Prize Wheel

A weighted spin wheel where big prizes are rare and small wins are common.

About this tool

About the Prize Wheel

A prize wheel only works commercially if the grand prize stays rare, and that is what weights are for. This template assigns each outcome a weight, Grand Prize 1, Big Prize 3, Medium 6, Small 15, Try Again 25, and the segment sizes reflect those weights. Out of 50 total weight, the grand prize wins about 2% of spins while most players still walk away with something or a near-miss.

Adjust the weights to fit your prize budget before the event: if you have 200 expected spins and five big prizes, a weight ratio of roughly 1 in 40 for Big Prize keeps you on target. Rename the segments to your actual prizes, a free coffee, a discount code, a t-shirt, so winners immediately know what they get. Check local rules if your event involves paid entries, since promotions and raffles are regulated in many places.

Four quick steps

How to use it

  1. Rename the five segments to your real prizes and offers.
  2. Tune each weight so expected wins match your prize stock.
  3. Test with a dozen spins to sanity-check how often big prizes hit.
  4. Run the wheel at your booth and let each visitor spin once.

Starting options

What is on the wheel

Five outcomes with weights attached, so the segment sizes on screen match the real odds behind each prize tier.

Grand Prize
The headline item that pulls people to your stand, at weight one out of fifty. Rename it to the actual prize, because a vague label persuades nobody to queue.
Big Prize
The tier that keeps the wheel credible: rare enough to feel like a real win, common enough that visitors see one hit during the afternoon.
Medium Prize
Your middle stock, and the tier to adjust first when the budget changes, since moving weight here shifts the average payout without touching the headline odds.
Small Prize
The everyday giveaway: stickers, a discount code, a sample. At weight fifteen it lands on roughly three spins in ten, so stock it far deeper than the rest.
Try Again
The no-prize outcome, at half of all spins. Keep it if stock is tight, or cut its weight and add a token tier if a booth full of losses kills the queue.

Useful moments

Good for

  • Trade show and conference booths rewarding visitors who stop by
  • School fairs and fundraisers with donated prize tiers
  • Retail spin-to-win promotions tied to a purchase
  • Community events where every spin should feel like a chance at something

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How do the weights translate into odds?

Each entry's chance is its weight divided by the total. Here the total is 50, so Grand Prize at weight 1 wins 2% of spins, while Try Again at weight 25 comes up half the time.

Can I change how often the grand prize hits?

Yes. Raise or lower its weight relative to the others. Doubling every other weight while leaving the grand prize at 1 roughly halves its odds.

Is the spin actually random or does it avoid big prizes?

It is genuinely random within the weights you set. The wheel never suppresses an outcome; a grand prize can be won on the very first spin if the odds land that way.

How do I stop the grand prize being won twice?

Switch the wheel to remove the winner and the segment leaves once it has been claimed. The remaining weights then apply between themselves, so the rest of the afternoon runs on the tiers you still have stock for.

Will my setup still be there on the day of the event?

The wheel saves in the browser you built it in, and nothing is uploaded to an account. Build it on the tablet you will actually use at the booth, or share the link to that device in advance and open it once to check it loads.

How many segments should a booth wheel have?

Five to eight reads well from a metre away. Beyond that the labels shrink and visitors stop being able to see what they are playing for. Use custom colours and emoji to make the tiers scannable rather than adding more of them.

Keep deciding

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