Pick a number 1-40 with a wheel
This page is a random number generator 1-40: forty equal slices on a wheel, one spin and one number. Use it to pick a number between 1 and 40 for a large class, a fundraiser, a set of cards or a challenge that is too big for a die and too small for a hundred.
It is free, runs in your browser and needs no account. The wheel opens ready on 1 to 40, so press Spin and a window shows your number.
How to pick a number between 1 and 40
- Decide what the numbers mean. Tickets, students, cards or questions.
- Press Spin. You can also click the wheel or press Ctrl (⌘ on a Mac) plus Enter.
- Read the result in the window. The Results tab lists every number from your visit.
- Draw several winners by switching on No repeats. Each picked number comes off the wheel until you put them back.
Odds and fairness for 1 through 40
Each number has a one-in-forty chance, exactly 2.5%, on every spin. The number is picked by your browser’s secure random number generator before the wheel moves, and the wheel is then steered to stop on it. The spin never affects which number wins. See how WheelSpinny picks for more.
Forty slices are narrow, especially on a small phone screen. The result window names the exact number in large text, and the Results tab keeps a plain list, so nothing depends on reading a thin slice.
A draw for forty tickets
Forty is a good size for a school raffle, a club draw or a charity event. Number the tickets from 1 to 40, then spin once for each prize with No repeats on so a ticket cannot win twice. Copy on the Results tab gives the winning numbers in the order they were drawn, ready to post.
Tell people how the draw works before you start. Say that every ticket has the same chance, that the number is picked by the page and not by a person, and that a ticket drawn once is removed. That openness is what makes a small draw feel fair.
More ideas for a random number up to 40
- A large class. Number the register and call on students at random, with No repeats on so each is called once.
- Card games. Pick a card from a numbered set of forty, as in the forty-card Spanish and Italian decks.
- Teacher’s picks. Choose which of forty spelling words, questions or maths problems to try next.
- Work rotas. Number forty tasks, desks or lockers and spin to assign one.
- Exercise plans. Spin for the number of minutes or repetitions in a workout.
- Reading challenges. Pick a chapter or a page number in a longer book.
How many guesses for a number up to 40?
In a guessing game, a random guess is right one time in forty. A player who always guesses the middle of what is left can find any number from 1 to 40 in six guesses or fewer, because six halvings cover up to 64 numbers. That makes a good puzzle for children who are learning to reason about numbers, and it takes only a minute to play.
To make the game harder, extend the range to 1 to 50 or 1 to 100. To make it easier, step down to 1 to 20.
Other ways to pick from forty
For a raffle with names and a winner log, use the raffle generator. To put words on the wheel, use the random name picker, and to shuffle a long list in one click, use the list randomizer.
You can change the range on this page by editing From and To, or open the general random number generator to count in steps or leave numbers out.
Keep the draw easy to check
When several people have a stake in the result, what matters is that they can all see it. Show the page on a shared screen, say what each number stands for, and read each result aloud as it appears. The Results tab keeps the list, so if anyone asks afterwards what was drawn, the answer is there in plain text.
For a draw that matters more, such as a prize of real value, tell people the page is a casual tool and not a certified system, and follow any rules that apply where you live.
A shared screen works best
A wheel with forty slices is meant to be seen by a group. Put the page on a screen or projector, press Spin from a keyboard with Ctrl or ⌘ plus Enter, and let the group watch. The result window is large enough to read from across a room, and it is announced to screen readers for anyone who cannot see it.
Good to know
- The wheel holds the numbers 1 to 40, with both ends included.
- Your range and settings are saved in your own browser, and the Results tab lasts until you close or reload the page. Nothing is sent to a server.
- It works on phones, tablets and desktop browsers, and with a keyboard. The result is announced to screen readers.
- A device set to reduce motion skips the long spin.
- It is meant for games, classrooms and informal draws, not for regulated lotteries.