A duck race is a random name picker with a show attached. Every name becomes a duck in its own lane on the pond. After a three-second countdown they paddle toward the finish line, swap the lead a few times, and the first duck across wins. You also get second and third place on a podium and the full finishing order, which makes it handy when you need more than one winner.
It works well on a projector or a shared screen: in class to choose who presents first, in a meeting to set the speaking order, or on a stream to draw giveaway winners. Up to 60 ducks fit on the pond. With a long list the lanes get thinner, so for big groups it helps to run a few heats.
How to run a duck race
- Type or paste the names, one per line. Each line is one duck.
- Pick a race length: a short race takes about 10 seconds, a long one about 35.
- Press Start race. After the countdown, the camera follows whichever duck is in front.
- When every duck has crossed the line you get the podium and the complete order. Copy it or race again.
Is the duck race fair?
Yes. When you press Start, the page shuffles the ducks with your browser's crypto.getRandomValues, which gives every possible finishing order the same chance. That shuffle is the result. Each duck then gets its own speed curve with random bursts and slow patches, tuned so it crosses the line at its assigned moment.
So the lead changes you see are real animation, but they do not change the outcome, and nothing you do during the race, such as resizing the window, can tip it. Your list stays in your browser and is never uploaded.
Ideas for duck races
- Pick the order of presentations or turns in a game.
- Draw raffle and giveaway winners on a live stream, with second and third place as runner-up prizes.
- Choose who does a chore this week. Tick Remove winner to take the winner out for the next race.
- Hold a tournament: run heats of 8 to 10 ducks, then race the heat winners in a final.
Frequently asked questions
How many ducks can race at once?
Up to 60. Every duck gets its own lane, so with very long lists the ducks and name tags get smaller. For a big class or audience, a few heats of 10 to 15 ducks are easier to watch.
Can I see more than one winner?
Yes. After the race the first three places appear on a podium and the full finishing order is listed below it, so you can use second and third place as runner-up prizes or as the next people in line.
Does the race make sound?
Yes, a short countdown, a starting whistle, the occasional quack and a fanfare for the winner. The sounds are generated in the browser and you can switch them off under the race settings.
Can a duck win twice in a row?
It can, because every race is a fresh draw. If you want each person to win only once, tick Remove winner and the winning name is taken off the list after each race.