How to Use Elimination Wheel Mode for Last One Standing Tournaments

Normal mode keeps every entry on the wheel for every spin, so the same one can win twice. Elimination mode removes each winner as soon as it is picked, so the wheel gets smaller with every spin until one entry is left. It turns a random picker into a tournament, a sorting tool or a way to give everyone a turn. This guide explains how it works and when to use it.

How to switch it on

In the entries panel, turn on "Remove winner after each spin". The winner is removed when the result appears. If you prefer to decide yourself, leave it off and use the "Remove winner" button in the result dialog instead. Either way, the removed entry can be restored with Undo in the entries toolbar.

How the odds change

With ten entries, each has a 10 percent chance on the first spin. After the first winner leaves, the remaining nine each have 11.1 percent. After eight winners are removed, the last two have 50 percent each. The final entry wins by default. Each spin is still fair among the entries that remain, but the order in which entries leave is a random ranking.

Use it for last one standing

A "last one standing" game works in reverse: the entry that is removed is the one that is out. Turn on elimination, spin repeatedly and the final entry is the winner. It suits party games, classroom reviews and stream segments where viewers wait to see who survives.

Use it for giving everyone a turn

For a speaking order, a presentation schedule or a list of volunteers, spin with elimination on. Every name leaves exactly once, and the order is your schedule. The random student picker and the standup order randomizer work well this way.

Use it for several prizes

At a giveaway with several prizes, elimination guarantees nobody wins two. Spin once per prize, from the biggest to the smallest, or the other way around for suspense. The prize wheel is set up for this.

Use it to build a ranking

If you want to rank options, such as films to watch or places to eat, spin until the wheel is empty. The order in which they leave is a random ranking. It is useful for scheduling a week of dinners or movie nights with no repeats. See the what's for dinner wheel for an example.

Tips and pitfalls

• Tell the group the rules before you start, so nobody feels surprised that a winner cannot win again.
• Do not add entries in the middle of a draw, because it changes the odds for those already in.
• If you need several winners at once, use the multiple winners option in Settings instead of repeating spins.
• Use weights to give some entries more chances, and note that the weights apply to those still on the wheel.
• For a draw that others must trust, consider a verified draw.

When not to use it

If you want a result where repeats are possible, such as a dice roll or a coin flip, keep elimination off. The mode is for situations where each entry should appear once.