A random number between 1 and 9
Nine is the largest single digit, the number of squares on a tic-tac-toe board, and the number of players on a baseball team. This page is a random number generator 1-9: nine equal slices, one spin and one number. Use it to pick a number between 1 and 9 for a game, a puzzle or a quick decision.
It is free, runs in your browser and needs no account. The wheel opens ready on 1 to 9, so you can press Spin straight away.
How to pick a number 1-9
- Decide what the numbers mean. Squares on a grid, players in a lineup or digits in a puzzle.
- Press Spin. You can also click the wheel or press Ctrl (⌘ on a Mac) plus Enter.
- Read the number that appears in the result window.
- Draw all nine by switching on No repeats and spinning nine times. Each picked number leaves the wheel until you put them back.
The odds for a number between 1 and 9
Each number has a one-in-nine chance, about 11.1%, on every spin. The pick is made by your browser’s secure random number generator before the wheel turns, and the wheel then stops on it. The animation is there for you to watch and cannot alter the result. See how WheelSpinny picks for more.
Nine slices are still easy to read, so each number is labelled on the wheel. If you give the same page a bigger range later, the labels thin out like the marks on a dial, and the result window always names the exact number.
Tic-tac-toe, Sudoku and batting orders
Nine fits several familiar layouts, and each one gives the wheel a job. For a tic-tac-toe opening, number the squares 1 to 9 from left to right and top to bottom, then spin for the first square. The centre square, 5, wins no extra credit from the wheel, although experienced players know it is a strong opening.
A batting order is a good use of No repeats. Give each of nine players a number, spin nine times, and Copy on the Results tab gives the order they were picked in.
More ideas for one through nine
- Sudoku practice. Spin for the next digit to look for, or for which row, column or box to work on next.
- Single-digit maths. Pick a digit to multiply, add or round.
- Phone-number and PIN games. Pick digits for a made-up code in a story or a treasure hunt. Do not use a real PIN or password from a game site.
- Magic squares. A 3 by 3 magic square uses the numbers 1 to 9 once each, so a No repeats draw can fill the cells.
- Pub quiz rounds and nicknames. Number nine rounds, categories or silly names and spin to choose.
- Birthday parties. Hide nine numbered prizes and let a spin decide which one a child finds.
Why zero is not on this wheel
The digits run from 0 to 9, but this page covers 1 to 9, so a pick is never zero. That suits games where zero would mean nothing, such as a square on a board or a player in a lineup. If you need zero as well, change From to 0 beside the wheel. The wheel then holds ten numbers, and each has a one-in-ten chance.
For a random digit in a longer code, the same idea applies: spin once per digit. Treat the result as a game token only, and not as a password or a security code.
Other ways to pick from nine
For a longer range, try the 1 to 10 page. To shuffle nine names into an order in one click, use the list randomizer. To put words on the wheel instead of numbers, type them into the random name picker.
You can change the range on this page at any time, or open the general random number generator for steps and left-out numbers.
Teaching with single digits
The numbers 1 to 9 are where arithmetic begins, so a nine-slice wheel makes a good classroom prop. Spin twice and add, subtract or multiply the results for a quick mental maths round. Spin three times and ask pupils to make the largest or smallest three-digit number from the digits that came up.
It also works for place value. Spin a digit, then ask what it is worth in the tens place and in the hundreds place. Because the wheel is shown on a screen, the whole class sees the same digit at the same moment, and nobody can claim they missed it.
Keeping score on a nine-square board
For a game on a nine-square board, write the numbers in the squares before you start. A spin then points to a square without any argument about which one is meant. With No repeats on, nine spins visit every square exactly once, which is a handy way to run a treasure hunt, a memory game or a nine-station circuit in a gym class.
Good to know
- The wheel holds the numbers 1 to 9, 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.