Random Line Picker

About this tool

Choosing a random item from a list should not require writing a script or opening a spreadsheet. Random Line Picker lets you paste any list of items — one per line — and draws one or more random lines from it. Set How many picks, click Pick random lines, and the chosen lines appear in the Result box. Picks are made without replacement, so the same line never appears twice in one draw, and the count is capped at the number of lines you entered. Leading and trailing spaces are trimmed and blank lines are ignored. Selection uses the browser's Math.random(), which is fine for games, classroom picks and casual giveaways but is not a cryptographic random source. Practical uses range from selecting a random winner from a list of entries, to picking a random task from a backlog, to drawing a random word for a word game, to choosing a random test case from a suite. Everything runs in your browser.

Why use it

• Equal-Chance Selection: Every non-blank line has the same chance of being picked.

• Pick Multiple Lines at Once: Draw 1 to N lines in a single operation rather than clicking repeatedly for each pick.

• No Repeats in a Draw: Picks are made without replacement, so one entry can never be drawn twice in the same draw.

• No List Size Limit: Works on lists from 2 items to thousands — all processed instantly in the browser.

• Instant Re-Pick: Click Pick random lines again for a completely fresh random selection without re-pasting your list.

How to use

1. Paste your list of items into the input area, one item per line.
2. Set How many picks you want; it is capped at the number of lines.
3. Click Pick random lines to draw that many lines, with no line repeated.
4. Click Pick random lines again to get a new random selection from the same input.
5. Select the lines in the Result box to copy them.

When it helps

• When selecting a random winner from a list of competition entrants or raffle participants.
• When picking a random task from a prioritized backlog to work on next.
• When choosing a random team member for a rotating responsibility like running a meeting.
• When drawing a random word from a vocabulary list for a language-learning exercise.
• When selecting a random sample from a large dataset for manual review.
• When running a randomized A/B test by picking random entries to assign to each group.

Examples

Tips

• To run a raffle, paste all entrant names one per line, set the count to 1, and click Pick random lines. Screenshot the result for transparency.
• When drawing several winners, set the count to the number of prizes — picks never repeat within a draw, so no line wins twice.
• For a random team rotation, paste team member names and set count to the number of people you need on each rotation.
• Add duplicate entries for weighted probability: if 'Option A' should be 2x as likely as 'Option B', list Option A twice.
• Use Pick multiple times to simulate a sequence of random events and copy each result before picking again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Glossary

Sampling without replacement

A selection method where each item can only be chosen once per draw. Once selected, it is removed from the pool for subsequent picks.

Sampling with replacement

A selection method where each item is returned to the pool after being chosen, allowing it to be selected again in the same draw.

PRNG (Pseudo-Random Number Generator)

An algorithm that produces a sequence of numbers approximating random distribution. Seeded from environmental entropy but deterministic given the same seed.

Random permutation

A reordering of all elements in a list where each possible ordering is equally likely. Generated by a Fisher-Yates shuffle algorithm.

Weighted probability

A selection scheme where some items have a higher likelihood of being chosen than others, proportional to their weight or frequency in the pool.

Fisher-Yates shuffle

An unbiased algorithm for randomly shuffling a list in O(n) time. This tool reaches the same unbiased result by repeatedly removing a random line from the pool.