Give some entries a better chance than others. Set a weight on each slice and the wheel picks with exactly those odds.
A normal wheel gives every entry the same chance. A weighted wheel lets you change that. Each entry gets a number, and the bigger the number, the more often it wins. This sample is set up like a small prize wheel: the grand prize is rare, stickers and try-again slices come up a lot, and the rest sit in between. Edit the weights and the odds change on the next spin.
Weights are useful whenever a plain equal split is not what you want. A raffle where some people bought more tickets is one example. A prize wheel that should not give away the big prize every few spins is another. You could get the same effect by typing an entry several times, but weights are quicker to adjust and let you use fractions like 0.5.
How weights turn into chances
The chance of an entry is its weight divided by the total of all weights. In the sample the weights add up to 11.5. Sticker has weight 3, so it wins 3 out of 11.5 spins, about 26%. Grand prize has weight 0.5, so it wins about 4% of the time.
Another way to think about it: weight 3 is three times as likely as weight 1, and weight 0.5 is half as likely. Entries with no weight set count as 1.
Setting weights in the Advanced editor
Open the Advanced view to see one row per entry. Each row has a weight field next to the label.
- Type a weight on any row. Decimals are fine.
- Turn on "slice size follows weight" to draw bigger slices for heavier entries.
- Leave it off to keep equal-looking slices that still use your odds.
- Hide an entry to take it out of the draw without deleting it.
Good uses for a weighted spinner
Raffles with multiple tickets: give each person a weight equal to their ticket count. Prize wheels: make top prizes rare and small rewards common, and tell players the odds up front. Practice drills: weight the topics or moves you are weakest at so they come up more, then lower the weight as you improve.
Frequently asked questions
What does a weight of 3 mean?
An entry with weight 3 is three times as likely to win as an entry with weight 1. Its exact chance is its weight divided by the sum of all weights on the wheel, so the numbers only matter relative to each other.
Does a bigger slice mean a bigger chance?
The weight sets the chance. The "slice size follows weight" option only changes how the wheel looks, so the slice area matches the odds. With it off, slices look equal but the pick still follows your weights.
Is the result still random with weights?
Yes. The winner is drawn with your browser's crypto random generator using your weights, and it is decided before the animation starts. Over many spins each entry wins close to its expected share.
Can I keep a weighted wheel for later?
Yes. Save the wheel in this browser and it reopens with the same entries and settings. If you have a free account, saved wheels can sync to your other devices. Nothing is needed to spin it, though, since there is no sign-up.