Random Number Generator 1 to 3
The random number generator 1 to 3 gives 1, 2 or 3, and each has a chance of one in three (33.3%). Number your three options first, then press Generate.
Updated
Odds for a random number from 1 to 3
A range of 1 to 3 is the smallest pick that a coin flip cannot make. It suits any choice between exactly three things: three people deciding who starts, three doors, three difficulty levels, or rock, paper and scissors without the hand signals.
To use it for a choice, number the options first, then draw. Deciding the numbering before the draw is what keeps it fair. If you would rather type the options than number them, the random choice generator picks one from your list.
Every draw is a uniform draw over three outcomes. The table shows what that means over several draws.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Chance of a given number in one draw | 1 in 3 (33.3%) |
| Chance that two draws match | 1 in 3 (33.3%) |
| Chance that three draws are all different | 6 in 27 (22.2%) |
| Chance that three draws are all the same | 3 in 27 (11.1%) |
| Average number of draws until 1, 2 and 3 have all appeared | 5.5 |
The last row is a small case of the coupon collector's problem: the first number comes at once, but the third one takes three draws on average to appear.
Example: three friends decide who pays for coffee
Three friends want to know who pays for coffee. They agree that Ana is 1, Ben is 2 and Chen is 3, then press Generate. The result is 2, so Ben pays.
For the next round they could draw again. Or they set the count to 3 with no repeats and get a full paying order, such as 3, 1, 2, so each of them pays once.
Random Number Generator 1 to 3: FAQ
Is each number equally likely?
Yes. 1, 2 and 3 each have a chance of exactly one in three. The draw uses your browser's cryptographic generator and rejects the one 32-bit value that would otherwise tip the balance; how our randomness works shows the arithmetic.
I got the same number three times in a row. Is something wrong?
No. Each draw is independent, so the chance that three draws in a row all show the same number is 1 in 9 (11.1%). It will happen regularly. Expecting a different number after a streak is the gambler's fallacy: the next draw is still one in three for each.
Can I draw 1, 2 and 3 in a random order?
Yes. Set How many numbers to 3 and tick No repeats. You get all three numbers once each, in one of the six possible orders.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Discrete uniform distribution — three outcomes with equal chances (checked October 16, 2026)
- Wikipedia: Coupon collector's problem — the 5.5 draws needed on average to see 1, 2 and 3 (checked October 16, 2026)
- Wikipedia: Gambler's fallacy — why a streak does not change the next draw (checked October 16, 2026)