How to Run a Fair Online Giveaway With a Spinning Wheel
A giveaway can grow your community — or damage trust if people think the result was rigged. The secret to a successful draw isn't the prize; it's a process that's clear, documented and visible to everyone.
Before the giveaway
Write simple, public rules
Post the rules before anyone enters. At a minimum, explain:
- How to enter and whether multiple entries are allowed.
- The start and end date and time (with time zone).
- Who is eligible (age, location, followers only, etc.).
- How and when the winner will be chosen and contacted.
- How long the winner has to respond before a new winner is drawn.
Giveaway and sweepstakes rules differ between countries and states, and social platforms have their own promotion policies. Check the rules that apply to you before launching — this guide is general information, not legal advice.
Decide how you'll handle duplicates
If each person may enter only once, plan to remove duplicate entries before the draw. The Remove duplicates button on the wheel does this in one click (it ignores capital letters, so "Sam" and "sam" count as the same entry).
Collecting entries
Export or copy the list of entrants into a spreadsheet first. This gives you a record of exactly who was in the draw. Then paste the column of names straight into the wheel — each line becomes one slice.
Running the draw
- Go live or record your screen. Showing the full list and the spin in real time is the strongest proof of fairness.
- Show the entry count. The number on the Entries tab should match your spreadsheet.
- Shuffle once on camera. It isn't needed for fairness, but it reassures viewers that order doesn't matter.
- Spin. Use a longer spin time (8–10 seconds in Settings) to build suspense.
- Draw backups. Turn on Auto-remove winner and spin again to pick runners-up in case the first winner doesn't respond.
After the draw
- Announce the winner publicly, but only share what they're comfortable with (a username, not their full name or address).
- Contact the winner privately through the platform where they entered. Never ask for passwords or payment to "release" a prize — and warn your followers that scammers often impersonate giveaway hosts.
- Keep your entry list and recording for a while in case anyone has questions.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Changing the rules mid-way. If you must, announce it clearly and apply it to everyone.
- Drawing privately. Even if it's fair, people can't see that it is.
- Forgetting time zones. "Ends Friday at midnight" means different things around the world.
- Collecting more data than you need. A username is usually enough. Less personal data means less risk.
A transparent spin turns the draw itself into a fun moment for your audience — and the next giveaway gets even more entries because people trust the process.