The three-option problem
A coin settles two options and dice handle six, but three-way choices sit awkwardly between. Three friends deciding who rides shotgun, three restaurants that all sound fine, three chores nobody wants — the classic tools do not map cleanly onto any of it.
The usual workarounds are clumsy. Flipping a coin twice wastes a quarter of the outcomes. Rolling a die and pairing numbers — 1 and 2 count as one, 3 and 4 as two, 5 and 6 as three — works, but needs explaining every time. A draw that outputs exactly 1, 2 or 3 removes the translation step: number the options, press once, read the answer.
An exact one-in-three chance
Each press calls crypto.getRandomValues() and converts the result through rejection sampling, so every value lands at exactly one third — the rounding skew that creeps into naive implementations is discarded rather than folded in. The methodology page explains the algorithm in detail.
Independence matters as much as uniformity. Nothing about one draw shifts the next: if option 3 has won twice running, its odds on the next press remain exactly one in three.
Where a three-way draw earns its keep
Turn order for three players. Instead of throwing fingers or drawing straws, assign 1, 2 and 3 and press once per open seat.
Breaking three-way ties. A group vote with three even camps, three finalists in a giveaway, three names left on a shortlist.
Rotating duties. Three roommates, one bin to take out — press daily and the rotation stays honest over time without anyone keeping a schedule.
Need more room? The random number generator covers any range. If the three options deserve some theater, put them on the wheel of names and spin. And for two-option calls, the pick between 1 and 2 page loads ready to press.
All randomization on Spinness uses crypto.getRandomValues() — the browser's cryptographic random source. Learn how our randomness works.
Frequently asked questions
Are all three numbers equally likely?
Yes. Rejection sampling on top of crypto.getRandomValues gives each of 1, 2 and 3 an exact one-in-three probability — about 33.33% each. Over a long run the counts even out; over a handful of presses, uneven results are normal statistics.
Why not just roll a die?
A standard die has six faces, so you have to pair them up — 1 and 2 mean one, 3 and 4 mean two, 5 and 6 mean three — and explain that mapping to everyone involved. This page outputs the answer directly, works when no die is in reach, and each result carries the same one-in-three odds without translation.
What are the odds of the same number three times in a row?
Roughly one three-press sequence in nine ends with all three results identical. That is common enough that seeing a streak means nothing is wrong — each press remains an independent one-in-three draw regardless of what came before.
Can I draw two different numbers out of the three?
Yes. Set the count to 2 and switch off repeats — the tool then deals two distinct numbers from the three, which is handy for picking a first and second slot in one press.
Do you store my results?
No. Everything runs in your browser. Spinness has no backend for these tools, so no draw, choice or identifier is transmitted or logged anywhere.