How to use the number wheel
- Type the lowest number in From and the highest number in To.
- Press Make wheel. The wheel fills with every whole number in that range.
- Press Spin.
You can also use the quick lists for common ranges, such as 1 to 6 or 1 to 100. Want only some numbers? Edit the entry box directly. For example, type 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 on separate lines for even numbers only.
Ranges you can use
One wheel holds up to 1,000 numbers, so a range like 1 to 1,000 works, and so does 500 to 1,499. Negative numbers work too, such as -10 to 10. If you type the bigger number first, the wheel swaps them for you.
The wheel uses whole numbers only. If you need a number with one decimal place, spin twice: once for the whole number and once on a 0 to 9 wheel for the digit after the point.
Is every number equally likely?
Yes. Each number gets one slice of the same size, and the pick comes from your browser’s built-in secure random numbers. A 7 is just as likely as a 1. Past spins have no effect on the next one, so the same number can come up twice in a row. To stop repeats, remove each number after it is picked.
Ideas for a number wheel
- Pick a page number to read from a book.
- Choose a seat, table or locker number.
- Set how many star jumps or push-ups to do in a workout.
- Call numbers for a classroom game, removing each one as it comes up.
- Practise times tables: spin two numbers, then multiply them.
- Pick a random question from a numbered worksheet.
Counting in fives, tens or other steps
Need numbers that go up in steps, such as 5, 10, 15 and 20? Type them into the entry box, one per line. Or make a range with Make wheel and delete the numbers you do not want. For board games, the 1 to 6 quick list works like a big dice that everyone in the room can see.
With a big range, the labels get small
With hundreds of numbers, each slice is thin, so the labels hide to keep the wheel clean. The picked number always shows clearly in the pop-up. For a game where the room needs to read every number, use a smaller range, or press Full screen for a larger wheel.
Wheel or number generator?
A plain random number generator gives you a number with no fuss. The wheel does the same job, but everyone can watch the result arrive, which feels fair and adds some fun. It also keeps a record of every number in the Results tab. For letters instead of numbers, try the letter wheel.