin the wheel →
🎅
Secret Santa Generator

Matches every person in a group with a unique recipient. Handles exclusions, private reveal links, and gift questionnaires. Not a simple draw.

Set up Secret Santa →
🔢
Random Number Draw

The number version. Enter a range or specific ticket numbers and draw a winner with the same fair random process.

Draw numbers free →
Frequently asked

Common questions

How do you draw names out of a hat online?

Open the free Raffle Generator, paste your names one per line, set how many winners you want, and click Draw. The tool uses a cryptographically secure random number generator so every name has equal probability. No email, no account, no installation. The result appears with a slot machine or spin wheel reveal.

What is the best free online name picker?

The Raffle Generator at SecretSantaMatch handles more name draw situations than most free tools: single and multiple winners without repeats, weighted entries, two reveal formats, saved lists for reuse, and no data collected from participants. Everything runs in the browser, no account required from anyone.

How do I draw Secret Santa names online?

For a genuine Secret Santa exchange, use the Secret Santa Generator rather than a simple name draw. A name draw just picks a random name. The Secret Santa Generator matches every participant with a unique recipient, prevents self-assignments, handles exclusions between specific people, sends each person their result privately, and includes a gift questionnaire. A simple draw cannot do any of this.

Can I draw multiple winners without the same person winning twice?

Yes. Set the winner count in the Raffle Generator before you draw. Each name is automatically removed from the pool before the next draw. The same person cannot win twice unless you turn on "allow repeats". Works for any number of winners up to the full size of your list.

Is an online name draw actually random?

Yes. The Raffle Generator uses crypto.getRandomValues(), the Web Cryptography API standard built into every modern browser. This is the same standard used in encryption systems. It produces statistically unpredictable results and gives every name exactly equal probability. This is more reliable than a physical hat draw, where paper variation and mixing quality both introduce genuine bias.

Are the names I enter stored anywhere?

No. Names stay on your device. The draw runs locally in your browser. Nothing is transmitted to any server, stored in any database, or logged anywhere. The saved lists feature stores data locally on your device only.

What is the difference between a name draw and a spin wheel?

Both pick a random name, but the reveal format differs. A spin wheel shows a physical-looking wheel decelerating to land on a name, which is more engaging for shared-screen use. A slot machine scrolls names rapidly before landing on the winner, which works well for recorded public draws. The Raffle Generator offers both formats. The Name Chooser Wheel is a dedicated spin wheel tool if that is the format you need.

Can I give someone more chances to win?

Yes. In the Raffle Generator, enter a name as "Sarah x3" to give Sarah three entries and three times the probability of winning. You can assign different weights to different participants to reflect different numbers of raffle tickets purchased.

Pick a name.
Right now. Free.

Paste names, draw a winner, share the result. No signup, no install, no email required from anyone.

🎩 Draw Names Free →